Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-04-03
"REMINISCENCES OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
POLITICIANS.

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Joshua X. Giddings gives US the following re,
collections in a recent letter to the Asb,abula Sem
tinel. A comparison of these with the position of
successful politicians in the same State ut this time
indicates a hopeful change in the masses of the
people of the Granite State, for il politicians are
good for nothing else, they are excellent indiccs Of
popular opinion.
Daring my early service in Congress, The repre-
sentatives OF that State were regarded as tho most
sers.le Of Northern ~hunkoys. They appeared to
Glory 10 their political shame. They were never
80 happy as when %stouping down to unloose the
1atchet OF some slaveholder's shoe.
3 | shall mover forget their votes upon q bill
"a pay for elaves stolen by the followers oe Gen.
Jacss0n's camp, when he invaded Florida, in 1914
To most Northern men, ihe idea of taking money
from the pockets of their constituents to pay for
humal flesh. stolen by Southern des peradoes, was re.
SaIdel us Insulting led off in the argument against
the bill, aud was followed by two or three slave
holders IT. favor otit, when Mr.. Adams closed the
debate in u most able and lucid expose of its true
character. Pickens and Campbell, of South Caro-
Hna,nnj all the more respectable shareholders, vot'
Cd ag,inSt the bill but the New Hampshire dele.
Cation, and perhaps a dozen other doughfaces,
and some OF the more obscure shareholders, in all
thiity.two, stood recklessly to the work, and voted
for the bill, appearing to regard it q privilege to
tax their constituents to pay for slaves stolen in q
Spanish Province thirty years previously.
! need not refer to the fact, that one of New
Ilampshire's most distinguished sons of that day,
won TOR himself an Immortality of infamy by pre-
senting certain propositions, which have for twenty
years heen characterized as "Ather,on's gag reso-
lutions". He actually became popular in his State
and was elected to the Senate, on account of his
efforts to suppress the freedom of debate which
the Constitution had clearly guaranteed to every
member. 1t was well understood at the time, that
he acted as the mere instrument Of she Slave
holders that his resolutions had been drawn by
Mr.. Calhoun yet while thus acting as the slave Of
the South, he made a speech which will long con-
sti,ate a monument in cOmmemoration of the stu
pidity. she arrogance, the servility OF New Hamp.
shire Democracy of that day. Anterior has gone
~ his final account, but his base servility pug ut
not TO be soon forgotten. 1t. should be kept in re-
membrance until our country shall be fully redeem
ed from that servile depravity, of which he was a
most perfect manifestation.
When, in 1912. l was arraigned before the
House of Representatives, for denying the right OF
Congress to make war with England in order to
sustain a commerce in men and women upon our
Southern coast to compel the Democrats of New
hampshire to die on the battle field. in order that
Southern Pirates might continue their vocation
OF buying and selling better men than those who
then represented the Old Granite State in Congress;
there was great indignation manifested by the
doughtaces against me.
As entered the Capitol on the morning Of the
second day Of my trial, l met q distinguished
member of the New Hampshire delegation who
if he should read this article, will recollect the re-
markable emphasis with which he declared that, il
he had the power he tUouid hang me and ecery
other man tcho uttered the doctrines TO Uhtch l held",
i left him with a perfect conviction of the total de
pravity Of New Hampshire Democracy. The en-
tire delegation from that State voted for my cehsure
in consequence of my having declared Them so ee'
waited AS to be unwilling to die for the maintenance
of q ~piratical commerce in mankind. In justice to
to them, | feel constrained to say that | think they
were sincere.
If a certain honest and honorable STAKEHOLDER
who represented one of the Districts Of Georgia il
the 9th Congress, be yet living, and recollect thu
~events'of that day, he might tell how a distinguish
ed member from New Hampshire, and a distin
guished Democratic member from my own State
~conspire1 to remove me from the post of Chairman
OF the Committee on Claims, in consequence o
opinions which l held in regard to Slavery. 1 wa
generously Informed that | q might avoid the mort
fcRtion of n removal, by resigniIg my position anC
asking the Committee to appoint another man
This self qualification | declined, and the day fol-
my removal was set. | was at the committee room
in the morning promptly at the hour of meeting
] was met by a majority of the Commute, and w
proceeded to tho ordinary business before US bu
neither my democratic friend from New Hampshir
or my democratic colleague from Ohio, we're Their
1t was whispered to me that they had given up tn
idea Of removing me, in consequence of the slave
holders of the Committee having declined to &C
with the doughfaces for the accomplishment 0
such an object.
shall not forget the dawning of the first mora
improvement 10 New Hampshire politics. Gu
home squadron had been organized principally fo
the assistance and protection of coastwise siav
trade. And when slaves from Florida had attemI
ted to cross over to the Bahama Islands. tn
Home Squadron furnished mer and craft to pursu
and bring them back. While considering the bi
making appropriations for that service, | spoke @
the management Of the Home Squadron with som
disgust and cuntempt. MIR. Adams followed me j
-, la U.o na paara una t,r ha,ub ~ trn
ger argument. A, this juncture. John p. Hale.
democrat from New Hampshire. obtained the dool
] knew him, but as he was a delegate from tba
State, l had desired no acquaintance with him.
g. Yet to my perfect establishment he spoke bold
and sensibly, lie appeared to pour out his homes
sentiments without the fear of democracy before b
eyes.
When be closed. MIR. Adams spoke to me Of II
effort as very creditable to a young member.
answered that such sentiments. il maintained /
one man of such ability. would regenerate Ne
Hampshire ito which he replied with a smile
wonder at my verdancy. saying-'Mat acouid be
great cork. But that work, great as it has bee
aud "it is truly wondrous in our eyes,, has be-
consummated.
TIE GREEK SLAVE TRADE.-While il is gratif
ing to hear that the "African Apprentice bill"-
ss the slave trade bill in the Louisiana Legislatul
was ealied-has been defeated in the Senate
that State. the Greek Slave trade is going on
That unfortunate female, who has had so man
masters already. has changed owners again, an
become. by the recent drawing of the COsmopol
tau Ar. Association. the property Of Miss A. I
CoLEsAs. daughter Of the proprietor of the Blu
net House. This vagabond marble beauty hu
had q mos. unsettled life. Nobody seems able
keep her and she is hawked about from one plac
2 to another with tho most reckless disregard Of tn
common principles Of humanity. the acts Of Cor
gress on the slave trade. and the most ordinar
live Of art. We hope. however. since she ha
got back TO Cincinnati. that she may be induce
% remain here Gin. Cdsetts. ~