Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-07-07
Nr. summers speech,

Mr.. summers speech.
The coarse abuse of their opponents, which
III debatc ls So often shownin Congress by the
advocates of Slavery, is getting to be so com
mon as to excite no surprise. The Senate ON
the 2Sth inst, had a special display Of it
The petition from Boston for repeal Of the
Fugitive Slave Law Of 1850 furnished the oc-
casion. That notorious booby, Mr.. Petit
of Indiana. took it upon him to charge Scna-
tor Sumner with ialsehood, because in the
printed report Of his remarks there appeared
II phrase which he (Mr. Pettit) did not chance
to hear or to notice, but which Mr. Sumner
said he used
Mr.. Sumner, III answer to an inquiry
whether he would return fugitive slave
had asked, "ls thy servant dog that he
should do this thing !" "Thc man who first
used that remark (said Mr. PcttiD was fit
ting person to quote. lie had proved him
self a lying migrate, a dog. He was happy
rototyre ol'thc Senator from Massachusetts,
il all his conduct
The ilmanncrcd attack was followed up by
Mr. Butler, of Florida, Mr.. Mason, of Vir-
ginia, and others. Mr. Clay, of Alabama,
SAID "Thc Senate could treat him (NIr. Sum
ncD with disdain, could send him to Covcn-
try, deny to him all those civlities and court
os.cs common among gentlemen, make him
tel he is treated as "A epcr. and avoided as
avenomous reptile-tlus far Senators had it
in their power to do. If they have not pow
cr to impose runshmcnts of law, they can
take from the serpent his fangs, and place
him in that social degradation he deserve ="
The spirited reply Of Mr.. Sumner was such
as became man, IA gentleman, and freeman.
Senator SUMNER said
Since ! had the honor of addressing the
Sctate yesterday, various senators have
spoken. and several have alluded to me in
terms clearly beyond the sanction of Parlla-
mcltary debate OF this ! make no COM
plant, if to them it seems proper, courteous
an, Parliamentary TO " unmck the heart
with words. and fall II cur-ing like "A very
drfb, q sculin.' | will not interfere with
the cnpvmcnt which they find in such expo
sur, OF msclvcs-thcy have certainly rhown
from South Carolina, who sits Immediately
befre i"c, and the Senator from Virginia,
wlp sits Immediately behind me-arc not
vo,ng their heads are amply crowned by
tine they did not speak from any ebullition
ofyouth, but from the confirmed temper of
ag.. 1t is melancholy to believe that they
sh,wed themselves as they are. 1t were
charitable to believe that they are in reality
bet er than they showed themselves. J think,
Sir that am not the only person ON this
tlou, who. in'listcning to them in this deba tc.
these two self confident champions of the pc
Cuhar fanaticism ufthc South was reminded
Of he striking words of jefferson, picturing
the influence of Slavery. " The whole COM
mercc.' said he, - between master and slave
is a perpetual exercise of the most bOistcrous
passions, the most unrcmittiug despotism ON
the one part and degrading submissions ON
the other. Our children see this and learn
to initiate it. for man is an initiative animal
The parent storms, the child looks ON, catches
the lneamCnts of wrath, puts ON the same
airs in the circle of smaller slaves, gives loose
to his worst passions, and thus nursed, cdu-
Gated, and dally exercised in tyranny, cannot
but he stamped by it with odious pccuIiari-
ties. The man must be IA prodigy who can
retain his manners and manly feeling unde-
pravcd by such circumstances. No person
who has witnessed the Senator from South
Carolina and the Senator from Virginia in
this debate, will place them among the pro-
digirs described by jefferson. As they spoke,
the Senate Chamber must have seemed in
their sight plantation stocked with slaves,
over which the lash of the oversecr had free
scope. There was little that fell from them
which deserves reply. Certainly not the hard
words they used So readily. The Senator
from Virginia complained that had charac-
terized person who went from Virginia to
Boston in pursuit of slave asa slave-hunter.
Sir, | choose to call things by their right
names. White call white, and black | call
black \ man who degrades himself to the
work of chasing poer negro, who, under
the inspiration of freedom and the guidance
of the North Star, had sought a freeman S
home far away from the whip Of the orerseer,
| call slave-hunter. If the Senator will
give me any term which more precisely des-
cribes such a person, | will use it. 1t was
said by one of the philosophers of antiquity,
that the blush is a sign of virtue ; and per-
nit me to add that the sensibility which that
Senator displayed at just term which truly
charactcrizcs an odiOus person, is kindred to
blush, which even the plantation manners
of the senator could not conceal and the
Senator from South Carolina, too, has
betrayed his sensibiity,-and here let me say
that this Senator knows well that always
listen with peculiar pleasure to his rich, eX-
uberant speeches, as they gurgle forth SO
4 often, tinctured by generous ideas, except
when in defiance of reason he undertakes t.
defend that which is obviously ndeirnsible
This senator was disturbed when, to his in
auirv whether | would render personal assis
tancc in reducing or rcturninS-l use thu
words us cquiyalcnt--a fellow man to slavery
exclaimed" is thy servant dog that h
should do this thing ~ The Senator asks i
there is any dog in the Constitution IL
does not seem to think that by the interpre
tatiou that he has given To the Constitution
he has hcipcd nurture there II regular Suutl
Carolina bloodhound, trained to hunt ne
groes No, Sir, do not believe that thtr
Is any bloodhound, or even any dog, IN tn
Constitution of the United States. Bu
since the brief response which made to tn
inquiry of the senator has drawn upon IN
various attacks-all marked by grossness {
language and manncr-since | have bee
charged with openly declaring my purpos
to violate the Constitution and to break I'll
oath which had taken at that desk, | sha
be pardoned for showing simply how ie
words will put all this down. The authent
report in the GiObc shows what actual
, said. " hen that is read, it renders anythir
. else supcrNuuus. bul the senators VINO nav
been so swift in misrepresentation deserve
| be exposed, Now, Sir, begin by adoptiI
% as my guide the authentic words of Andre
r Jack son in his memorable veto III 1882 of Il
u Bank OF the United States to his course W
e opposed the authority of the supreme Cour
= and this is his reply
= If the opinion of the supreme Cou
= covers the whole ground of this act, it oug
i not To control the coordinate authorities
). this Government, The Congress, the Exec
I. tive, and the Court must each for itself
J. guided by its own opinion of the Constit
n tiun Each public officer who takes an GA
II to support the Constitution, swears that
N will support it as he Understandable. and !
IN as it is understood by others, 1t is as mu
is the duty OF the House of Representatives,
10 the Senate, and oi the President, to deel
s. upon the constitutouality OF any bill Or re
= luton which may be presented To them
;a .,t hn III,