The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-08-28
monwealth in the Congress of the United

monwealth in the Congress of the United
States"
Mr.. Speaker, hazard nothing in saying that
the sentiments of those resolutions are but the
echo of the feelings and sentiments which ami
mate the great MACS of the people of the whole
Commonwealth, Irrespective of party divisions.
Ay sir, if the voice of the people of Massa-
chusetts in response to this outrage could be
adequately expressed here, it would be done in
a manner so potential as to be heard in every
"log house beyond the mountains" That
voice would be uttered, too, in single word,
and that word would be Retribution! Retribat-
ton j.!
Sir, in the course of this long debate, the
points of constitutional law and the precedents
which lie in the path of the practice and usage
of legislative bodies, in this and other coun-
tries, have been sufficiently gone over. / con-
fess that, in view of the plain provisions of the
Constitution, under which we are acting, and
which We have sworn to support, have little
patience to travel in that direction. feel, in
view of this aspect of the question, like Lord
Chatham, who, on an occasion not dissimilar
to this in the British Parliament, exclaimed
will not come into Parliament with authori-
ties turned down in doge ears to establish self
evident proposition" Sir, hold that the power
OF selfprotection inheres, necessarily, In every
Legislative body; and L am willing, for one,
acting under my oath of Office as Representa-
tive here, and taking the Constitution for my
guide, to act upon that view of the subject.
The honorable gentleman from Virginia,
Mr.. BococK, in his speech yesterday, while
urging his idea of the proper action of the
| House in this matter was pleased TO refer to
the Representatives of Massachusetts on this
floor as doubtless valorous men, who were quite
competent of themselves to avenge any wrongs
or indignites towards Massachusetts or her
sons. Sir, as / understand Massachusetts,, she
neither needs nor asks a voucher for her valor
from any quarter Thanks to Heaven she has
a history. Her imperishable record is open to
the inspection Of mankind her towering mon
uments still CLEAN in the glorious light of that
Liberty whose achievement they commemorate
AS in the days of her WEBSTER, Lexington, Con
cord, and Bunker Hill, are there; Dorchester
and Acton are there also. Around them all,
her multiplied haunts Of intelligence and indus
try TEEN with men instinct with devotion TO Lib
erty and Law.
No! Massachusetts. though stung by wrong
and insult, is no backslider from the faith OF
her fathers. But, sir while smarting under out
rage unavenged, she will not take counsel of
her fears, much less of her foes. To her it be-
longs to indicate the proper means of redress.
She scorns the code Of the cudgel, now boldly
sought to be inaugurated for the Congress of
the [ nited States. She stands now, as ever, by
the common Constitution. She holds now, as
ever, to the supremacy Of the laws, and trusts
to the peaceful remedies which they proffer for
all our wrongs. She trusts still in the power
of the ballot box-that weapon, pictured by her
poet, which