Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-07-08


to their duty themselves their country who nave
never shown themselves unwilling yindicate their honor
and maintain tho truth Of their assertions; when know
that such men around sustain me- and sustain that
reporter and sustain the honorable Senator from Indiana
mir PETrT) in the charge which he made, should feel
that false my trust and to my duty ana accesso-
ry to suppression of the truth did not rise 70 sus-
tain them Sir If this report we're not TO 60 out TO the
country if II were confined to the halls of this Senate,
should not interpose because do not believe that that
reporters reputation would suffer in any conflict OF
CITY with the Senator from Massachusetts, but it will
90 abroad where they not both equally known and
where the Senator's accidental eminence here may give
creator weight to his word than the position of the
porter of this body gives to him. feel it duo to that gen.
teman as honest and honorable man, to say that
his report is true paid special attention to what fell
from the lips Of the Senator from Massachusetts, and
say that be never qualified that denial say as the
reporter sad that those words which shall read are
interpolated. And, sir to what say, call upon the
Senator from California, (Mr. GwIN) the Senator who
sits me- and who propounded the nterrogatory mr.
BUTLER the Senator from Louisiana, Mr. SLIDELI who
also sits me, and the Senator from Texas (Mr.
RusK who sat close by the Senator from Massachusetts,
appeal all Of them, honorable men, to state whether
that reporters report was not correct and the inter
polaton Of the Senator from Massachusetts, incorrect
Sir this qualification Of the Senator is precious after
thought, Matched by many hoursof incubation.
Mr.. SUMNER. What qualification?
Mr.. CLAY. The qualification which shall read.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. II is not in order for the
Senator from Massachusetts, while sitting in his seat to
interrupt the Senator from Alabama.
III Mr.. CLAY. Here IS the quallncauOn. Inc Oenator
from South Carolina asked the Senator from Massachn
sets whether the fugitive slave act repealed be
would fulfil the obligation of his oath and maintain and
support the Constitution by returning, in conformity to
its requirements fugitive slave Here is the real an
swer and shall show what is the pretended answer He
said Does the Senator ask what would do r. and
then answered. " Is thy servant dog hat he should do
this hing?" Now, sir what the question propound
ed? Whether he would maintain the Constitution, whe
Their he would fulfil its provisions if the fugitive slave
act repealed? What was his replyf Does the Sc
nator ask me what would do - rs thy servant dog
that he should do this thingf What the Inference
the universal inference of the Senate from this denial
Why that he would violate the Constitution that he was
willing prove his Dissertation of this Senate chamber
with his tread and his pollution of the Holy Evangelists
with his lips by violating solemn OATH that he was will
ling to commit moral perjury crime in the eyes Of God
and honorable 0dious and as infamous as that
legal perjury which would be ted with the penten.
tary with branding of tn g P" upon the hand
or forehead. That Il renee, the legitimate in
ference. How does he shirk it, How does
he endeayor to avoid the inst and condgn sentence OF
condemnation visited upon JIM Ds every honorable mind
in this Senate Why sir BY going to that reporter and
oisting into the report words which he uttered,
materially qualifying his denial And what are those
words? will read them to the Senate " Does the
Senator ask me what would do?" was his language
and his RESPONSE Is thy servant adog that he should
do this thing Here though is what he placed in the
report and says that he sad Does the honorable Sena
tor ASK if would personally join in sending fellow
Unto bondage?" say those words were never ut
tered. appeal to those honorable who sat near
him to say whether they were uttered do not believe
he find anybody here to sustain him. unless it be his
conTsrs and uniform supporter. (Mr. CHASE, who was
suggesting to him responses, and who sits near him. If
he said it. he spoke it sub yosd-in whisper. would
rather believe to make the best Of it, that it Of
those mental reservations with which he took his oath
but do not even believe that there any mental
servaton He did utter and he did what charg-
ed by the Senators from South Carolina, Mr.. BurLER
from Virginia. r MASON, and from Indiana, (Nr PET
but after he found the indignation it invoked upon
his head and heard the denuncatons hurled at him from
every quarter and the smile of that played
upon every face he shrunk from the words he uttered
and to make instrument of the reporter of
this body to shield him from the namy which he deserved
Mr.. MALLORY Mr.. President
Mr.. CLAY. Excuse me one moment. am not in the
habit of respassing often the Senate Mr. President
Icould and show that there intrinsic evidence in
this report to Sustain the original report Of the reporters
and what Is 1t? Why sir that notwithstanding this
lifted denial the Senator from South Carolina treated it
positive denial Of the Senator from Massachusetts
that he would support the Constitution Of the United
States. Now, ask does any intelligent man believe,
the Senator had qualified that denial in the in
which it appears now that the Senator from South Caro-
lima would still have maintained that he refused to obey
his OATH that he had refused to sustain the Constitution
Does any believe that the Senator from Virginia
Mason would have repeated the charge! Does any one
believe that the Senator from Indiana Mr. PETTIT would
also have repeated it, Certainly not Then there is in
tnsc evidence in the report itself that these words have
been inerpolated, that they were not uttered.
Now, Mr. President, have few more words to say,
which utter with great difdence, and with the pro-
foundest Difference to older Senators this ho0r we
have of preventing these violations Of the Dig
nifty and propreties of the Senate. There is penal
statute which reach man who only avows his will
ingness to commit o crime. But let me ask suppose
private citizen, however wealthy and well born however
highly cultivated his mind, however great his talents or
rich his requirements should openly readiness to
commit moral perjury should day by day evince dspo-
sition nstgate other to crime which, from want
Of personal courage he did not dare perperae himself
should daily other to violate the rights Of
his neighbor to steal their property, to kidnap their
slaves and refuse return them should daily assa
the feelings of his neghbors by wanton rude and I'M
caedor assaults upon their characters, and when re-
buked for it in the hnrshes most offensive and oppro-
brious language like the spaniel should quietly submit
or beg for quarter but never repair the wrong or resent
the insula sneakiDg snuous snakeike poltroon, who
would violate all the rights Of associates friends and
make reparaon acknowledge his error and who
held himself irresponsible to all law feeling the oblga-
ton neither CT the Divine law of the law Of the land
nor of the law Of honor; ask you, how would such
mscreant be treated Why, you could not reach him
with the Of the municipal law If you could not send
him to the pententiary, you would send him TO Coventry
You would exclude him from the pale Of society; You
would neither extend him the courteses that shown
gentlemen, permit him to offer such to you. You
would make him feel that he Stunned like leper
and loafhed like filthy reptile; and you would soon
render him impoteht for evil he dsinclned for
good.
Such characters though rare may be found and have
been known. can give, from memory the general out
lines of portrayed by Mr. Dickens in his novel, David
Copperfed-that of Uriah Heap. Uriah was mean, yet
affected honor; malignant yet fegned benevolence
presumptuous yet pretended humility insgaed others
&c. L. o;v &c