Washington sentinel., 1854-03-14

sistance, and should do it.
Mr.. WADE. Mr.. President--
Mr.. NORRIS. cannot give way to the
senator any more he has answered my ques-
ton, though not put to him.
Sir, cannot close what have to say with
out noticing certain remarks made by the
member from Massachusetts,, Mr.. SUMNER.
They seem to me to be characterized by such
spirit of studied bitterness-I will not say self
conceited arrogance-as to demand reply.
The senator says:
"But the race of men, white slaves OF the
,rth' described and despssd by southern states
man. is not yet extinct there, sir II is one OF me
melancholy tokens of the power OF slavery, under
our political system, and especially throhSh tue
operations Of the national government, that "
loosens and DESTROYS the character OF northern
men even al a distance--ke the black magnetic
mountain in the Arabian story, under whose ,rre-
sisiible attraction the iron bolts which held To-
gei,E7r the strong tirnbers OF stately ship were
drawn out until the whole fell apart and became
a disioin,ed wreck Those principles, which con-
stitute the individuality of the northern character
which render il staunch strong, and seaworthy,
which bind il together as with ron are drawn
ont. one by one, like the bolts ofihe i-fated yes-
sel and from the miserable. loosened fragments
is formed that human anomaly, northern man
4ciA southern principles. Sir, no such man can
speak for the north"
Now, we at the north have had these terms
applied to us too often to need any explanation
us to whom they were intended to apply Any
denial on the part of the Senator would only
stultify himself Who, sir, commissioned
authorized that Senator to say who could or
could not speak for the north? Surely, who
ever heard such an assumption will not say
shameless assumption int this chamber!
Sir, is majority Of the members from the north
in this body, representing sixteen sovereign
e Al. To-. mill of
people, to be denounced as "white slaves OF the
morrill, as northern men with southern prin-
ciples," because they dare to speak for and
vote for what they think is right, for what they
think their constitutional obligations and the
great principles of sefgovernment require
And who is the member who makes this charge?
Who is he, sir? Why, he is no other than the
Senator from Massachusetts, who-who, at the
hustings? No, sir, no /; but who, in the cradle
of liberty, in the city Of Boston, before an as
sembled multitude, counselled his countrymen
to resist the laws of the land, not by argument
alone but by force, even unto blood.
Mr. SUMNER. Never! never never!
Mr. NORRIS Substantially so; at least so
the reports at the time represented 1T.
Mr.. SUMNER. Never, never! challenge
any paper If he does not, he stands before
the country convicted Of saying what he cannot
sustain.*
Mr. NORRIS. have said that have not
the precise words, but certainly the substance
of them has been imputed to him in speeches
which he has delivered, and which have been
printed.
Mr.. SUMNER. Ny language in Faneuil
Hall
Mr.. MASON. Order l call the senator to
order, unless the senator from New Hampshire
yields the, floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the SEN
ator give way2
Mr.. NORRIS. Certainly.
Mr.. SUMNER. My language in Faneuil
Hall was distinctly this | counsel no violence.
Mr.. NORRIS. At any rate | have always
understood it as have stated it. Perhaps |
may not be able to make it good here, Tor |
have not the morning papers which gave the
first account of the meeting and OF the sena-
tors remarks but / say that he was reported
to have said so.
Mr.. SUMNER. Never, in any authorized
report.
Mr.. NORRIS. The senator has not told us
all Of what he did say, although he got up and
did tell us what he did not say. say this is
the senator who now undertakes to lecture the
Senate upon the sanctity Of plighted faith
Mr.. SUMNER. Will the senator yield the
floor? understand him to say that did not
state what did say.
Mr.. NORRIS. Oh, no; no such thing. l
said all of what vou did say.
said in Faneuil Hall, Icounsel no resistance. /
counsel peaceable opposition to the law as
Unconstitutional act.
Mr.. GWIN. Did you not counsel resist
ance 7?
Mr.. SUMNER, latter pause.) ! did not
counsel resistance by force.
Mr.. GWIN. That is an evasion.
Mr.. NORRIS. Yes, sir; think heard
the senator's remark. / may have applied
strong language, but have not applied to him,
in my judgment, anything stronger than the
sentiment which never till to-day, Sc far as ]
know, has been denied.
This is the member who now assumes the
right--and I will not dispute that right-to
lecture the Senate upon the doctrine Of the
sanctity Of plighted faith, and the sanctity and
inviolability Of law. This is the member who
now assumes to teach the Senate Of the United
States the ethics of purer political morality,
and in the purer doctrine ofthe fathers. Sir,
have not yet arrived to that degree of impotent
arrogance as to assume the right to speak
either for the north or the south; but claim
the right, and shall exercise the right, to speak
my own opinions---to speak and to vote, too in
favor of exhuming the Constitution from this
compromise under which it has been admitted
it has been and is buried, and in favor Of the
great principle Of selfgovernment to every or
ganized community in this broad land so far,
at least, as their local domestic institutions arr
concerned.
Iverv well know, sir, that that senator's po-
litical opinions are widely different from mine
very well know the political sentiments of his
constituents are not the political sentiments Of
my constituents. Yes, sir, full well know his
constituency is not mine; and thank my God
today it is so. But notwithstanding all this
whenever so far forget tmysel-whenever so
far forget the courtesies due to this body. and
the constitutional rights of senators on this
Aoor, as by shameless violation of both to
bring down abolition applause from the gale
res-as to say that any senator, whatever may
be his peculiar opinions, cannot speak, either
for the north, the south, the east, or the west,
now declare I should be wholly unworthy of