The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-12

ion is sufficient correct the evil Suppose for example
steals your horse you may tell him, forsooth, that
he will lose his character by stealing that he win be
cluded from all good society that he will be tabooed and
lose the respect Of the community but will this be su
cent cheeky lie will nothing for it, because the class
of men who commit such offences do not for public
opinion. Upon the principle, those who indulge
in vtuperaton and calumny, aud delight to yiy other
people thereby clearly show themselves to be dead to all
Of shame and hence nothing for public opinion
If they did of course they would not indulge in such prac
tees. II dog barks at me- and strike kick him, you
might say to that If did not like his barking, ought
to be content with barking back at him. If man, staad
ing ditch would throw dirt at those passing by he
might say if beaten that it wrong, and that Others
should be content with throwing back mud on him SO
those who yfy other people would doubtless say II
Ii left 10 their Wishes that all who were assaled by
them should be content with replies in abusive language
BY this mode Of conducting the contest they would suffer
nothing because being engaged in an occupation suitable
to their gross tastes and insensibe TO shame of course
they would suffer nothing, and would, on the contrary
have the malicious and mean qualification OF seeing hon
cradle and sensitive degraded to their own level
Such wrongdoes are therefore, only to be corrected and
restrained by the application Of the "cndg I BY bring
ing to bear them in other words punishment which
they feel No expects to induce lazy horse to pull
by telling him that it is his duty to do IT. or to correct
vicious dog by reading him the ten commandments So
maintain that you have moral right to such app-
cations to common vifers and calumnators as they win
and feel the force Of This has been the
sound principles. would act on IT. under some circum-
stances myself and justify morally any other VINO
resorts to it. admit that laws made differently
in this District and in my own State. II vi6es an
other grossly and he beaten in my State the Judgment
Of the court is that he be fined sxpence Over the
line, in Georgia. the jury would take the words into
count and acqu him. But in every instance the
nifty would morally justify the act And you
suited and beats the who nsulted him. men will say
that though he has violated the law he excusab for
it and the courts punish him lightly On the other hand
if he acts without just provocaton the courts viii punish
him severely But hold that the only effective way now
known to reach men of this sort the to which ave
referred
Mr. Speaker dislike to characterize Mr. SUMMERS speech
for several reasons In tho first place do not like
sail personally anybody or to to speak Extensively of
member of either house if can avoid doing In fact
never have been called to account for offensive
mark towards any member, during my service here In
the second place. dislike to refer in terms Of severity to
who is understood to be noncombatant feel diff
erenty about who night call to account; there
is something not dsagreeaby exciting sometimes in that
In tho third Place especially ayere to attacking any
man who has been assaed by another and failed TO make
any defence Lastly sir II is reported-whether truly
not seems to be doubtedtha Mr. SUMNER has not yet
rey recovered There two opposite stories to this
point and the public will find out which is true after
while
Nevertheless that gentleman stands in attitude
OF man who has brought action for slander rather
he is like who has brought action for damages
for assault and battery His character and conduct,
then come necessarily to be reviewed In that way
obliged aude his Speech we'll knowing that political
opponents will profess not to the difference between bis
position and that of other members whom would not DO
right for me to assai And again: while describing his
speech, have difficulty to encounter which is emoar-
raSSlnG is y II, :, se,-,.
and truly, as Judge charging jury would have to char
acterize It, must adopt language and manner more like
second philippe against Antony than anything else
think Of stand before the pubcif shall attempt
to do justice 10 that speech look IT. and rs sup
pose the whole country looks it for have heard but
one opinion about itI stand in the attitude Of a man who
seems TO be assang and denouncing somebody, and
gret to be placed in any such position will therefore,
pass il lightly as can to do anything like justice
to the gentleman from South Carolina IL is agreed by al
everybody that the speech OF Mr. SUMNER the most
offensive and scurrous heard in either house of Con-
gress. have doubt you may, by looking through the
debates find here and there phrase bad, perhaps
nearly bad, any used in that speech. lie has
however made general collection, seemingly Of all the
gross and offensive expressions accessible TO him. written
them out and occupied days in their delivery. We OF
the South have been accustomed TO this sort OF denunca
ton and abuse for a long while know that northern
gentlemen cannot appreciate perhaps our feelings In this
respect
Let me put this case to them Suppose any gentleman
here from the North lived directly the street. and
knaye other should stand opposite the house and yy
him and his family with all OF yuperave epithets
the gentleman demonstrates but the vifor says ." ad
init that have not the right TO interfere with your family
afas-that belongs to yourself; but have the freedom
Of speech and mean to exercise II TO show mp the turp
tude Of your family TO expose its gnomny and show that
1t embraces in its conduct the OF all yilanics. lie
stands there from day 10 day. and for long term OF years.
and continues his slander and vituperaton There is
crowd OF oaers around him 10 laugh at his insults.
You know that that man is saying what he does not
believe, and, in fact, knows 10 be UNANIMOUSLY false;
yet he continues 1t merely to crafty these low and
put II 10 gentlemen how many years would you al
low man TO stand before your door TO y you in that
way2 II the man. after bearing II for awhile went out
and cudgeed the Banderer how many here would blame
him II one-haf Of what Is said in that speech said
by any knave Pennsylvania against the commu
nifty, and of those assaed should after awhile,
cudg him. would not everybody including the preachers
and women say that II good for him Is there any
difference because this thing is done BY senator who s
shielded from suit for SANDER Indictment for libel
his senatorial privleges2 On the contrary, ought not
senator invested he Is with some extraordinary priyi-
leges, be scrupuousl admit that for words
spoken in debate in the Senate you cannot bring suit
against Mr. SCMNER but does not that increase his moral
guilt?
must however refer TO the of the delivery Of this
speech itself happened TO be in the Senate for half an
hour during its delivery. there also two years ago,
when a similar speech made. | looked around over
The Senate a body OF gentlemen some forty or fly
In number many Of them hghtoned with nice sense
Of honor and decacy Of feeling sitting quietly, listening
to fierce denuncaons Of themselves their section and peo
pie in the grossest language that offensive vuperation
patiently but still tolerated IL without stopping 1t by its
merted chassement Of Difference to the rules Of tho
Senate and consideration for the State OF the SENATOR for
one two, and believe three days one occasion. II
struck the time the most remarkable exhibition OF
human orbearance exhibited in the world IL was
sight in any country but own where therc
allowed the greatest latitude Of speech and the greatest
Difference s paid constitutional rights Such denunc
alton would not be allowed in any State legislature. All
the members there being Of the State the using
such language would soon lie brought 70 the point and
i suddenly stopped
10 the Senate IL different Owing TO the sectional
feelings now prevailing the division Of sentiment be-
tween the North and the South, senator's rather than