Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1858-12-23

1
The Northern members sometimes
made speeches under difficulties. On
one occasion bill concerning slavery
was up-it was in lSl5-and Mr..
Giddings in his speech upon it made
a remark upon a historical point incl
dental TO the case, when Mr.. Black, Of
Georgia, came near him with a raised
cane. and said if he repeated it he
would knock him down. Now he had
never been knocked down in his life,
and he thought it might be a curiosity,
so he repeated it. Dawson came up
in front, co -kel his pistol in his pock
ct, and said he would shoot him
Thereupon another Southerner, fully
armed, fronte,l Dawson; Rayner, arm
ei took his stand to defend Mr.. Gid
dings on his left, Charles Hudson and
other friends gathered around, and
thus protected Mr.. Giddings until he
finished his speech, and maintained
the freedom of debate. Previously,
during debate, Mr.. Black had charged
him with stealing slaves and with
franking a dress to his wife by mail
But on an investigation 10y Mr.. Gid
dings, it turned out that Mr.. Butler
had sent a shall to his own wife, ami
that was the parcel in question.
At Mr.. Butler's raquest Mr.. Gid
dings said nothing about it. for Butler
feared he woul, not be reelected if the
story got out. Mr.. Giddings told
him that he did not want TO see any
more Democrats returned, but he
would, as a personal favor. bear the
reprcach which Black had put upon
him. That did not save Butler, how
ever, for his district is now represented
by Republican.
Mr.. Giddings next spoke of the Gre
ole case \ cargo of slaves sailed
from Richmon Va, in 1910, and
when outside. by their own right arms
asserted their freedom, killed the r:is-
crablc dealer who opposed them, and
going to NaShau, left the vessel am
escaped. This gave rise to the pro-
mitigation of certain doctrines by Dan
iel Webster AMI others, that the right.
of shareholders to their slaves were
guaranteed by the Constitution. This
Mr. GiddingS denied. He offered res
olutions having contrary bearing in
Congress, and was driven from his
seat by the influence Of Webster, sim
ply because he opposed doctrines which
no man dare assert to-day. But Ad-
ans and VIM. b. Calhoun, and Briggs
and others of Massachusetts,, stood by
him, Notwithstanding the storm, and
despite the wishes of Webster.
That claim rested fourteen years in
consequence of the trouble caused at
that time, but Franklin Pierce brought
it up again, and made this people bear
the expense of paying for those slaves
of the Creole.
In lS4S he was a Wing. and the
Wings assumed to be the defenders OF
the Wilmot proviso. Mr.. Winthrop,
with whom he hal had the bitterest
personal quarrel, had brought forward
that proylso as an appendage to the
Oregon bill at a previovs time. The
Wings went into the campaign and
elected Gen. Taylor, with the platform
of the Wilmot proviso and non-inter-
vention with Congress. But when
Congress assembled. the Wings held
back; some took one gronnd and some
another; the Wing party was divided,
and the Northern Democrats voted
with the Wings to divide and conquer
them BY getting up other issues
than those of the canvass the Wing
party was broken. And it was a
warning to the Republican party how
they changed their ground of action
and deserted their high principles.
Gen Taylor, seeing that California
was TO have no government. used hi:
influence with members to secure the
passage Of Walkers amendment
thereby abandoning his pledge Of non
intervention with Congress. Southern
Wings deserted it; Oh the night of tn,
, 81 Of March the little band of th,
faithful stood 10y Wilmot, and it being
apparent that by dilatory motions
they would prevent the passage of th'
bill till the midnight hour arrived. anc
Congress must adjourn. the majorit,
gave up the amendments to save tn
main bill.
Mr.. Gidlings allrded in rapid sue
cession TO the various events Of late
years, the battle to elect Banks. TIA
:. Joy in Washington when Shadracl
was seized here, and the interest n
. members when they heard that tn
man had escaped. in consequence o
which the Union savers claimed tina
the Union was in danger. and procla