Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-08-07

aall, not member, was imprisoned by this
House for a secret attempt to bribe one Of il.
members. In administering justics here. viii
recognise no privileged class" II Blouut
could be lawfully expelled, and Duane and
Randall lawfully imprisoned, l insist that, for
like offence, the member from South Carroll
na may, and should, be dealt with in like msn-
ner History, SIR, the great aVengsr Of wrong
has recorded this crime upon the peoples lie,
and stands ready to record It's dread eOndem.
nation against this HOuse. If it refuses 70 in
tiiet the puni,hment which that crime dc.
serves. Consider the subject Of this offence.
the alleged provocaion, the method, the place.
the svOWsd purpose, the approval, aud the Ct
condemnation.
The brilliant and distinguished Senator from
Massachusetts, is the subject Of this assault
that Senator who, notwithstanding the attempt
Of the gentleman from North Carolina TMr.
ClingmanI to defame him. holds now, and
will hold, slarge place in the affection and ad.
niraiiOn Of his countrymen. That Senator.
sir, denounced the audaciOus crime which ia
being committed in Kansas. In his n,a.. a,
Senator, he made powerful and convincing
argument against the unparalleled conspiracy
which is subjectiDg that young empire of tts
West to cruel and rslentIes tyranny-aty-
ranny which iDficts death on citizens guilty. of
no offence against the laws; which sacks their
towns and plumbers and burnstheir habita,ions.
which legalzes. throughout that vast extsut
Of territory, chatte slavery, that crime of crimes
that sum Ct all Villanies, which makes mer.
chandise of Immortality, and like the curse Of
hehama, smites the earth with bGrrenness-
that crime which blasts the human intellect.
and bllghts the human heart, and maddens the
human brain, and erushes the human soul. that
crime which puts out the light and bushes the
sweet voices Of home-Shatters its altar and
scatters darkness aud desolation over its hearth.
stone-that crime which dooms men to live
without knowledge, to toll without reward, to
die without hope-tbat crime which sends IL.
tie children to the shambles, and makes the
mother forget her child in the wild Joy she feels
that, through untimely death inflicted BY her
own hand, she has saved her offsering from
this damniug curse, and sent its infant spirit,
free from this horrid taint, back to the Gcd
who gave it.
Against this internal aud atrocious tyranny.
upheld and being accomplished through a stu
pendOus conspiracy, the Senator from Massu-
chusetts, faithful TO biz own convictions, faith.
full to the holy cause Of liberty, faithful to bis
country and his God entered his protest, and
uttered his manly and powerful denunciation.--
What was there in this to offend?. Was it be-
cause he presented that terrihle Impeachment
by the great Roman orator of the tyrant Yer
res as fit denunciaton Of those new tyrants
in Kansas, who butre-enact those brutalcruel.
lies Of Verres7 .-...
Itis not Claimed that the Senator uttered
any word which he did not believe to be true.
but it is said that, in his exposition Of this wick
ness, he denounced the act, the men. and the
States, that aid and abet it. uith an intemper-
ate violence of language. He spoke with
zeal, With knowledge, and power This, sir.
is the head and front Ofhs offending, Is no.
thing to be pardoned tothe spirit of lberty?-
Is the great right Of the People-freedom of
debate in the Senate and House-to be res.
tricted in its exercise to the notions of eyery
man who chooses to constitute himself the nudge
Of what may and may not be rightfully said?
The fact, sir, that the Senate permitted the
words to be used in its body, without objection,
is conclusive evidence that it was the right of
the Massachusetts, Senator so 10 speak; nav
more, the Senate is the only and fnal arbitsr
of what may there be rghtfully said in debate.
That, sir, is the necessary consequences from
the constitutional provision that each house
may make rules for its own government, and
no member of either House shall, for anv
speech or debate, be questioned in any other
place, For his speech, under the constitution,
therefore, no earthly power had the legal
right to question the Senator but the Senate
of the United States. dismiss this INQUIRY
as to the provocaton, with this additional word
that no man can righlfn!ly find provocation
for, and justification or excuse Of, an assault
upon the peoples representatives, because Of
any speech OF debate made by any member in
either House. The dting Of lawful act the
exercise Of lawful right. or the discharge Of
lawful duty. can never furnish an apology or
excuse for the commission of crime.
Now, consider the place and method and
svowed purpose ofths assault. The perpetrs-
tor ofthls &C! says bis object was to punish the
Senator for words spoken in debate ia the SEN
ate-and thus confesses his crime against tie
people. Every personal consideration, sir,
sinks before the magnitude of this offence
| A Senator of the United States, in the Senate
Chamber, in the felt presence Of the people, is
struck down, and well nigh murdered, for
words spoken in dsbate--and this, too. by
member of this House. who. ike all of us had