The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-05-12
SPEECH OF COL. BENTON
NEBRASKA BILL.

Delivered iR the House of Representatives, Thc,.
day. the 2jh day Of April 1854.
The House being in Committee of the
Whole, Mr.. Chandler in The Chair:
Col. Benton rose and addressed the COM
mittee -
THE BILL COMES FROM FREE STATE.
If any bill to impair the Missouri Compro.
mise line Of 1920 had been brought into this
House by member from a slave State, or
under the administration Of a President elect.
ed from slave State, should have deemed
it my duty TO have met it at the threshold,
and to have made the motion which the par.
liamen,ary law prescribes for tie repulse Of
subjects which are not fit to be considered !;
l should have moved its rejection at the first
reading But the bill before us, for the two
may be considered as one, does not come from
that quarter. Ii comes FROM free State, and
under the administration OF a President elect
ed from free State and under that aspect
Of its origin, deemed il right to wait, and
hear what the members OF the free States had
to say to it.
II was proposition from their own ranks,
TO give up their hLlfof the compromise oil
1920; and IL they chose to do so. l do not
see how southern members could refuse to
accept il. IL was free state question
and the members from the free states were
the majority, and could do as they pleased.
So stood aloof, waiting to see their lead,
but without the slightest intention OF being
governed by il. had my own convictions
Ofrisht and duty, and meant to act upon
them. had come into political life upon
that compromise. had stood upon il above
thirty years, and intended TO stand upon /,
to the end, as 'litary and alone, )" il need be
applause and laughter) bat preferring com
pany TO solitude, and not doubling for an IN,
slant what the result was to be.
have said that this bill comes into Con-
grsss under the administration Of free state
President but l do not mean to say or insin
uate by that remark, that the President IA.
voss the bill. know nothing of dispo-
sition towards it and IL did. | should no,
disclose it here. lt would be unparliamen.
tary, and a breach of the privileges of This
House to do so. The Presidents opinions
can only be made known to us by himself
in message in writing. In that way IL i,
right and often his duty, TO communicate
with US, and in that way there is no room
for mistake in citing his opinions nc
room for an unauthorized use Of his name
no room for the impuiation ofcontrary opin.
ions 10 him and in that way he becomes
responsible to the American people for the
opinions he may deliver. '
AL other modes Of communication are
forbid to him, rs tending to an undue ana
unconstitutional interference with the free.
dom Of oflegislation. |, is not bribery, alone
attempted upon member, which constitutes
breach OF the privileges Of this House. IL
sa any attempt to operate upon member 3
vote by any consideration OF hope or fear.
favor or affection, prospect Of reward, or
dread Of punishment. This Is parlis men .ary
law, as old as the English pariiaments. con.
stantly maintained by the British House Of
Commons, and lately declared in most sis-
nal manner. Twas during the reign Of our
old master George the Third. and in the IA.
nous case of Mr.. Fox's East India bill, re-
port was spread in parliament by one OF the
lords Of the bedchamber, that the king was
opposed to the bill-that be wished il, de.
feated, and had said that he should consider
any member his enemy who should vote for
IT,. The House Of Commons took Gro al
this report and Immediately resolved ,g.
"That TO report any oainion. or pre.en.
dcd opinion o. his Majesty, upon \ any p bin
depending in either House Of Parliament. i
high crime and misdemeanor, deroratory
TO tho crown, and broach Of the fondamen.
tai privileges Of Parliament and subyors;ye
Of .he constitution of the country" =
This resolve was adopted in a full Uou,e
b. o majority Of scvcnty-three votes and
was only declaratory Of existing parliamen.
tary law-such as Il had existed from the
time that English counties and boroughs frs.
sent knights Of the shire and ,burgesses to
represent them in the Parliament House.