The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-09-18
VOL. X.

might have escaped before the imminent peril came uDo
him. if the time the peril came he had reason 10 brcy
himself imminent peril Of life, Of great bodily h.r
and when he red the pistol he could moi safely,
"'2 To have authorized Herbert to take the M. n
Keaiing, the necessity for doing need be actual
for if the circumstances were such to impress I'M,
uierberts)nnd with the reasonable belief that ne
cessity was impending, II Is sufficient
"'3d. IL the jury believe. from the evidence that m
the time the pistol discharged Herbert was Iel,
pressed by superior numbers, and was IN danger OF dealt
or OF serious bodily HARM and from which ne could n
safely escape, he was justified in taking life.
'''Ath. Ii the jury entertain reasonable doubts as IN
any material fact necessary make ont the Tor r
Government they mustgve the benefit 10 the defendant
Well, Mr.. Chairman, am no lawyer: but /,
this is law in the Criminal Court in the CITY NJ
Washington, ] do not consider it Justice and
intend the first opportunity that offers to offer
resolution which have drawn up, directing the
Judiciary Committee to bring in "A bill before the
end of this session, to reorganize or abolish the
Criminal Court in the District of Columbia.
The result of the first trial was disacrecmc7.
of the jury, and a second trial has since been had
at which | am reliably informed that Jurors y,,re
SWORN and SERVED, who stated to the Cour, Thar
they had " formed and had expressed and stiI
entertained opinions respecting the guilt or limo
cence of the accused" This jury acquitted the
member from California, as might be eypcc,,I
they would, after such acts of the Court Tbi.
ends my brief history of this most extraordinary
trial. In passing Mr.. Chairman | BEG TO sa,. D.,
word or two to the people Of Washington. If
such acts of violence and such decisions of courts
and verdicts of juries to be continued. tbr
day is not far distant when removal of tb
capital of this nation will be demanded and cop-
summated by the people of the United States.
Again Even in the State of old Virginia the
mother of Presidents, two citizcns-Mr. Under
wood and his associate delegate to the National
Republican Convention, held in Philadelphia on
the 18th of June last-have been compelled 10
flee from that State to avoid acts of violence nm
on them, for no other reason, that ! have heard
given, than for simply attending said Convention
and giving utterance to their sentiments on ia,
political topics of the day. And yet, sir. public
meetings have been held in that State, and reso-
buttons adopted, giving notice to these gentlemen
that they must leave the State. need not say
more the facts are recent and are before The
country.
Again. sir: We hear of and see letters from
some of the most leading and controlling men in
the slave Statesmen who have heretofore been
Wings or AmerlcanS-coming out in favor of the
election of James Buchanan for the Presidency
Among the most recent are Senators Pratt and
Pearce, of Maryland, both heretofore leading
Wings; and tonight, sir, we have heard from the
lips of the distinguished member from Alabama
Mr.. WALKER, that he, too, follows in the train
of the supporters of Buchanan, and for the same
Maryland, namely, the SAFETY Of He institution of
Sldrery IN tic h0nds Of the Democratic party gen
tleman, allow me to say, who, as it is well known.
has heretofore acted with and been a member Of
the American party and he has told us tonight
that he was a delegate to the National American
Convention that nominated Fillmore and Donel-
son. Yes, Mr.. Chairman, | well recollect Of she
prominent part that gentleman took in that Con
ventlon and of the fact of his being a prominent
Ill
i'll that Convention for the nomination of vice
President gentleman, let me add, who has re-
Gently distinguished himself as the coupsel of the
member from California, Mr.. HERBERT, on tlr
trial of that member for the murder of Thomas
Heating, the Irish waiter at Wizards Hotel, To
which have heretofore referred. Well, sir, he
has gone, and is now in the full embrace OF the
Democratic party.
Is there sectional influence IN the institution Of
HUMAN SLAVERY
THE REMEDY.
THE REMEDY for the present unhappy state of
affairs existing between the different sections OF
the country is in n return to the principles OF
the early fathers Of the Republic, in the admission
of Kansas as free State, for which we have
precedents in the admission of Michigan AMI
California, for which we have the approval of
Judge Mclean, who said in his letter to Chief
Justice Hornblower, of New Jersey on the 9th
the immediate admission of Kansas rs Il State
into the Union, under the Constitution already
formed, commends itself TO me a measure Of
sound policy, and well calculated to bring peace
to the Territory and to the country
Or, sir, If the Senate will pass the bill sent to
it, restoring the Missouri restriction which pro-
tects the Territory to Freedom north of 3G' 3o|
north latitude forever, and liberates the freemen
in Kansas that are unlawfuly imprisoned there,
,A IL pG Tor
tory until it is admitted into the Union as
State. Are not these just, reasonable, and easy
remedies-the true ones to restore peace and tran
quillity in Kansas and throughout the country?
THE ISSUE.
Kansas never should and never can be adj
mitted as slave State. The South should not at
tempt to increase the evils that upon us, and
delay action in the vain hope of success. The
great question now is, the extension or nOn-eN-
tension Of Slavery into free territory. On tins
question there are but two partics-those who
are for it, and those who are against 1t. II Is
the great question before which all Others sink
into insignifcance. 1t is not unimportant
question of the day, but it concerns the stability
of the Union, the preservation of the Constitn-
Instrument of universal Freedom, con
templated aSsuch by its trainers, and interpreted
rs such by all men, South and North, until within
a few years past. 1t has ever been considered
a chart Of Freedom, established to secure this
boon giving liberty to the States TO do what
they think to be proper within their own limits,
as to them shall seem to he right and just, hut
claiming no right and conceding no right to them
to carry their own peculiar institutions beyond
the limitations conferred by the sovereignty OF
States. The North asks for nothing mOre-sho
cannot and will not consent to anything less.
How momentous the iSsuei How just and
righteous the causei How certain the result, 1t
the friends of Freedom stand firm, rs have no
doubt they will. Let the friends, then, OF Free
Kansas plant themselves firmly and unItcdly ON
the old Jeflersonian platform of LIBERTY, the
CONSTITUTION, the UNION, the SOVEREIGNTY oil the
STATES, and their full and dndisturbed RESERVED
RIGHTS. 1t is on this platform that plant my
self in the approaching Presidential contest.
am for the fullest and amplest justice to the
South and claim the same for the North Parry
ties with nothing, compared with duty
Yet know full well that it requires some effort
to break loose from our party associations; bnl
| trust, where duty points the way, We shall he
found willing followers For one, ! know no
party so dear to me as my country, no obligation
so binding but to put forth all the energy,
strength, and power, that God has given me, 10
preserve it. five but do this, when the evening
of life is upon us-and it will soon oyertakc us
all-and the sands of this life fast washing
away, it will be a consoing thought to be able
TO cast our memories back to the part we took
in this crisis of countrys cause!
GARD