The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1859-10-01
From the Alton (Ill.) Courier
Dcughfaces.

John Randolph. of Roanoke, added the
above word TO our language. It had never
been heard till uttered by him on the floor
| of Congress; but the term is one of those
expressive words which once uttered, die
only with the language into which it be-
comes incorporated.
It's origin was in this wise: One day
member of Congress from one of the Eas-
tern States, made speech. in which. to in
gratiate himself with the Southern Delega
ton, be said much in favor of Slavery. GO
ing further III praise of the institution than
Southerners were then accustomed 10 do
At that period. the prominent men of the
South took the same ground as Jefferson
In listening to the Northern advocate OF
Slavery, there was merely humorous smile
playing around the lips of the other MEM
bers from the South, but the whole counte- Il
nance of John Randolph was a perfect
study, so expressive it was of indignation.
mingled with unutterable scorn and con-
tempt. He sat uneasy in his seat. chang
ing his posture continually. Randolph. at
that day, was in the full meridian of his
powers. mental and physical. Those who
were thoroughly acquainted with the tall.
eccentric Virginian, knew by his looks and
manner. that STERN was gathering which
would launch a thunderbolt at the head of
the favor seeking Slavery advocate from the
North. When the latter concluded his
speech and sat down, he cast a very COM
placent glance around upon the Southern
members, confident that his offering at the
shrine of Slavery must have won all their
hearts. ~ 80
No sooner was he seated than his 'evd
genius" in the shape of John Randolph,
of Roanoke. slowly and deliberately rose to
his feet. His thin lips were tightly COM
pressed-his Iudianlike eyes glistened. and
| his lowering brow was dark as midnight
He made the usual complimentary address
of ''Mr. Speaker" but his face was not
turned toward the Chair. His eyes were
Intensely rivetedr upon his victim. For a
brief moment there was pause, ominous
as that which precedes the earthquake
Then raising his right arm, he shook at his
opponent his long. bony finger in his pecu-
liar, menacing manner, with rapid. vibra-
tory motion which bore no faint resem-
blance to that of rattesnake on the point
of striking the fatal blow with its fangs.-
And then burst forth his shrill concentra-
ted tones so unlike the sound of any other
human voice.
For more than an hour. Randolph held
the whole audience spell bound with his re-
ply. He poured forth upon Northern advo-
Gates of Slavery, perfect torrent of indig-
nant sarcasm. hot and whitening as melted
lava. He said ''that every human being
had an inalienable right to liberty-to the
| ownership of his own body and soul, was
doctrine impressed by the Creator upon ev-
cry human heart--that the South did not
originate Africa Slavery-it was entailed
upon them against their viii. by Govern
ment that has passed away. The servile
race had SO increased that emancipation was
no longer possible. Slavery at the South
was justtiable. on the ground that il had
grown, without their own agency, into an
institution which they could not shake off
it they would" ga
] He said that she knew of none except
the natives of the Eastern States, who ad-
vocated Slavery as Slavery. and not as an
/ evil from which there was no escape. The
descendants of the pilgrims he said.
"were trained up in all the practices and
doctrines of the straightest sect of the Phar-
isees, regarding il As mortal sin for man
to shave his beard, or a woman to kiss her
child on .Sabby -day.' Yet the great ma
iority of them with whom it had been his
good or i'll fortune to become acquainted,
are DOUGHFACES. who countenance
Slavery the moment they think it their in
terest to do so, although they have been
taught from infancy to detest It. Notwith-
standing their noisy defamation in favor of
the institution, they remain bitterly hostile
to it, in the secret recesses of their hearts,
TO the last hour Of life. Had they been at
Jerusalem in the DAYS of the Savior. they
would have cried cruelty Him cruelty
Him . louder than did even the Jews. the
moment they had made the discovery that
that was the popular side"
i Mr.. Randolph drew very eloquent but
very bitter contrast between the Dough cees
and the sons of the OIL Dominion. He
said: "While these doughfaces have cring-
ed and crawled, violating every instinct of
conscience TO curry favor with the South,
what has my own native Virginia been do
ing? That great and glorious common
wealth. the largest Slaveholding State in
}, the Union. gave to the confederacy the Ter
ritory NORTH sOess Of the Ohio territory
broader than the United Kingdom of Great
4 Britain and Ireland. And then by the Or
din0sce Of 1897, which waa carried by her
votes and her influence, she consecrated
that wide realm forever to human freedom.
1t was she, glorious Old Virginia, Slave
holder as she is, that wrung from the con-
federacy a solemn pledge that Slavery
should never plant its feet upon that virgin
soil. How looks the bringing douglfaeS
u by the side of such men as those 90 sal
# have given but brief sketch of that
Il speech, drawn from .sCotson's Weekiv
CKronicle.'' published at that time. but
whiel1 paper was discontinued at the close
of its first yeak. have copied from the
i report of that speech only just sufficient to
i give the reader correct idea of the origin
of the word .doughface." I have not the
3 presumption TO express ang opinion as to the.
views of such man as John Randolph. of