Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-06-05
Lawlessness in high Places.


he thing is SO much out of the ordinary course
manly honorable conduct, to say nothing of
and Christian courtesy, that one
light almost as wellargue against the introdnc-
ION III bul-fights, gladiatoral sports, or even
he auto de fees of the Roman Inqusition, as to
it down grayely to canvass the bearing Of such
upon the national character. And
the thing could be, in any sense regarded, as
aereiy accidental, or occasional, in its occur
nee, and one which is not likely soon to recur,
would no doubt be unwise to dwell much up
m IL. Muders and assssnations will always
'ccur, more or less frequently, in all times, and
inder oil governments. But when before has
: ever been known in civilized and Christian
Republic, that these brawls and butcheries and
were of almost daily occurrence,
within the very walls OF its Capitol 1t would
,eeln that 1t was time for us to look about and
begin soberly to estimate the value of such
government. Yes we must say, that such things
cannot fail to drive the more staid and consider
ate into the serious calculation of the value of
the government
The occasion of the assault upon Mr.. Sumner
was confessedly retaliation for words spoken in
depate matter of pure privilege, in all free
1t is thing for which no man
can be called to account, how much soever it
may be abused in any civil tribunal. The as
sembly where the debate is held, il the only an
final tribunal for the determination of all au,sl
tons of abuse Of this privilege Even the
bloody code of honor has never deemed it can
sistent with its own barbarohs and sanguinary
dogmas, to attempt to regulate and prescribe
the limits of this most Indispensable privilege
OF free government But the lawlessness of
the Capitol is bringing the liberty of speech, in
debate, and OF the press too, to the tyranical
and barbarons of mere brute force! Twice in
the last few months, has this h'a, onal., -,
unblushngly attempted by luen ,ce, -, L e.
Congress of the United Stats, ei.ner ,...s,lur,Iy
within the walls, or in the very purlicus of the
national Capitol. When did the like or any
thing similar, ever occur before, in any free
country! When did it ever occur in any Chris.
tian or civilized countryl Nay, when did it
ever occur in any country under any govern
ment, barbarous or civilized! And is it not
time, high time, for sober men, to begin to cal
culate the value of such government.
The truth is we have no government There is
no protection, no sure protection, for life, lib
erty, property and happiness, in such brutal,
barbarous, bloody, uncivilized and unchristian
mode OF administering the forms of govern
ment, which in fact, has become Literally, what
the king sf Lydia said to Scion, of his famous
Athenian code, spider web to catchfeeble flies
and to be broken through, and tram pied under
foot, by the stronger
Now 1t Is probably not true, that Mr.. Sumner
even abused his privileged of debate. For if 80,
the persons maligned would have been content
to trust the matter with public opinion, which
Is sure to afford speedy correction of mere
abuse, and disastrous recoil is sure to follow :;
This Senator Butler and his bedoubtable neph-
ew, the Hon. Mr. Brooks, knows as we'll as any
body else. They are not simple men whatever
else we may think Of them. They understand
perfectly well, that falsehood and Islander
are short-lived every where. Aye, but
truth and such truth, us Senator Sumner heaped
upon the devoted head of Senator Butler, such
truth cannot be answered or put down One
may assault and bruise and beat, even to death.
the utterer Of such truth But it will rise
again, and these men feel that, and it is feeling
Of such awful distress and agony, that they
can find no relief, but in murder and assass-
nation
These men have been 80 long accustomed to
tramplc under foot all law, human and divine,
and to stfle the voice Of complaints land to stran
gle the utterances of sorrow, and suffering hu-
nanity, that they will not brook either rebuke.
or restraint! There is no remedy, but in civil
war, or separation! 1t has already come to the
desperate, and speedy choice, between two such
painful alternatives And it seems strange that
sober men will not see it.
If the sections of this Republic cannot be
kept together, in peace and quiet Nay if they
cannot subsst together, short of one submit
ting to relinquish freedom of speech freedom Of
| oG -
say the sacrifice ID too costly. And is any man
so base. so much craven. very slave, that he
could esteem the Republic worth such sacri
fee Is the existence of this Republic 30 inis-
pensahle, that men are willing to entail slavery
of thought and feeling upon their posterity to
IL thousand gen, rations to secure it
We certainly have no disposition to create
needless alarm. We have, until this occurrence
Of a member of the House OF Representative in
the very Senate Chamber, in the presence OF
half u dozen Senators, with heavy cane, beat
ing quiet peace-abidng, pcace-loving Senator,
till he lay senseless upon the floor, weltering in
his gore, and without resistance or rebuke from
those other American Senators present, because
they happened to be Of different political party
Till this, We have labored to maintain u hone,
full heart, for the future history of the repub-
lie. We have discountenanced the slavery aei-
tation, as worthy of rebuke, we heave neye,
felt any personal sympathy with Senator Sum.
ner's peculiar theories, although we have alway,
respected him rs highly cultivated gentlemen
and scholar But, after this, we must saw. thai
it seems to us, impossible longer to doubt. tina,
the decree has already gone forth, from tn.
throne of impotence, that the Republic sbal
perish
But we m y have given too sad picture of the
nations powerlessness to protect its representa-
live in the very Capito', from insult and iudinni
~. 1t will afford favorable opportunity for tht
Senate of the United States, which twen,,
years ago, when Webster, and CLAW. and Cal
houn, Wright, and Benton. and FORSYTH, and
score OF others, scarcely less august and nobl,
Senators. occupied lis seats, was, with SOM
just sentiments OF national pride, held IN. a
the most talented, and the must digniied 6elbera
i tive assembly In the world this occurrence Wi
certainly afford favorable opportunity for m
Senate 10 slndlcae the tight of freedom of ds
bate, and the personal security of its members
1t is easy to conjecture what would have bee
the result, II such thing could have occhre
there, in the palmy days of its glory and STRENGTH
Ii condign punishment had not been speetlv vi.
ned upon the mlscreant, who presumed n in
wade the peace and order of such BODY of men
f one might safely predict that all It's bonorabl
members would al once, resign aud forever tuy,
their backs upon scenes Of such lawlessnrss ,n
disorder "'
/ The House of Representatives too, if the
had any just sense Of the enormity of The offenc,
4 and that 1t was most unwarn,able and flaora,
a violation of The privileges of the other Hans
, certainly would not allow the offendinn memh,
A longer TO hold seat, which he had ,bns 49,
+, and dissraced And if John Quincy Adams ~
a lived, and held seat in that house. as ba ~,
. did, the old man Eloquent would neither o o;s
S sleep TO his eyelids, till he was rid Of sncS !
associate N>''
. But we predict, that nn,hine Of The kind vi
e oe done, whether Senator Sumner lives or die
The responsibility of these bioh n,,cos L.. 81