Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-08-08
As snow fakes on the sod.
But executes the freeman's will,
As Eybf,,itos 1oss -, . ga r o.

As lightning does the viii of God.n
A word more, sir, in response to the honor
able member from Virginia. and 1 take leave
OF him. When the sons of Massachusetts
shall be summoned to the use of sterner weap
ons, they may requite the compliment to their
valor by adopting for rallying cry the motto
emblazoned on the armorial ensign of his own
proud Commonw wealth, -" Sic semper tyran
mas So always to tyrants1a motto male
donbly significant by the emblem of the Genius
OF Liberty, sword in hand, tramplng upon
Tyranny
Sir, gentlemen in pursuit of pretexts to JUS
tify or excuse the assault, have thought prop
er to denounce Mr.. Sumner and his speech.
1t is enough for me- sir, to point to the spen
did record of his career as a sufficient answer to
this general clamor. We are told that the
speech was libellous and parliamentary
that it was so fragrant in personalities as to
call for punishment. Ay, sir, punishment is
the word A fellow senator, himself a spec.
tator OF the outrage, announces in his place
that the distinguished victim of this violence
8" got only what he deserved" And vet this
senator who thus excuses the deed, was pres
ent during the delivery of the speech. If the
prophecies of debate were outraged as repre- :,
sented, if Mr.. Sumner /" deserved to be beat
en- with deadly weapon, did he not deserve
at least prompt reprimand from those whose
nice sense of proprety was thus offended?
Sir, will make no boast of knowledge of
parliamentary law. Some ten years of my
life have been passed in connection with leg
Islatlve bodies. In connection with many
members of this House, heard the remarka-
Bile speech of Mr.. Sumner l listened with
attention to its burning periods. Severe it
surely was but it was the severity of truth,
naOt1, fnr -, T.. l
ment, the speech was strictly within the law
and usages of debate, as recognized by the
Senate. This certainly seems to have been the
tacit judgment of all senators present at the
time. No voice of dissent was heard--no
sound of the Presidents gayel And, sir, if
South Carolina was insulted in that speech,
one of her Senators Mr.. Evans was there,
and L can testify that he was not asleep
Once, indeed, he rose quickly, and called for
an authority; but he called not to order For
my part, l regarded the effort as the greatest
forensic achievement of the senator's life.-
This feeling was avowed to him as, on its con-
clusion, grasped his warm hand there on the
spot so soon to be marked by his own blood
Mr.. Speaker vital issues are iLvolvedi in the
question before the House. Gentlemen may
characterize this matter as a personal affair-a
police Casa peccadillo; but the people
will regard and treat it as a most audacious
blow hurled at the great right of free opinion
yes, sir, free opinion-at once the primal ele-
ment and safeguard of constitutional liberty.
What, sir, is your Government itself but opin-
ion on parchment When that shall be su-
perseded by force, in defiance of law-foree,
spurred on by individual caprice or the shift
ing humors of blind sectionalism, what will
remain of civil liberty but the shadow of its
departing glory?
Sir, if it was laid down as a maxim by
philosopher of another age and country, that
THAT is the most perfect Government where
an injury done to the humblest citizen is an
insult to the whole community" We pro-
elaiin, IN theory least, Tire Equality ard
universally Of human rights. Among these,
freedom of opinion is the first. ''Glve me-
said Milton, 'the right to reason and to argue
freely above all liberties" This great rieht
is now and here imperilled. I invoke the
House and the country to come to its rescue
SIRE The storm comes forth
The gathered wrath of God and man,
like that which wasted Egypts earth,
when IRE and hail above it ran ~