Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-12-15
dictiOn, this portion. as we'll as others, shall

be enforced.
Much has been said, during this discussion,
about the Republican party. There is one
thing that l wish gentleman on the other
side most definitely and distinctly 10 under
stand-thst I stand not here to vindicste the
character of Jefferson, Hancock. Franklin,
Adams, and their compratiois ofl776, nor the
doctrines Of the Republican party. Suffice it
to say that the high and holy truths on which
they based their vindicstion are equally sufi-
cient foI our viudication. In order to show
gentlemen where we stand, l willTefer to our
published creed. 1t reads:
THAT The maintenance of the principles
promulgated in the Declaration OF 1ndepen.
dence, and perpetuated IN the Federal CoHsti-
tuition. shall be maintained"
Now, Sir, the great truth, that call men
are endowed by their Creator, with the inalien-
able right of life. liberty and the pursuit of
happiness" was first embodied in the Declar-
alton of Independence, and then transferred
to ard perpetuated in the Constitution and
when our fathers ordained by the Constitutio
that all persons shall be secured in the enjoy.
ment of life and liberty, we repeat their de.
elaratioD, we maintain their doctrines. seek
the same objects, worship the same God
There were those in that day who denied these
doctrines. They denied that all men were
entitled to life and liberty, but they were de-
nouneed enemies of mankind and traitors to
Freedom.
Mr.. Bennett Of Mississippi the gen.
tlemsn allow me to ask him questions
MIR. Giddings, Certainly. | say TO that gen.
tleman, and say to gentlemen on all sides,
prepare your questions; let them be brief and
to the point, and they shall be answered.
Mr. Bennett of Mississippi, ask the mem
Der from Ohio whether he, on former occa-
sion, ever uttered this language that is here
attributed to him. l will send it to the Clerk
to be read.
The Clerk read as follows:
81 look forward to the day when there shall
be servile instruction in the South, when
the black man, armed with British bayonets,
and led on BY British officers, shall assert his
freedom, and wage a war of determination
against his master; when the torch of the in
cendiory shall light up the towns and cities of
the South, and blot out the vestige of Slavery.
And though l may not mock at their calmtty,
and laugh when their fear cometh. Yet l will
hail 1t as dawn OF political millennium"
Mr.. Giddirgs. Does the gentleman from
Mississippi assert that ever uttered those
wordss
Mr.. Bennett of Mississippi. ask the gen.
tleman whether be ever uttered them, and if
he did, ask him whether they are his senti-
ments nowi
Mr.. Giddings. will answer the gentle
man kindly, for don't blame him. Ihope God
may forgive his ignorance, for be has been
misled by men who ought to have known bet
ter. 1 have seen language going forth from
this hall, and various quotations, attributed to
me; have seen them quoted by older men,
bers, who ought to have known better. II l
have uttered such sentiments there is record
for it, and ask when and where were they
spoken have no knowledge nor recollection
ofever having uttered such sentiment.
Mr.. Bennett of Mississippi. have to say
to the gentleman from Ohio, that l would
greatly prefer ignorance on this subject, thnn
to manifest so much knavery, for which he
may be forgiven. then desire to know of
the gentleman whether he now wishes to see
such a state of things
Mr.. Giddings. Ii the gentleman will come
to me outside this Hall, l will pour out my
whole soul to him. have nothing to conceal.
Mr.. Bennett of Mississippi.-I desire no
personal intercourse with the member from
Ohio. ask the member again, whether the
sentiments l have read are those that now
meet his appreciation
Mr.. Giddings.--Mr. Speaker, 1 am sorry
the gentleman from Mississippi does not un-
derstand me better but it is, perhaps, not
strange, for he has never had any personal in
tercourse with me, laughter, nor l with him.
| am sorry it is necessary. But will say to
him, and for the benefit of the younger mem
bers of the House, that no man ever heard mo
utter sentiment nor word that seemed to
pray or desire the unnecessary shedding ofhu-
man blood. The objects to which have ever
devoted myself have been those of peace, and
not of war. These have been my sentiments
IN ffpo III
day. But l VIII say TO the gentleman that 1
abhor-I detest oppression in all It's forms. l
detest wrong L hate slavery with an ineffa-
Bile, unconquerable hatred. God hates it,
All good men hate it. The Republican party
hate it. Laughter. Mankind hate it. But
have never uttered amy sentiment aNerse to
the peace, and harmony, and good of man.
kind; and when the President, or any other
man. says have, he says what's not true.
will, however, say this, that every humane
being is endowe by God himself with the
inslienable rights of liberty aud the pursuit of
happiness; and when see human being
deprived oft, hope he may regain it, at any
expense Of those who Cypress him. Now,
ask my friends from Mississippi, do you be-
lieve that all ineE are endowed by the Crea.
ter with the inaienable right to life. liberty,
and the pursuit OF happiness Be as frank as
l was My opinion is, that God has given
the gentleman from Mississippi the same
right to life and liberty rs lie has to franklin
Pierce; and l would as soon see the Presi-
dent Of the United States robbed OF liberty and
the pursuit of happiness, or his wife sold from
his arms, as would the humblest man that
ever trod TIE footstool of God. These are my
sentiments and l have been panied to see
my Republican friends stand here and defend
themselves for entertaining these sentments
when they ought to attack those who deny
them. What, sir, shall Republicans stand
here and excuse and justisy themselves for
entertaining sentiments for the support of
which our fathers met the hosts of Britain
upon hundred battle-feldss
This right of all men to life liberty, and the
pursuit Of happiness, is the first fundamental
principle, the chief corner stone, the basis the
foundation of the Republican party. On this
rock we build our political church, and Meth
er the gates of hell nor the Democratic party
shall prevail against it. 1t is on these indy
ing truths that we base all our political hopes.
Cur government was established, ordained,
and brought into existence, for the distinctly
avowed and unequivOcaly declared purpose
OF maintaining the rights of all men under its
exclusive jurisdiction, to life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness and every man who
opposes the attain ment of this object opposes
the purposes and designs Of those who found
ed it, and of course are Numerically opposed
to tie objects and doctrines of the Republican
party.
now pass to the next point in our Repub-
licah platform. The second resolution fur
Their reads as follows:
"fhat as our Republican fathers, when they
had abolished Slavery in all our Territories,