The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-05-02

how many more there are like him;;" but the
Judges have always overruled the plea. In the
next place, Senator Douglass parades against
me the very injury hecaused me by his per-
sonai influence and energy, and the force of
party discipline. The other objections arc I'M
worthy Of him, unless, perhaps, it be that of
privilege The third and fourth objections arc
unworthy Of his Judgment. His heart consti-
tutonally adapted to it, pleads privilege" Il
is said Of distinguished Senator, That, after
his head was blossoming fer the grave, he gave
offense to one much his junior. The young
man complained. of his inability to resent-the
result, on account of the disparity, in years
and position. The venerable Senator exelaim-
ed, Il ask 70 exemption on account of my age;
no privilege from my position; no sir none
If have insulted you, you are entitled to re-
paration, and you shall have it." But the
/ Senator from Illinois yields to no such vulgar
weakness, and follows no such vain examples.
| Like heroic dog, grown insoleHt upea fat
diet, with his head out of the kennel. he growls
with swollen courage, with constitutional
privilege at his back behind which to retreat.
Honorcd with trust similar to his, from
the brave and loyal people of Kansas, yield
| to the Senator's Constitutional exemption from
accountability for language used IN debate, if
he sees fit to avail himself of it; but yield it
in the letter only not in its spirit; for, by the
spirit, while aiming..to surround with safe
guards the utmost freedom Of opinion and de-
bate in the Senate Chamber, and so preclude
all accountability for it, it implies and compre-
thends that high notion of Senatorial decorum,
candor and truth which excludes the idea of
of wantor and malignant wrong. 1t was given
to protect the Senator, in the expectation that
his duty and justice would protect all others.
II fba NOT
: only that discretion which sis the better
part Of valor'') to assert his legal exemption, as
he naight also plead the statute of Limitation
against a confding creditor ard an honest debt.
He has done so claiming Shylock S virtue that
1T is the Laws .e. .s
Safely sheltered and hidden behind this con-
q stitutional privilege, which exists legally in all
cases, but morally ia Rome: Senator Douglas
now compells me to the unpleasant alternative
, of protesting before the public, against this
personal outrage, perpetrated where my voice
was then silent, and which he technically de-
E lclines to repair under every obligation ofhon-
or. At law, he knows can face my accuser
/, and confront the witnesses: with either cow
; Iardice or privilege between me and my adver-
: lsary, am compelled to suffer without hear
? ing, at the hands of a constitutional assassin.
; Senator Douglas cajoled me into an unde
served trust of his sincerity. He made me the
guest of his hospitality to deceive and circum-
vest me. lie has broken the seals of friendly
confidence, and published it with criminal eff
frontery. To make the personal indignity the
greater he has impeached me, his friend and
witness; and lie has so distorted what / did
i say that am unable to call it my own. He
: has inVegled, with gross criminal imputa-
tions, against me, unsustained by single fact
, in my own history, and all denied by the pub
: lie aud familiar history Of Kansas. so stig-
matise the imputations and charges; and when
= smarting under it, and presuming on some sin
. cerity in our past relations, | ask for justice
! or for explanation that shall lead to justice, he
hunts out from the Constitution that magical
: word for we ak kneed spirits: PRIVILEGE ard
flies to his cover. rs sssEtss5s8s
j, The public shall be our judges To this
? completion has it come! Is the ferccous
braggart herois1n of the Senate Chamber
> which boasts in its place ofhaving ized down
: pistol barrels-only that quality which sfoezes
out at the finger ends" and expires outside of
! the portals of the Chamber? Are treachery,
, falsehood, cowardicc, any better because they
7 are privileged? Will the Senator from ILL
! nois abuse it, and make want of courage and
privilege convertible and equivalent terms?
a appeal from the atrocious conduct of the Sen
! ator from Illinois, and submit to the honest
paoilc ana It's JusS sense anu CONVECTION, tiiaC
! in morals no elevation ofplace can dignity and
protect injustice-that becars: person is
humble, his oppression becomes more aggra-
i vated and he is doubly within the protection
of all honorable men above him-that accusa-
! ton and accountability always go together
that character assailed, may always compel
the accuser to his proofs, and if the offender
becomes fugitive from his plain duty, and
: atfempts to retire to legal subterfuges, public
q justice will take up the retribution of the
! wrong, pursue him over his legal barriers, and
whip the violator of the universal laws of
friendship and hospitality and the slanderers OF
r private reputation at the very affairs of his
refuge. j. H. LANE.
t WASHINGTON CRY, National Hotel, No. "a.