Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-04-13

RESPONSES FROM Two OF TIE NORTHERN
"MrD-SILLs."- Senator Hammond's Democrat
ie speech, denouncing the laboring men of the
North as the mere niud.sls of society, has elicit
ed noble responses from Senator Broderick of
California and Senator Wilson of Massachusetts,
both Of whom passed their youth and early man
hood at hard and honest toll. Senator Broderick
spoke as follows:
4" | suppose, sir. the Senator from South Caro-
lima did not intend to be personal in his remarks
TO any OF his peers upon this floor. IL had
thought so, l would have noticed them at the
time. l am, sir, with one exception, the young
est in years of the Senators upon this floor. 1t
is not long since / served apprenticeship of
hive years at one of the most laborous mechanl-
cal trades pursued By mau--a trade that from its
nature devoies its follower to thought, but de-
bars him from conversation. | would not have
alluded TO this, if it not for the remarks OF
the Senator from South Carolina and the thou
sands who know that am the son OF an ar izan.
and have been mechanic wOHld feel dIsappolnt
ed in me if did not reply to MIN. am not
proud OF this. l sorry It's true. L would
that could have enjoyed the pleasures OF life In
nv boyhood days, but they were denied to me.
say this with pain. | have not the admiration
Tor the men of the class from whence l sprung
that might be expected; they submit too tamely
TO oppression, are too prone TO neglect their
rights and duties citizens But, sir, the socle-
ty to whose toll | was born, under our form Of
government. will yet control the destinies of this
nation. If | were inclined TO forget my connec.
ton with them, or TO deny that l sprung from
them, this chamber would not be the place in
which could do either. While l hold seat
here, have but TO look at the beautiful capitals
adjoining the pilasters that support this roof, to
be reminded Of my fathers talent, and to see
his handiwork."
Senator Wilson's response to the mud sill taunt
in the following striking language:
Sir, am the son of a 'hireing manual labor
err. who, with the frosts of seventy Winters on
his brow, still lives by daily labor l, too have
lived by daily labor. !, too, have been hire
ling manual aborer.' Poverty cast its dark and
chilling shadow over the home OF my childhood,
and want there sometimes an unbidden
guest At the age of ten years, to aid him who
gave me being in keeping the gaunt spectre from
the hearth OF the mother who bore me, left the
home of my boyhOod and went TO earn my bread
by daily labor among strangers Many weary
mile have travelled,
To beg brotF er of the earth
To give me leave to tlil.
Sir, have toiled az 'hireling manual laborer
in the field and in the workshop, and | tell the
senator from South Carolina that 1 never felt
CALLED by my degradation. Perhaps the senator
will ascribe this 10 Obtuseness of intellect and to
blunted seusbiiities. Sir. | was conscious of
my manhood was the peer of my employer,
knew lhat the laws and institutions of my native
and adopted States New Hampshire and Massa-
chusetts threw over him and over me alike the
panoply of equality ! knew. too, that the
world was before me with its wealth, its garneTed
treasures of knowledge, its honors, the coveted
prizes Of life within tae grasp of brave heart and
a tireless hand and l accepted the responsible
ties of my position all unconscious that was a
slave. 1 have employed others, hundreds of 9th
ers, some OF whom then possessed, and now pos
sess, more property than l ever owned some of
them better educated than myself, better educa
ted and better read than some senators on this
Aoor, and many of them in moral excellence and
purity of character my admitted superiors.
have occupied for more than twenty years the re
lation of employed or employer, and while
never felt CALLED by any degradation in the one
case, in the other was never conscious that my
'hireliug labOrers' were my interiors That man
is snob who feels an inferiorty to any man be.
cause he is 'hireling laDorer,' or who assumes
any superiority over others because he is an EN-
ployer Honest labor is honorable, and the man
who is ashamed that be is or was laborer, has
not manhood enough to "feel CALLED by his deg
radiation"