The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1856-08-01

pflFiieScS-lOr this act am complained OF
by that body to this House. Your commit.
tee have declared, and this House has now
concurrcd in the opinion, that my offence
is to the Senate, and that no rule. or order
of this body have violated
\ ow, sir, let me ask why the Senate did
not protect its own rights! The argument
has been made here that &C nccessiiatc this
House must have the powc: to protect it.
self. IT that principle be true in its appi-
cation here, why has not the Senate
the same powers of protection But
what right has this House to punish me for
offences committed out of its presence !
Again, sir, | challenge comparison with any
member, aged or young, pions or not, as to
the propricty Of my dcmcanor as a gentle
man and member. They tell me that nv
responsibility to this House is because of the
general responsibility which attaches to cv.
cry member. How far docs your authori
ty extend Across the Potomac TO NV
own home 9? Why, sir, if go to my home
and find that one Of my slaves has behaved
badly i'll my absence, and | direct him to
be tl"gged, may be charged with--to use
the language which is familiar here-"crimc
the blackest aud most hcinous!" and when
come back-and come back will-mav
be punished myself for inhic,ing a clastisc-
mcnt which, by the common law and thc
constitutional laws Of my country I have
the right to lnilict upon my slave, who is NV
property. Where do you stop in this qucs-
ton of authority OF the House over its
members AS We understand it, there is
sense in this authority controlling a mem-
Der while the House is in session and re-
straning him from disturbing or embarras
sing its proceedings. If the government
was cons,itu;ionally administered every cit
lZcn would have direct interest in this
much. But if your authority goes into the
Senate chamber, and even when the Senate
Is not III session, why should it not 90 into
TIC antc-rooms and down the steps of the
Capito!? Why not pursue me into the
avcnuc--into The stcalnboat-to nv plant
alton ! take the gentlemen who have Ia
bored for my expulsion on their own dccla-
ration. They are committed to it, and they
cannot now cvatc it. They say that nv
responsibility is not because of any offence
committed in the presence of or to this
House, but because of the general and nee
csSary authority which the House has over
its members. Now, it seems to me that. if
my responsibility to this House for an of.
fence committed elsewhere is because of nv
membership, it isa logical conclusion that
my responsibility ceases when my relation is
dissolved. Whether or not the authority
OF the Senate reaches me after my relations
to this House have terminated, it is not
ior me now TO inquire; but, in justice
10 myself, l take occasion to say to the
country, that if the Senate take that view.
| shall recognize its authority. Now, sir.
let me inform the honorable members who
have been pursuing me- so ticrcely, that my
present altlt J. was long since foreseen,
and that Ii together prepared for any of
Its cmcrg' - knew with whom I had to
deal, and my resi- gnation has been for more
than ten days in the hands of the Govern
or Of South Carolina, to take effect the very
Instant that / announce my resignation up
Oh this floor. But, before | make the an
nouncemcnt, | desire to say word or two
in reference to what has been said of me in
debate and elsewhere. saw in some of the
New York papers that certain feminine
gentleman from that State Mr. Morgan)
had applied TO INC the term "villain." Well,
that was not n word Spoken in debate"
and | onl y aludc to it to advertise the in
dignant gentleman that l have seen the
word, and know that it was spoken in New
lork, and not here in debate lie need not
be much alarmed and, if he will "hold
stilr when get hold Of him I'll not hur,
hiinmuch. And this is all that can say
about that matter here.
Your amiable colleague, TMr. Knapp.
who was presented by his constituents with
n revolver, intended for my particular bene-
fit, yesterday declared that Massachusetts
would stake her own time and place" to
resent what he and she both pronounced to
be an insult and injury. l do not intend,
MIR. Speaker, to utter an offensive, unkind,
or even rough word to that gentleman
for he is gentleman, socially, know-but
l wish to say this to him, that will never
plead the statute Of limitations in bar of
the wrath of Massachusetts. =
On yesterday, however, VIC had violent
demonstration from the gentleman from
Connecticut, Mr.. Woodruff, who is now
near me, and who, with historical ac-
curacy, () has asserted that the bones Of
Connecticut revolutionary soldiers now lie
in the valleys Of the sunny South. That
member, with show of manhood which
elected my admiration, in his written. re
marks, used thefollowing language: ..
::~Will not this'hali, with too much reason,
continue to be characterized as q. chamber
of assassins, if; we do not now. unite, to re-
ibuke andaempbatically. condemn this mon
sfrOus iviolatiop of all honor md IA aoancu ,