The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-04-15


principles Of any kind; by any effort or nc.
tiyity of my own, in any degree, he states
that which cannot he sustained by the fact,
Ineycr sought, in any way, the office which.
now hold; nor was a party, in any way,
directly or indirectly, TO those efforts which
placed me here.
Mr.. Weller. My only excuse for inter.
modelling with this matter was, that am,
believe the only member Of the Senate WHO
is a native of Ohio. took occasion 10 sar,
some days ago, that was very much NOR
tiicd that my native State should be repre-
sentcd in the manner she is on this floor. |
happened To be- familiar, MS | hav, stated,
with the circumstances under which the sen.
ator on my right MIR. CHAsl was elected
lie was elected to the Senate the very year
that left the State Of Ohio, and was very
glad to have an opportunity Of changing my
residence on that remarkable occason-
Laughter That is the only apology which
have to oller for intcrmcddling with what
is otherwise Il personal matter between IN.
senator from Ohio and the senator from lii
nois Usually, | have as much as can DO
to attend To my own affairs am rarely "
volunteer in the controversies of others
Mr.. Douglas | do not complain of nv
friend from California for intcrposing in the
manner he has for see that il Was v.tv
appropriate in him 10 do so. But sir ,i.
senator from Massachusetts comes nm vii, .
VERY bold front. and denies the riyh. Of any
man 10 nut him on dcrrnc, for ;hc m,nn.r
Of his election. He saws il is contrary ", hi@
principles 10 engage in personal ss-anits.-
II he expects to avail himself Of the benefit
Of such plea lac should act in accor,lancg
with his proies.cl principles, and refrain
from asSau.ting the character and linpugn.
ing the motives OF better men than himself
Every body know, that he came here by
coalition or combination between political
parties holding opposite and hostile opinions.
But il is not my pHrpose to 20 into the NOR
, ality Of the matters involved in his election,
The public know the history that notori-'
f Gus coalition, and have formed lis judgment
. upon it, II Will not do for the senator tv
say that he was not party TO il, for he
thereby bJtrays a consciousness of the i'm
, mortality Of the transaction, without acquuity
tug himself Of the responsibilities winch
justly attach to INN. rs well might the re-
10 ,ciycr Of stolen goods deny any responsible
a Y for the larceny, while luNlriatng in the
, proceeds Of the crime, as the senator TO avoid
/ the consequences resulting from the mode
y 0i his election, while he chngN To the Office.
~ ] must be- permitted to remind him Of what
' he certainly can never forget, that when he
p arrived here to take his scat for the first time
5 80 firmly were senators Impressed with the
G conviction that he had been elected by dis
. honorable and corrupt means, there we've
s very few who. for long time could deem
il consistent; with personal honor to hold
4 private intercourse with him So general
, was that impr, ssiOn, that for long time he
:. was avoided and Stunned as person un-
= worthy Of the association of gentlem,n.-
T. Gradually, however, rhcsc injurious impress
II sions were wore away by his bland manners
and amablc department.; and regret that
. the senator should now, by violation Of all
% the rules Of courtesy aud propriety, compel
me to refresh his mind upon these unwel-
come "reminiscences.
Mr. Chase. II the senator refers TO me,
he is stating a fact Of which have no knowl
! edge at al. ] came hert--
Mr. Douglas ] was not speaking Of the
scnat, r from Ohio, but of his contcdcrat.s in
s'a>d.r the senator from Massachusetts, Mr.
e Summer have word now to say to the
. other senator from Ohio, Mr. Wade, On
the day when exposed This abolition all
, dress, 50 full Of ISLANDERS and caamtics, he
rose and stated that although his name way
signed TO it, he had never read it; ond 50
willing Was to endorse an abolition docu
ment, that he signed it in blank, without
knowing what il contained.
Mr.. Wade. | have always found them
true.
Mr.. Douglas lie stated that from what
| had exposed OF It's contents he had not
hcsltated TO cndorsecvery word In the same
speech ne Sall, tllat III ptlO negro
good as a white man; With the avowed that
he did not consider hims,lf any better than
a free negro. have only TO say that |
hot have noticed ii if none but free
negroes had signed it!
The senator from New York. Mr. Sew
ard, when was about t. call Inn to &C
, count for this ,landcrous production, prompt
ly denied that he ever signed the document