Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-02-24
BUNCoMBE SPEECH.

HE Dill pending TIE ONO Legislature,
repeating the law which prohibits the use of
the iliIs to the United States for keeping fugi-
tive slaves has called forth considerable sharp
debate in both houses A few days ago, in the
Senate, Professor Monroe, of Lorain, made
an eloquent speech against the repeal of the
law, He was followed by Mr.. Plant. OF Meigs,
"a very plain looking man, who wears his hair
cropped. shaved closely, and has had but little
to say since his entrance upon legislative life,
in what the gentleman called '.Buucombe
speech" II more of the buncom0e speeches
made in our Legislatures and Congress were
as pointedfy truthful as Mr.. Plants proved to
he, II would be better for all concerned On
arising Mr. p. said
Mr. Prssifsnt II am from very close
county, where the real political majority is ve-
ry uncertain. On this account desire to make
a speech for Ba.con,5e; one that will suit both
sides; and in order to satisfy all the different
interests among nv constituents, l propose TO
make a speech on one side and vote on the O.
theF. The gentleman from LoraiH, professor
Monroel has said that he could see no use IN
the Passage of the bill at this time, when, in
fact. there were many reasons Why it should
pass now one OF these and very important
one was that the peTmanency OF the Demo-
cratic party depended upon 1t, and modern
Democracy, as nc understood It, wise
arrangement 10 prsreHt people from running a.
boat loose
4
that our jaiIs were designed to be used only
for the confinement OF criminals and in this he
would agree with him. But who are crimi-
mails That gentleman had, in most eloquent
manner. drawn an affecting picture OF the fa-
gitive slave mother who had escaped with her
child frem Virginia Now, he would show
that this woman was 4 criminal OF the worst
sort. According to the gentIeman's own show
ing. the woman, when she arrived in Ohio
with her child, was mere sEeleton-a skele-
ton in rags. She was guilty of three great
crimes First, evidently guilty Of grand lar
ceEy in stealing her child, which was the pro-
perty of her master; she had also em5s--Lsi
and wasted her own body, which was no less
her masters; and lastly, she had committed
high treason against the National government
for was it not shown by speeches made by
Democrats of this body and of Congress, and
so understood throughout the Union that this
Government was founded on niggeFs Il has
been decI red treason TO attempt TO destroy
the government and would it not be an at
terlpt TO destroy the Government in under
mining its foundation by stealing away the
niggers upon which it rests The common
relation of pillars and edifces proves this.
Then we are told by the member from Lo-
rain that even for the sake OF comfy II WAS
degrading to catch niggers he viewed it diff
ferentIy. Catching Risgers was not degrading
bat honorable. W hat does honorable mean
Men are called Hon. and why UnquestioRa-
bly, because they were in office and it is well
known that Democrats cannot|get Office under
this government unless willing TO catch mig
gers. Office holding made men honorable
Then were not the means which made men Of
fee holders equally honorable 1t must fol-
low of course-that the end justifies the means
is principle of Democracy.
The member from Lorain, being professor
OF moral sciences, might on that account be
excused from not understanding the exact sci
ences but certainly not SO easily pardoned
for the error into which he had fallen in re-
gard to the natural instincts of blood-hounds,
as far nigger-catehing is involved Blood
hounds know nothing of nigger-catchIng until
trained TO it-while this vocation seemed 70
tz the instinct of Democrats Dogs and DEM
ocrats were not nsturally on the same level,
and hence it WAS necessary to bring the latter
down TO the position of the former, or vice
versa 1t was evident that Monroe owed an a.
pology to somebody either to the Dog or Dem
ocrat-he didn't know which.