Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-06-30
sP Y.............F FRIDAY, JUNE so. s54.

slaveholding communities, he spoke either III
irony or ignorance.
[Mr. Sumner then went into au able and
elaborate exposition of the contributions of the
Southern States to the War of Independence,
particularly of South Carolina, and then
saidl-I had almost forgotten TO turn
again to the Senator from Virginia. He has
undertaken, in most imperious style, rather
let me say the style of Sir Forcible Feeble, to
call in question my statement that the Fugi-
tive Slave act denied the habcas corpus, and
in doing this he assumed for himself supe-
riority which nothing III him can SANCTION
Sir, l claim little for myself, but shrink i'll
no respect from any comparison with that
Senator. Sitting near him as has been my
fortune, since have been i'll this body, have
learned something of his conversation, some
thing of his manners, something OF his attach
ments, and something of his abilities, and
something OF his character, and while would
not undertake to disparage him in any of these
respects, yet feel that 1 do not exalt myself
immensely when openly challenges compar-
ism with that Senator. To his statement on
this subject, l oppose mine lie tie evolved
other objections to the Fugitive Slave act,
which he commended to the Senator from
whose brain the souless monster came. He
then said looking at Mr.. Clay, but l must
close. To many things said in this debate,
intended to be personal and offensive, make
ne reply. There are some things best an
swered by silence, best answered by withhold
ing the word which leaps impulsively to the
lips, but leave these things, and as | close, l
dwell for one moment on the agreeable aspect
of this discussion. On former occasions like
this, the right of petition has been vehemently
assailed, or practically denied. Only two
years since memorials for the repeal of the
Slave act, presented by me, were laid on the
table. without reference to any committee
All is changed now: Senators have condemn
ed the memorial and cried treason, but thus
far in this excited debate, no person has so lar
outraged the spirit of our Institutions, or for
cotton himself, as to object to the reception of
the memorial, and its proper reference. 1t is
true the remonstrants have been treated with
indgtity, but the great right Of petition, the
| sword and buckler of the citizen, though dis
| graced by suchindignity, has not been denied.
1 Here, sir, is triumph of freedom.
Mr.. Clay said the Senator had asked wheth-
err any Senator would render assistance in re-
turning fugitive slave to his owner, and as
no one had responded. and lest the Senator
might herald it forth to the world that no one
! Senator had the moral courage to say he would,
! he (Clay) had to say he would do so.
Some further discussion Of personal char
| acter IollOWeu, anu at D D CLOCK tne oeudte du-
| iourned.
HoUsE.-Mr. Shelton of New Jersey in
troduced a bill for the better preservation of
life and property from shipwreeks on the coast
of the United States, which was referred to
| the Committee on Commerce.
The House resumed the consideration of the
bill providing for weekly mail service be-
tween the Atlantic states and San Fran
cisco.
Some conversation took place as to the eff
| feet of this bill on existing contracts.
Mr.. Mace of Indiana said the select COM
mittee on steamship frauds will report next
week. The Collins line needs overhauling,
and critical examination. After the report
shall be submitted, the House will have it in
their power to curtail greatly the expenses of
the ocean mail service and afford equal facili-
| ties to those which now exist between New
| York and Liverpool and California, at greatly
reduced rates. Mr. Mace said he was not
prepared at this time to saddle the govern
| ment with an additional expense Of $250,000 a
year for a weekly service, when we are pay
ing almost twice as much for semi-monthly
mail.
Mr.. MeDougall moved an amendment max
ing it the duty of the Postmaster General to
determine any contract to be made and not as
to any existing contract.