Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-05-11
TIE FREE PRESS.
MIR. BENToN's SPEECH ON NEBRas-
kA BILL.
Horsr OF REPRESENTATIVES Arm as

: KABILI.
House, OF REPRESENTATIVES, APhI 25r
Nj Benton said IL any bill TO impair the Mis-
/ souri, Compromise line Of 1890, b been brough
iGto this House BY member from Save STATE
or under the admrhistraii N OF President ektiet
from slave State, | should have deemed Il my
duty 10 have met II al thr Threshold and 20 have
mat the motion which the parliamentary law pre-
serbts for the repuse u sahjects which are not n
To- lie considered soud have moved its rejsc
ton az The FIRST reading 3ai tn bill before Us ISl
this 100 may be cons5defed as one does not come
iron that quarter. lfconies In m free SAFE and
under the administration OF President elected
ffon free State, ard uneef ihal aspect ofis pti
gin deemed il rshiao wait aud b, ar what The
members Of the tree States had 70 say II il IL was
proposition iror lkar cwn ra Ks - give Up tbeir
haf cf The slavery c5lapfemise 1870 and Il they
chess 10 do 80 dit noi SIZE huw Soalhtrn lilqm-
4 ,bers ruulGIp IL ace p, il
4 Il was iree STATE question ard The members
4 from The tree S aies we,c The mai riy and cont
4 do rs Ihel please,i. So stood aieof waiting TO
see rAeir sad hut i,huui The sehtsl inter ion Of
i beirg governed by il had M ctr cpvoi 81 o;
-rigb' and euiy and mean, 70 act upon hiin had
CONS into political lie upon dat c nj ami
had stood upon il ah0ve lhirr, y3ass int fed
To stang upon il p the end s.iiiary aud alone" il
neetb BE- (App'anse and laughter1 Rui prefer
ring company 10 soil ute, and not dcultiug fDr an
instant v hal the result was 70 be.
| kave ssia thai rhi- bill Gene in,o CONGRESS
under the administrator ~ free State PEST
dent but do net mean 10 say OF insinuate hg that
remark, that the President fsvorS4he bill know
no,hpg OF his disposition towards il, and il did.
/ should not disclose Il here 1t would be uupafi-
ameG,a aud reach # he privileges o. this
Hause 10 DO so. Th- Presidents opinions can
only be made known TO Us bv himself in a mes
sage in writing In taal way il Is bis right ard
bitten his dasy 70 communicate with Us. And IN
that way thege is no room for mistake 10 citing his
opiniDns; no room i0Esan unauth0riZ ID use oft his
namri; 20 room foribe imputation o. conirsd ctory
opinions 10 him and 10 that way he becomes res
ponsible 10 the American people for the opinions
he NAV deliver Al oher modes OF commuRea-
lion are forbid TO him as tending to an undue and
unconstitutional interference with the freedom OF
Legislation
Iris not b'iAery alone attempted upln memb'r
which constitutes hfra y III The privileges of this
House. Il Is any aEtmpt cooperate upon mem
ber's vote B, any nsiderator Of hope " fear IA
yer or affection prospect or reward or dread Of
punishment This Is parliamentary law as cd as
To- English parliamenI> constantly maintained by
The Bfi4i.h House OF Common. and lately de-
ciafed III most signal manner ltwas during the
reign OF our old master, George TIM 3fd and in the
famous case Of Mr. Fdx's E ~ India bill re-
pon was spread 10 Parliament by one OF The Lo Is
AZ the bed.cbamber thai the King was opp sd 10
The bill that he wished il defeated, and said that
be world consider any m m e. hi enemy who
SHOULD vote I il. The House OF Commons took
Ore a, this report and immediately resolved
That 10 report any opinion pretended opinion
81 his majesty upon any bin depending in either
House oi ParlaneBris high crime and misie-
neanef deroe alory 10 thr honor OF The crown, a
breach Of the un iaheniai privileges OF paflia-
taeLt: and subversiye OF lie constitution OF ise
county,"
This resolve was adopted 10 fun house BY a
raai rity Of seventy three votes aud was only de-
clasatdIy OF existing parliamentary law; such as
il had existed from the lime the English couhtes
and boroughs FIRST sen knights Of The shire snd
tsufgessss 10 represent them in the Parliament
House Ii is an old IN lish par i4mentary law
and j. 50 recorded by Hasell and all the writer,
on thai law. tits also American law. as old a.
or Congress and as such recorded in Jefferson,
Manual. II is honest law. and as such exislant N
every honest heart.
Sir, the President or the United States can send
US no opinions except in written messages, and NJ
one can report his opinions 10 influence he con
duct OF the mem ers ppun bin without hecom
ing obnoxious TO The eensuTe which the British
House of Commons pronounced upon the Lord o
bed chamber in The case Of ihe King and ihe Fox
Eas, India bilE NorIcan the Presidents secTeta
;ries his head clerks as Mr. Randolph used to cal
ahem send Us their opinions on anv subject Of leg
/ 'isaion depending belprs Us. Thez can only re
port and thai in writing. on the subjects referred
4 10 them by law or by vote OF the tWo houses =
Non Intervention is thsir duty in rotation 10 ou'
Legislation; If tAey aitsmpslo intervene in any o
our business must lie allowed for one TO- repuls'
the attempt and To press for il no higher degre
+ az respect than mat Mr. Burke expressed for The
Il opinions OF British Lord Chancellor delivered Il
the House Of Commots in case Id which he Eat
no concern.
i Sir, i suppose can be allowed 10 repeafon ihi
1 flor any degree u cdmFarison Or figure Of speecl
I which Mr. Burke cpuld US. on the floor OF III,
Brush House 81 Cor mons. He was CLASSIC
speaker and besid 5 that, the author Of IIealis
Z on the sublime and BEAUTIFUL though dot cunsid
~ the particular figure which have 10 repeat al
though ipsI an ictufesque IN itself 10 be per
Tee, illustration Of either branch Of his admbe'
ireaiise Il was IN rekeIenee 10 Lord ThnTlow
who had int rvened IN some legislative bushes
eonsrarI & the ofaofs sense Of right and decency
/ Mr. Burke REFUSED the intrusive spinion ami de
csafrd that he did not care thfet nmps OF a louse
/ Tor IL Sir, | say The same Of any ID Zion whir
may he reported here from Secretaries. on an
! Diil depending before us, and tia: 10 any form
1 in which Il may cone ircm ihem whether as
/ unit or as iniegess. ~
Still less do Fadmitihe right cf Intervention i
orr legislative duties in another class Of
/ dlsTs. and Mh0 might not b. able 10 meddle al 4
with our business were il nsi for The misistralio
] q cur bouniy fsptak q he pubiie printers VIII
se their daily br aiad h ztbntfsr ON b A side
~ .nr daiiy Trintiug ana Who require the Dems
cratic members ofIhis House, under the instant per
aty Of political dsmnatipn 10 give IN their adh-
Il sing to avery bill which they cali administration
and that 10 every change Il may an1erro aIhoue
u more ehanseable han the mo- Fur thai ella.
Il cfinlermeddlers have 50 parliamentary Law
4 administer nor any euosiian from Burke 10 q,
Il pis-uoihing but liille fable o rad ,hr VAN
ot which asi, an 60 flb'ss. lies in rs MIRA
4 fsia Frsnch aid eaiitisd L ane Ell snr lusi, =
which bring done into s glish signifies = TTe .
asd lis N aaeT,r ana runs thus:
a3n 81 took il iEib his brad tosscsfe N. r,as,.
and paI lions skin. and vent and srro5 n 4
pssf Ard when be- saw his MISTER coming
commenced roaring, be thought. bos ~ On
bIayed and The master knew Il was his 40
he went up 10 him with . cudgel. and beaf III
1 nearly 10 death !"
j That Is the end Of the fable, and he moral "A
IS, q eauii0n 10 all asses 10 take care how N,
4 undertake 10 scare tneif masiers" fGreaf 4
plause
Mr. Chairman. his House rilI have fallen I
below lis consiiutidpsl mission, il i,suIers i,s,
,pbe governed ~ sgihoIi,y. OF drseconed bv