Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-01-29
"NATIONALITY.n

Mr.. GALLOWAY, u hepupl1Cdn hemoef Vi INC
House from Ohio made a good hit last Thursday,
in reply to some of the usual cant about N "a
tionality and Sc Sectionalism
We have heard the term national again and
again. Now, Sir, am native ofthis country,
and claim to be descendant of tie men who
showed their nationality by life and labors for
the cause of Freedom, and l always had an i'm
in our country was Freedom / supposed that
iaat was cardinal object of the noble men that
formed the constitution. In the preamble of
that instrument, as ! understand, they declared
that their object was to form a more perfect
Union, to promote the general welfare, and to
secure to themselves and their posterity the
blessings of Liberty. And il does not appear,
among the patriotic objects set forth in that pre-
amble. that they had any idea of certain ele
sneat of nationality which has recently arisen in
this country. They had before them, as the
great, prominent object of their effort, the pres
ervation and perpetuation or Freedom.
We hold that to be the great element of ma
tionallty at the present time; and SO without
intending to prejudice those who differ from us,
We hold, as the great purpose of our efforts at
this time in attempting to organize this House,
that same element of Freedom and wherever we
90, in any part of this lad, when in
terroGaed as to what Is tne great element of
our nationality, we say, the fathers of the
Constitution did that it is to secure to ourselves
and to our posterity the blessings of Liberty.
Mr. Alexander X. Marshall Niger posteri-
ty?
Mr. Galloway. Well sir, have none of that
sort but | should very much dislike to vouch
for others this floor (Long-continued roars
of Laughter.) l say that, wherever We go, We
can hold up this element of nationality to the
world If, for example, gentleman should go
from his thighly favored land. crowned with the
blessings of Liberty to other lands, and should
travel through England, or Austria, or Russia,
and should be asked what his element ofnaton-
ality is, he would reply Freedom, and it would
be understood but if. on the other hand, he
should answer that Slarery is the fundamental
principle of nationality, they would reply
that that has been the foundation element Of the
nationality of all the dcspotisms that crush
ed humanity in all parts of the world. / say,
then, Mr.. Clerk, that the who hold
and maintain great distinctive element of na-
tionality, by witch we may be known through
out the world and it does not come with an
attractive grace from any gentleman in this
House to charge upon sectsonafism when we
base our efforts upon the same great cardinal
principles upon which We're based the efforts OF
the men who secured to us the blessing Of Lib
city.
The gentlemen who are representing the pc
culiar Administration of this country, join with
others in eharactcrizing sectional Does
il become the Pretorian band Of the Admins
tr;stion, which rode into power upon high tide
of popularity some two or three years ago, and
has now dwndled into feeble insignificance-
does il become those gentlemen TO taunt us with
not organizing this HOUSE Where is the glory
that characterized that Administration some two
years ago? Where are the prestige and The pros
perity in which they then g.oried All where
are they? Why have the prosperity and pow
er of that Administration become so suddenly
and sadly obscured Has it been because your
clement of nationality has reduced the power of
the Administration If so, ] can only ask an
increase of that same element, and IN a short
time the power of this Administration cannot
be either defined or described It Will not be a
calcnlable quantity. And now, Mr.. Clerk, |
think it is respectful in those Of Us who consti-
tute plurality in this House, to ask that We
who represent the most powerful constituency
and the preponderating vote in this country.
shall choose the Speaker of this House. l have
no other way of asceraining what is national
ity, except by the expression of the nation
These gentlemen may be national cr ndtioae,
as !}tr,lS was said to be itTus a non i1ccndo-
But we national, because we represent a
larger portion of the free people of this nation
than is represented by both classes of our oppo-
dents On this floor. So far, then, as members are
concerned. we claim the epithet of national, and
so far as the great. distinctive, peryading, pene
trating element of all that constitutes our glory
and our grandeur is concerned, Freedom, we claim
to be national