Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-01-03

Il itbFfN nun Ff'f = "tff'f tfah ~"
and agitates this Union IL its very foundationl
ask that question. sir,
Mr.. Humphrey Marshall. To whom does
the gentleman address his question: Laughter.
Mr.. Smith. Not To you. Of course.
Mr.. Marshall. For Gods sake do not. Re
neved laughter.
Mr.. Smith. Oh no. sir. ] know that name
too we'll. | have the honor of representing il in
my district, 10 n considerable extent. Ind | know
that i, is associated With all that,is patriotic and
intellectual and worthy.
Mr.. Clerk. | ask this question: Did not the
gentleman who now leads for the Speaker-hip
of this House attend n Republican IA black Re
pubIican conyeniion-no, | will not PUT IN the
adjective. for the sake Of ainore polite and hnr-
monious phrase. | will say-attend "A Republican
convention in Mainel Aud did he not there,
upon TINT occaeion. cut bin self loose from the
Democratic party, Us he ought, for>thc sake of de
ceney, to have done. after what ! understand to
have taken placc:& did he not upon that occasion
declare, that under certain circumstances he WAS
willing TO let the Union slidei ! remember to
have read, with surprise. in the papers. during
the summer such II statement of his position IN
that conventions; | read it also with Il feeling of
Indignation, that one 50 gifted, aud one SO wor-
thy, in many respects. should be 20 false to bis
allegiance TO his country. find that statement
is also made in the speech oi Benjamin f.. Hnl-
lett. Of Boston. which fact shows that he, at
lfh@l. nun Y iilA1 va ibAiIi'bt W
his country. Although the gentleman from
Maine. Mr.. Washburu. who heard that speech,
says he does not recolleet hearing any such re-
mark presume the fact will not he denied AZ
now stated. There are those upon thisfloor who
heard the speech which fell from the eloquent
lips of TINT gen. leman. And now, sir, after the
revelations Of Yesterday, after the position as
sumed by him in this Hail. when he claimed TINT
he represented the strongest Abolition district in
the United States, we can understand that he Is
in no sense national or sectional. bat that he is
an Abolitinnist; aud ! want this House to unler-
stand distinctly. SO far n can e~nlighten them
npon the subject, TINT when they call him 10
preside over the first Legislative body on earth
"a body which represent ihe.freliugs Of millions
they place there "a man who will come into the
chair with principles utterly at war with every
thing caponized in the hearts Of the Am ricau
people.
There ore three partiesf,nm which we are TO
make our choice. The one is the party upon
whici, have already commented. The gentle
man from Pennsylvania. MIR. Fuller, whatever
his autecedrnts may have heen. is conservative.
| understand he is willing to allow the existing
legislation Of the couiltry to rert-that he is will
ling 10 leave 10 the voluntary notion Of the peo-
pie Of Kansas the settlement of the question,
whether they viii have ilcir State n free or a
slave State. The other OF the three from whom
we must choose il the honorable gentleman he
fore me Mr.. Richards IN vine introduced to the
House the Kansas-N ebtn ska bill, aud fought it
through, and who also did what | fear too many
dbl not do when they went home-he went home
with the will and determination of honest purpose
to- meet the question before his constituents. aud
was returned TO this House by an increa -ed.
largely increased magnify OYER that which he
had previnu.lv received.
Sir. such bring the state of the case, | ask the
men IN t1i- Hall who love Their country, how it
is possible That they can hesitate in the selection
which they mike? There may be somc legitimate
J distinction between those who affirm the Consti-
tuition with all its compromises, and those who
are willing to leave matters stare decisis yet
how those, who love their country and desire to
see her permanent growth and prosperity, can
hesitate in choosing between the gentleman !
have alluded to, from Illinois, and a Representa-
tive Of the black Republicnnism of the country.
| cannot possibly understand. i do not hesitate,
SO far asI am concerned, and | stand Ivy that
gentleman because he represents the peace. re-
pose, and harmony of the.country. think there
j.. way out Of the labyrinth of difficulty which
surrounds us. and | trust we shall find that very
soon. In my district you know, from what | have
already said, while | proclaimed my n|ieg anee to
the Democratic party. | refused to enter into IA
drnunrintiou of those with whom | expected to
he called soon Ia act. ssiused To dn it, and that
putty is here now, under somewhat peculiar and
trying circumstances. Ihry believed, honestly
] have 10 doubt, that, in fostering and sustaining
the American party. they were building up II par
ty Ia put down northern fanaticism. They EN-
braecd that belief earnestly and when it was
announced that they had the abolition sympathy,
would not consent IT, q belief intl,c suggestion.
| believed that the southern Know Nothings were
patriots, and that when the crisis came they would
he found to meet all the expectations which south
"rn men attached to them. When the Ihiladrl-
plja meeting was convened, n platform was a0-
opted, and tho result you all know.
The southern Know No.hing- found themselves
misled and betrayed. and the question which inn
medlately arose with theni was. what was their
duty. They had sougat their organization for
national purposes. They had honestly aud IA.
boriousiy attempted to get up a party which
should eru- ii ont that fanaticism. under the sweep
of which the gentleman FROM Massachusetts Mr..
Banks came here with his thousands. The
Know Nolhings of the North,have been. with few
exceptions. the allies of the hiack Republican
sentiment which has threatened woe to the cnun-
try. Bat let me- tell you, Known othingism has
heen the cnYer 10 some OF the m,St extraordinary
frauds which have ever been rerpotrated in open
field. We know very well n distinguished mem
her in the other branch ID Congress has broken
ground ngain>; the Know Nothings. We know
how they sprung up, like the hosts of Cndmus,
in the night. and we know the consequences of
= their action. The word went ont from the gen
t tIeinan to whom | have referred, as is supposed,
that their lodges should be filled and taken pos
r session Of by his friends. The con sequence was,
that large numbers gained admittance into the
lodges Of New York and when their .cpresen-
tatives in the Legislature cane to the election Of
"A Senator. they detied thu Instructions Of those
they had determined to batrav.
= Nor is that all, sir. Another case hp recent
. " occurred. Another Senator occupying a -
I sition in the other House; and who came in by