Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-03-16


| the Nebraska bill.
Mr.. Douglas called for it to be read. He
| said it was not respectful to the Senate and
he desired to say word upon it. He then
| in very strong language condemned the state
ments Of the memorial, pronouncing them a.
trocious ISLANDERS, sc. He wished to call the
attention.of the Senate to the memorial. sit
is" said he, presented after the action of the
senate as q protest against our action, in
which certainly two-thirds of the body con-
CURED. 1t protests agaist our action as be-
ing breach of faith, as involving a moral
! wrong, as destructive of all confidence, and as
subjecting us to the righteous judgment ofthe
! Almighty. 1t is presented, too, by denomi-
nation Of men calling themselves "Preachers
| of the Gospel" 1t has been demonstrated
that there is not particle Of truth in the al
legation of a breach of confidence. 1t has
| been demonstrated so clearly that is no ex-
cuse for any man in the community who be-
lieves it any longer. Yet here we find that
large body of preachers, perhaps three thous-
] and, following the lead of a circular calculated
to deceive and mislead the public, have here
come forward with an atrocious talsehood and
| an atrocious calumny against this body, and
prostituted the sacred desk to the miserable
and corrupting influence of party politics. 1t
matters not whether they have misled the
whole ofthe clergymen of New England and
drawn them into this pool of dirty water.-lt
matters not whether the Misrepresentation has
taken broad scope or been confined to few.
| l hold it is our duty to expose the conduct OF
men, who, either from ignorance or wilful false
knowledge, will avail themselves of their sa-
cred calling to arraign the conduct Of senators
| here in the dischage of their duties.
/ hold that this senate is as capable of judg-
! ing whether our action involves moral turpi-
tude, whether it involves subversion of NOR
ais, whether it subjects us to the judgment of
| the Almighty, as are these political preachers,
| who do not understand the question. 1t is
| evident that they ought to be rebuked and re-
| quired to conhne themselves to their vocation,
instead of neglecting their holy religion and
| violating its sacred principles, and truth and
honor, by getting up document here, which
| is offensive, and which no gentleman can en-
dorse without violating all the rules of courte-
sy, propriety, and of honor Mr.. Douglas
spoke much further, to similar effect.
Mr.. Houston defended the memorial. He
saw nothing internal or monstrous IN it
nothing that offered any indignity to the SEN
ate. The memorialsts charged that the Ne
braska bill was violation of the national
faith. He had made the same charge in the
debate, and had proved it. He then told the
senate that the passage of the bill would lead
to excitement and agitation; it was then de-
MED by senators, but this memorial, signed
by the 5000 ministers of the Living God, was
evidence that tie people were deeply moved.
Mr.. Mason was in favor of the right of pc
tition, and hoped never to see the day when
this right would be denied in the senate. But
this memorial was of character that did not
entitle it to any favor from senators. Its Ian
guage was not .espectful, and he moved that
it be not received.
Messrs. Butler and Adams also opposed its
reception.
Mr.. Houston again defended it.
Mr.. Everett said that it was due to the Sem
ate that he should explain his connection with
the petition. He was called from his seat
few moments before he presented the memo
rial, to the door of the Senate, where he was
requested by gentleman to take charge of
the memorial, and to present it to the Senate.
The gentleman who had brought it was intro
duced to him as a most respectable gentleman
of the clerical profession. That gentleman
requested him to present it to the Senate. The
memorial was voluminous, and he called one
Of the Senate attendants, and told him to
carry it in, and lay it on the Secretarys desk,
where it now laid. A few minutes after, he
presented it as it was on the table. He had
not read it at that time, nor did he read it un-
til he did so with the Senator from Illinois
He thought this explanation of his connec :
ton with it ought to be made, as the memorial
was considered offensive by the Senator from
Illinois, and others of the Senate. He thought
the memorial ought to be received, and that it
was wrong to ascribe to its authors unworth Y
feelings and motives.
Mr.. Petit spoke in severe terms Of the cler-
| gymen who signed the memorial, and propos-
ed that it be referred to the Rev. Henry Slicer,
chaplin of the Senate, with instructions to in
quire and report whether the Nebraska Dill
was violation of the laws of God, land wheth-
er the Senate was in danger of provoking the
judgment of Heaven by passing it.
The discussion was continued by Messrs.
Douglas, Petit, Houston and Seward the lat
ter defending the memorialists at some length.
Mr.. Badger replied to Mr.. Seward and
moved to lay the subject on the table. Agreed
to.
Mr.. Bell offered a resolution, calling for the
correspondence between the American Consul
at Smyrna, and the American Minister at Con-
stantinople respecting the Koszta case.-
Adopted.
After an executive session, the Senate ad-
journed.
HoUsE.-Mr. Appleton asked leave to pre-
sent the remonstrance of the New England
cergymen against the Nebraska bill Mr.
Boyce objecting, the paper was withdrawn.
The resolution introduced yesterday, to rem
edy the confusion at present existing in the
appointment of cadets caused by the new con-
gressional districting of the several states was
passed.
The house then resumed the consideration
of the Wisconsin Railroad land bill. After
some discussion and the adoption Of two
amendments, the bill was finally tabled on
motion of Mr.. Jones, of Tennessee, by yeas
81, nays "a. The vote was finally clinched
by ayes 90, noes S5. Adjourned.