Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-06-14

such painful alternatives. And II seems strange
that sober men will not see it,.
If the two sections Of this Republic cannol
he kept together, in peace and quiet nay, il
they cannot subsist together, short Of one sub
Uniting to rciuquish freedom Of speech, free
dom of debate, freedom of action, freedom Of
thought even, then we must say the sacrifice Is
TOO costly. And is any man so base, sd much
a craven, very slave, that he could esteem the
Republic worth such a sacrifice Is the eSis-
teucc Of this Republic so Indispensable that men
are willing TO entail slavery OF thought and leel'
ing upon their posierty to thousand genera,
,ions to secure III ~
We certainly have no disposition 10 create
needless alarm. We have, until this occur
fence of member Of the House of Represen-
,aiivcs, in the very Senate Chamber, IN the
presencu Of half a dozen Senators, with heavy
cane, beating quiet peace-abdng, pcace-lov-
ing 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 diff
ferent political party till this, we have labor
ed to maintain a hopeful heat, for the future
history OF the republic. We have discounien-
nnced the slavery agitation, we have regarded
all sectional agitation, as worthy Of rebuks, we
have never fel, any personal sympathy with
s nator Summers peculiar theories, although
we have always respected him, as a highly
cultivated gentleman and scholar. But, at
ter this. we must say, that il seems to us i'm
possible longer to doubt, that the decree has al
ready gone forth, from the throne Of Omnipo-
tence, tina, the Republic shall perish
But we may have given too sad picture of
the powerlessness Of the natiun to protect its
representatives, in the very Capitol, from in
suit and indigniiy Ii will afford favorable
OPP rtunity for the Senate Of the United States,
which twenty years ago, when Webster, and
Clay, and Calhoun, and Wright, and Benton,
and Forsyth, and score Of others, scarcely
less august and noble Senators, occupied its
seats, was, with some just sentiments of nation
al pride, held up, as the most talented, and the
most dignifed deilberalive assembly in the
world this occurrence will certainly afford a
favorable opportunity for the Senate to winch
cate the right Of freedom Of debate, and the per-
sonal security of its members 1t is easy to
conjecture what would have been the result, il
such thing could have occurred there, in the
pamy days Of its glory and strength. If con-
dign punishment had not been speedily visited
upon the miscreani, who presumed 10 invade the
peace and order of such a body of men, one
might safely predict that all its acknowledgement
~bers would at once resign and forever turn tIeiC
backs upon scenes Of such lawlessness and diss
order
The House of Representatives too, il they
had any just sense Of enormi,y Of the offence,
and that it was a most unwaraniable and fla
grant violation of the privileges of the other
House. certainly would not allow the offending
member longer 10 hold seat, which he had
thus abused and disgracedi And ifJohn Quin-
cy Adams still lived, and held seat in the
House, as he once did, the old man eloquent
would neither give sleep to his eyes or slumber
10 his eye-lids, till he was rid Of such an asso-
ciaie.
But we predict, that nothing Of the kind i'll
be dono, whether Senator Sumner lives or dies.
The responsibility of these high places has fall.
en- upon feeble shoulders, and into base hands,
who have the power and the ambition 10 yindi-
cate each others abuse, and confidently predict
that this last most unblushing outrage will still
60 unpublished.
And if so, men must have hard faces, and
could hearts, TO allow them to remain in the
national capitol, which in the last six months.
has witnessed such repeated oulrages, commit
ted by the members Of its House of Represea-
iatives. Is it matter of wonder, if such scenes
are not only transacted in, but countenanced by,
the presence of American Senators, in the very
Capitol of the nation, that our national repuia-
tion abroad should be regarded as it is almost
every where, tina. Of nation OF sharpers, and
brawlers, without honesty, decency, or deco
ruml We may have used plainess of speech,
but not more than the occasion demands. For
unless the government can vlndicate itself, and
protect the members Of Congress from such bru-
tai treatment, the sooner il comes 10 an end, the
better. The day of good men and of great men,
seems to have gone by. The fathers of the Re-
public, who comen.ed lis foundations in blood,
have gone to their reward. The bright and the
beautiful, the noble and the valiant, sleep in
dust. The history Of the past, aud The hopes
of the future, are dust and ashes, barren scep-
ire in our grippe, unless a speedy reformation is
accomplished. The lague-spois, on our ma.
tional escutcheon, F.. be wiped out, and that
speedily LF.R.