Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-12-19
SCENE THE HOUSE.

SCENE IN THE HOUSE.
Congress continues to have its time ta-
ken up with discussing the subject ''tO print
or mot to print" extra copies of President
Pierce's stump speech. In the House on
Wednesday, the 10th, debate was highly in
teresting, and the galleries and lobies were
crowded. Mr.. Washburne, of Me-, first got
the floor and made telling speech, in
which Mr.. Smith, of Va, undertook to
question Mr.. W., but soon gave up the job.
Keitt, of S. c., then followed, in justification
of the President ard the acts of the pro
slavery men in Kansas, and charging innu-
merable false issues upon the Republican
Party. At the conclusion of Mr.. Keitt's
remarks Mr.. Giddings got the floor and
commenced one of his mastery speeches.
We quote from the correspondence to the
N. Y. Tribune,
Mr.. Giddings now took the floor, which
fact soon filled the galleries and crowded
the lobbies, for the old war-horse seemed
prepared for a gallant charge. He conten-
ded that one thing was established by our
current political history, that is, that we are
destined to continue the agitation of the
great question which according to all past
annals has agtated the North. The rights
of man are still the themes of discussion
He showed that the Declaration of Inde-
pendence was one of the rich fruits of the
Revolution, and asked the member from S.
c., Mr.. Keitt, if he was prepared to stand
by that instrument; but Mr. Giddings got nc
answer. The Republican party have re-
sponded to this question. They have reaf
firmed the great truth written by the in
spired pen of Jefferson, that "all men arc
by their Creator endowed with certain ina
liable rights, among which are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness" These
rights came not from franklin Pierce but
from the Omnipotent Mind. He put the
question to the member from South Carroll.
ma again, if he would stand by the princi
pies of the Declaration of Independence
and getting no answer he said, 81 ask any
member of the Democratic party, North ol
South, whether that party is ready to stand
by those principles es-'I pause for an answer
1 hear no reply, Sir, such is the response
l always get to my we'll defined interroga
tories Men from the South unequivocally
deny this truth. Men of that party in the
North dare not speak in the affirmative
There they sit. If they were to answer il
the negative they would be cast off by theil
constituents;if if in the affirmative, they will
be repudiated by the South. Thus they
vibrate between Heaven and help Great
laughter. He said the selfevident truth
of the Declaration of Independence was
pronounced, by prominent Democrat in
the other end of the Capitol, to be self
evident lie; and that the members Of the
Democratic party now tacitly sanction the
correctness of that libel He said Mr.. Ste
phens of Georgia had endeavored to show
that Abraham was STAKEHOLDER and deal
er; that Brigham Young, with his retinue OF
throe-score wives, vindicated his doctrines
by referring to Abraham also. But he and
the gentleman from Georgia, with great
gusto, appealed to the civilized world, say
ing: "Have we not Abraham to our faith
cr?' Laughter. He showed that the Re
publican party were pledged to support the
Constitution. He repudiated the lecture Of
the President on the Fugitive Slave law,
and said he should rather obey God. He
has seen at one time nine fugitive slaves
dining in his own house-fathers, mother,
husband, wives and ehildren-feeing for
their liberty, and in spite of any law he
obeyed the divine mandate to feed the ma
ked He did both, and gave them money
and sent them on their way rejoicing. Was
that treason?
Mr.. Bennett of Miss. wanted to know if
the gentleman wouldn't have gone one step
further.
eyes," was the prompt reply of the gal
liant old man; 81 would have driven their
captor from my door-yard, if he had made
bis appearance"
The inquisitive Mr. Bennett pressed the
matter still further, and asked if the gen
tleman would not have justified the taking
of the fugitive by force in the first instance
Mr.. Giddings (walking Indignantly out
into the arena in front of the Speaker, in a
voice of thunder, that made every member
feel that he meant what he said) answered,
II mould sn'ite do,Cn the infamous SLAVE
catcher if he crossed nay path IN pursuit Of
has traffic"
1t is impossible to give anything like a
truthful sketch of this mastery effort of the
veteran member from Ohio.
Visit to Col. Fremont.
The Republican Central Committee call