The daily union., 1856-12-13
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEBATE ON THE RESIDENTS MESSAGE
SPEECH OF HON. WILLIAM BlGLER,
or PENNSYLVANIA
Delivered in the Senate the United States Monday De
csmber g. 1856

csmDer d 1896.
Mr. BIGLER Mr. President had tot anticipated the
renewal he slavery discussion this early day OF the
indeed sir had hoped that this thread worn
topic would be permitted steep least tor short Set
son. afer the presidential struggle Like the senator 70
Louisiana felt quite hapPy 10 this belief but Il u
The Pr stdent his closing message, deemed u
proper put hs views the subject OF slavery al
tatlon on record and the the other side
have avaled themselves Of the occasion 10 open uF
the eBtire field OF controversy. for one have desired
AVOID il, and shout have said one werd had
it not been for the frequent aud pointed rerea made
the character of the late pres DENTAL canvass IN my
State by the from Oho and Massachusetts
Houorabe the ohrr side whist drprecaune
Of the Presdant in discus ing the suge read
lily concluded to follow his example Lameurins the use
Of entimens his part which they deem uugenercua II
not unjust toward their party their prpepies ana me
tendencies OF their ures they indulge TO su greater
extent IN the pract ce themselTes CndemninZ WhH 'ey
pleased regard want of official courfs1 towards
this department of the government aud 10 la class OF
the people they promptly violate all tese rurs the sr-
verify OF their own criticisms Even the seua' from
Maine distinguished tor the popriety Of his language
has spoken of the President unworthy son OF fe
State and the from Ohio hds hetn sil Sc
But these exhibitions only furnish another evten
OF the tAlhbllfy of our nature ana show w dth"ul
il is Tor the best refrain ON the commission
OF the wrongs we think We see IN others Snrh Tnin
however, not uncommon Very mauy t-r hrs n
rails, politics. and relou utterly fs 10 the pra
ice OF the wise add holy precepts which they la DOVE ior
the Observance of others
Bot .i, do not intend circumscribe myself in uhat
Ii tie have say, by complaints against the course o
others think the President right in expressing his
he done and OF course senator's nave gh
crLtrise the act
But agree that this act of the President s m
prec,dented II mistaken President Jackson dis-
cussed The question OF national bank 10 such manutr
the INTERPRETATIONS Ot MS political oppo
President Polk discussed the question OF war with
Mexico tie spirit II is the right and duty Of the
Pr sident inform Congress OF the state OF The Union
and aiming be does TO the 1ngerous ten
ducrn~s Of erta ,tca parties in the coun-
II, the obga ion On the prseu Executive communicate
fJ Eal Iona yaa .Ypn.F
and scard the reasoning O that ucer but they shoud re-
member that President ashingto IN his early day
felt required the people against the dangerous tend
ences of geographical parties in country and efforts
array OF the country against ansher ana
that Thomas jefferson compared this sectional agitation 70
the startling Of FIRE bell in the night Nor sir wit
exceptions the language used by the President serve TO
break The furee Of his overwhelming argument 10 uppo
OF h,t he regards Tie trns policy Of the nation
agree sF that the crucsm OF The action u large ciass
his fellow by the President and the condemnaheo
he tendency Of such action however strongly quahrd
in proecves the motives OF the sCt0s is most delicate
task should only be performed great occasions ou
President has confined his structures TO partisan lead
ers-men seeking political power by means thar would
hazard the peace OF the country and think the people
will agree that they deserve the rebuke.
But SIR II is my main purpose to defend the Pres
dent Tins has already been done with more ability han
can command. THIS much will say howeEer-noW that
be the end or bis Term OF III e and When my mo-
tves cannot be msunderstod-tnat believe time and
experience will prove the wisdom Of most Of his masure
and the day IN the future when the purity
/
Bat sir senators have teen eudeavoring determine
hat qusLops have been seted y the result OF the late
election, tome taking exception 10 the dehhlhon a. gwen
by the Pres dent and this point have word 70 say
am quite sure sir that great fact settled by the r.
suit h that James Buchanan to be President or our
years from the 4h Of March merit and nat John = brek
inrdge will be Vice President for like period Another
still potent h that the principles of the democrs
! ic party defined Cincinnati and eKpounded BY h .
Bnchansnhe prominent feature being that the pe-
the Territories shall tDe
right determine the character of their own local lnsutn-
uUns in their wav. including that OF 1omestiS s
very-are be in the asceudrncy till the year 1857.
Another fact as distinctly settled H. that the modern and
miscsed republican party, against which the democracy
eontended has been found 10 minority in twenyth
out Of the thirty Saes and has be rctsd IN the
Uuion By popular majority Of less than one mion
three hundred and sevsnty-hve thousand being mi
noriy q than all toe votes cast for their audda'
and minority in the northern States alone q near two
hundred thousand Another is that the modern Ameri.
nothing party with its ntoersnt dogmas OF
sth aud against winch the democracy ao contsuded has
been repudiaed in thirty out Of the htrtyon states ana
/ by popular majority Of over two millions.
But the result 10 be misunderstood even by
senator's The from New Hampshire has evidently
liked the Of the election well enough TO look
at them be would claim large majority for the
repubsn, in eleven States when the figures show that
they in minority in al but eight Hs osrtsuly
oug ht have known that there popular Ority
against Mr. Fremont in New York OF fortyhve trou-
sand and ONO Of thousand and 10 Iowa of one
hundred md hfy thousand He and other sentors seem
be under be impression that their psr very rear
carry ing all the trve States TIE ssnaror from Ohio said
the other they would have done bad The
been fairly the democratic side The senator from
Maine said they would have succeeded had the vote been
FAIR Why, sir the figures indicate differently. Out
OF 4sO 600 in PENNSYLVANIA their candidate received
but 47447 votes-lssvnR him in minority Of more than
l65 900 He also in minority Of 43 SOS 10 New Jcr
ssy 46Osa in Indiana, 46sl5 in Illinois and, from the
have from California be has not received more
than onfourh Of the popular vote IN that State claimed
to be hrs Whatever consolation sud encouragement
they draw from Huch figures leave them tn enjoy.
They certainly claim fellowship With the Fillmore
vote tor Mr.. Fillmore himself among the arst 10 de-
them a sectional party, attempting 70 maintain
doctrines and practices that woud certainly dissolve
the Unou
Bu they deny that their party is sectional and make the
charge u secuonan against the democracy. Well, Ar
President shall not consume much time on this ssue
but SIR the republican be not sectional party, would
be glad learn how a party be sectional cannot
conceive what CHARACTERISTICS or practices OF sec nal
party the republican, party lacks Both Of their candidates
were from section Of Union they nominated
by delegates from the section and they received All
tier ia that section In fifteen Of the States difer
ing the others only local institution their
party made serious attempt to get voes but they en-
desvored gain power by exciting prejudice aud passion
in the popular mind their section against local
institution OF the other How else could you constitute
sectional party II secuona distinctly and danger
ousy sectional and il is useless for senators to deny It.
s Just the kind Of organization which the greatest and
best man who ever lived in our country anticipated with
alarm.
But il ia far otherwise with the democracy One Of our
candidates from the North aud the other from the
South They nominated by dsleRass from all the
States aud voted In all the States Their party
declared principles and policy acceptable TO the whole
family OF States Those principles could be expounded
alike in ALL and orators from the North and the South met
/ dale fha 40 A "