Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-01-23
SPEECH OF HON. JOHN lETcaER,
SO u OF Virginia.

] 1856, on the question of referring the Presi-
DENTS message to The Committee Of de Wh0le on
tie state Of the Union, and the printing Of ten
4 taOtsand copies thereof -
Mr.. Letcher said:
Mr.. Speaker:sI do not propose to engage
in the discussion of ofthosequestions ofpolicy
which have been examined by the gentle.
man from Kentucky Mr.. Ii. Marshall1 and
the gentleman from South Carolina. TMr.
Orr. Ipropose to correct the history as
furnished by the gentleman from Ohio,
Mr.. Sherman. and also the history re-
lating to slavery agitation. as furnished by
the reverend gentleman from Ohio who
sits over in the corner in " Sleepy Hol-
low" Mr.. Giddings.l
We have been told by gentlemen on
the other side of the House that the De-
mocratic party are responsible for the con-
tinual agitation of the slavery question ;;
that they have introduced il and kept in
this Hall session after session, and that
to that party is attributable the constant
ferment and ill-feeling between the North
aud the South on this question.
have been here for six sessions, inclu.
ding the present. and it is due to the
truth of history to say, that at the open.
ing of each session the elder gentleman
from Ohio [Mr. Giddingsl has been the
first, on almost every occasion, to intro>
dnce this subject into the debates of the
House. lie has made regular annual
speeches upon the Presidents message,
at each one of these sessions, il | am not
greatly mistaken, and has undertaken TO
give his views very much at length in
each and all of those speeches, upon the
slavery question. and the fnaI disposition
which. in his opinion. was to be nude Of
lit.
When the gentleman from Mississippi.
Mr.. Bennett, on yesterday; had read at
the Clerks desk paragraph purporting
to have been extracted from q speech OF
the gentleman from Ohio. he was asked
whether he ever uttered these or similar
sentiments in this Hall in debate. l un.
derstood him to say. not that be had ne.
yer uttered these sentiments, but that he
had no recollection of having uttered
them.
have here published volume Of the
speeches of the gentleman from Ohio.
which found in the public library and
propose 10 call attention to two or three
passages. for the purpose OF showing that,
il the gentleman did not use the identical
language embodied in the extract then
read, he has at least uttered the same
idea. and. in some instances. the precise
words. In his speech in this Hall upon
the Joint occupation of Oregon" pages
159. l6o. find the gentleman reported
as saying:
Last year. our southern friends e1-
pressed great anxiety for Texas and the
a0hole Of Oregon" They now SEQ diff.
culties before them dangers present
themselves to tho further pursuit Of their
plan OF territorial aggrandizement. They
have suddenly called to mind the deela>
ration of British statesmen, that d war
with the United States will be war OF
emancipation They see in prospect the
black regiments Of the British West India
Islands landing among them, aud their
slaves aocking to the enemy's standard.
nations rapine, blood, and murder dance
before their affrighted visions. They are
now seen in every part of the Hall. call
ing on Wings and Democrats to save them
from the dreadful consequences Of their
own policy. Well. sir. reply to them,
this is your policy, not ours yow have
forced US into it against our will and our
utmost opposition you have prepared
the poisoned chalice, and we will press it
to your lips until you swallow the very
dregs.
" l would not be understood as desi-
ring seryile instruction but say to
southern gentlemen that there are hun.
dreds Of thousands Of honest and patriot
ic men who " will laugh at your calamity.
and will mock when your fear cometh.'
II blood and massacre should mark the
struggle for liberty of those who for ages
have been oppressed and degraded. my
prayer to the God of Heaven shall be,
that justice. stern. anyielding justice may
be awarded to both master aud slave 1
desire that every human being may en-
Joy the rights with which the God Of ma
can be regained by the down-trodden
sons Of Africa 10 our Southern States. by
quiet and peaceful means. hope they
will pursue such peaceful measures.
But. if they cannot regain their God Civ
en- rights by peaceful measures. never
theless hope they will regain them; and.
il blood be shed, should certainly hope
that it might be che blood OF those who
stand between them and freedom, and not
the blood of those who have long been
robbed of their wives and children, and
all they hold dear in life.''
Here are passages in speech delivered
many years ago in this Hall, which EN-.
body every exceptionable idea embraced
in the extract which was read yesterday
| by the gentleman from Mississippi T Sr.
Bennett, and about which the recoIlsc-
ton OF the gentleman from Ohio was so
much at fault.