Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-09-23
J9lg aAF TsMANss JOURNAL,
SENATOR RIGLER,s SPEECH.


Pittsburgh Gazette, of Sept. II, published on
Saturday, speech of Senator Biger, deliver
ed by that gentleman on Tuesday, the sth
inst. at Clarion. The telling speeches OF
Judge Wilmot during the last two or three
weeks, in which he has held up the record OF
that recreant Senator to the people, has made
a connection in the camp of the Democracy"
and his blows have tingled so sharply that
even the tough back of man so used to
political faying as is Mr.. Bigler, has bent
under them. Yet he wasn't the man to meet
Judge Wilmot face to face. He comes here,
learns the route of the Judge, and by skilful
and forced marches, steals up to Clarion,
day in advance of him, administering the an
tidote beforehand-a very quackish dose too.
Wilmot spoke in the same place the next eve
ming and where was Bigler tlIen On Tues
day, 10, he was at the St. Charles, i'll this city,
with Gen. Packer-par mobile .fratrum-hav
ing delivered himself of his speech and safely
retired from the ingIorious field.
1t is not our design to make any general
reply here to this effort of the Senator. We
wish simply to allude to one portion of it. 1t
is known by all who have heard or read any of
the recent speeches of Judge WiImot that he
laws before us the record of William Bigler
who at the time of the introduction of the
Wilmot Proviso-1S47-iS, was a member of
our State Senate, and in that record we find
this Senator Bigler roting and speaking for
resolution fully endorsing that Proriso, which
resolution was subsequently adopted by the
unanimous vote of the Senate. 1t is necessa-
ry for our present U. S. Senator to get over
this hard place in his political history, and the
following extract from his last Tuesdays
| speech in Clarion will show how scuIvily he
! does it. Read
ssAdmtting all that Mr.. W. alleges, L do
! not see that he makes out any mans destruc-
| ton. The wsest men in the nation have
! often been wrong in their first impressions as
| to the expedcncy Of suddenly proposed mea-
sures, and to be mistaken on constitutional
| question, is no uncommon thing among able
| LAWYERS. AS to the Pennsylvania resolution,
| it certainly did not receive that consid Grafton
to which it was entitled. | do not believe it
was under consideration in the Senate exceed
| ing one halt hour before il passed finally. For
myself knew but little about it until it came
! from the House of Represent, the day it pas
sed the Senate, and had only thought of it as
| an abstract sentiment against the acquisition OF
| territory, with the view to the extension of
| slavery and affecting the question of peace
| with Mexico. As proposition involving the
| rights of the States and the power of Con-
| gress, had at that time given it no thought
Reflection upon these things soon after, and
! long before | knew that Mr.. WimOt intended
| to press the principle admissible when APP
plyed to territory which had been long previ-
| ously acquired by the common blood and
| treasure of all the States, without any such
original condition, convinced my mind that
| its practical operation would do Injustice 10
| the slaveholding States, and | dicarded its
doctrines entirely. Four years after the
advent of the proviso, when the Democratic
| nominee for Governor, | certainly was not
charged with want ofsympathy for the South.
Senator Bigler certainly deserves all the
credit such an explanation can reflect upon
him. He deserves all the boot he win in
bargain between inconsistency and incom-
potency.
So when a raging fever burns.
We shift from side to side by turns
And It's but poor relief we gain,
To change the place but keep the pain.
But we are not willing to grant him what
little comfort his newly chosen position may
afford. s'The resolution endorsing the Will
mot Proviso was not under consideration in
the Senate exceeding half an hour before It's
final PASSAGE says Mr.. Biger! That is a
lame dodge. How long was it under cousid.
Grafton and dicusson before it came TO fina
vote z? How long was he watching its progress
through the Honse, and how long discussing
it in the quiet knot of politicians gathered al
the street corners politicians who thought
at that moment, they saw Senatorships, Con
sulships and fat salaries shining through the
, Wimot Proviso ? Does he deny that he wen
to Charles Gibbons, at that time Speaker o
! the Senate, on the day preceding the fina
passage of the resolutions, and stated to him
that he desired to have the floor on the follow
ing morning for the purpose of introducing
those very resolutions 'slchich he knew rerl
little about? Does he deny that he did gain
! the floor for the purpose mentioned Ar,
not his speech and vote in behalf of the ieso
, lutions on record, speech which he had slep
upon over night A fine ssStatesman,' - this
to cat up his own history, and declare to-da,
, that he knew very little about subject oil
. which he had with much perspiration prepared
by long and careful study, speech who's
. sentiments do him more credit to-day thar
any act in his subsequent career! The RECORD
stands, and Mr. Bigler cannot falsiIy it.
HARD TiMEs.-The ". y. Tribune, of Sept
IS, says Every daf presents fresh evidenc
that the nat ure and seriousness of the presen