The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1859-12-30
Tiffiu afrrkIp Trlbuut.
Remarks Of mr. Hickman OF
Pennsylvania, tu tic House,
on Monday Dec. l3th.


on Monday Dec. 12th.
Mr.. HICKMAN. ME-. Clerk, with rc-
gard 60 the attack made by the Presidents
newspaper ON myself aud others, I have
but word To say. N made by the Pres
idont himself, he knows il TO be false. II
made Nv any other person ho does not
know il to be true; for, sir, the reason
why / occupy the position hero to-day
which l do occupy, is because | could not
be purchased Applause irom the Re-
publican benches and from the gullCries.
This reading me out Of the Democratic
party has been faithfully pcrsovered in for
the last four years, by many sbler and
stronger than tho gentleman from Ms
sour, Mr.. NOEL, and stll they have not
got rid Of me, and Il will take them PER-
hapa four years longer Of persevering ol-
fort, ir / should choose 10 remain in their
good company.
My treason, 10 which vorY frequent re-
ference has boon made here, not merely
during the present ucssion, but during tor-
mer ones, has history connected with it
IA history with which the gentleman
from Missouri ought 20 be acquainted
Sir, Il dates back four years, when, nthis
Hall, on the gricyous charge being made
"A charge which pcrvodcd the country
and which was believed by the country
that fraud aud force aud all manner of
crimes had so far invaded the Territory
of Kansas that they had prostratod thor
oughly tho people, chose to introduce
a resolution 90 investigate that charge
That was the time when my treason COM
menced, for then took the stand against
a combined Demooracyi and, sir, / charge
on that united Democracy, from whom
do dissent to-day-not, however, because
have failed to be a Democrat a per-
severing effort, both in this Hall aud In
the other wing Of the Capitol, TO stihc
that investigation and TO suppress the
proof Of tho fraud. Thon, sir, I was read
from the Democratic party; and yet after
the committee, which was, to some ox-
tent instrumental in raising, (aud this ia
the first time have ever referred TO itO
had made their report TO Congress, no
man in the country was sufficiently rock
less 10 deny that tho charge which had
been preferred was fully and completely
proved. Then, sir, | was denounced as a
renegade and traitor, and for whatl--
What was tho body Of my oftensel Be-
cause chose to differ from the Democ-
racy, believing that the charge ought TO be
Investigated, and that, II fraud existed, IL
ought to be revealed. And have they
ever washed their hands of il TO this
| dayl No, sir; 20 no greater extent than
silence may have done it.
Well, cir, returned home TO my peo-
pie with all the brand Of treason which
that body OF men could place upon my
forehead; and Mr.. Buchanan, the present
President Of the United States, Endorsed
my Democracy In face Of that protesta.
tion which had gone up against me, ant
insisted on my denomination, as he be-
leYed that il would be valuable to hiI
canvass. Mr.. Buchanan did not denounoI
me.
Now word in respect to that canvass
for the mere purpose Of institutnga brie
inquiry as to where tho charge Of treason
may properly rost and as 10 who is the
renegade. The State Of Pennsylvanit
was in very imminent peril at that cleo
| tion; and Mr.. Buchanan knew that the
election in that State rested upon single
point, which was this his safety upon
the question Of tho management Of Kan
saa affairs. Why, cir, Il can be proved by
thousand living witnesses, il necessary
that during that summer. this man who
now fills the Executive chair, made It his
business TO pledge men, everywhere II
the North, that Il he should succeed in hiI
election as he knew the iroe-State element
in that Territory TO be tho strongest, Kan
sas should come into the Union as free
and not ns a slave State. That charge has
been frequently made. II has never beer
denied in Pennsylvania; aud by means o
the pledges that no thus gave, did he sue
ceed in carrying that State at tho Novem
Der election. As soon, however, as he
reached the city Of Washington, il wal
discovered that the mind Of the President
had undergone very sudden change
not that his Judgment was convinced, be
: cause think il car be very clearly showI
that he never alleged that his mind ha,
undergone any change up to that time
but he made the fear that three or fou
southern States would secede from IN,
Union a pretext for urging upon Congress
the adoption Of the fraudulent LecomptoI
constitution. Now, we begged leave L
differ from him in his policy. We wer'
again denounced as traitors, and uRaiI
read out Of the Democratic party. Wei
sir the Presidents hand was raised agains
US, and everything that Executive powe
and patronage could do was done for th'
purpose Of destroying us in our respectiy,
! districts. We are now back here again
to rebuke again the treachery ofthis wick
ed and reckless Administration; and /
that is treason, the other side have got 4
make the most oft.
have said all that propose to say up
on that point at this time. | shall avail
myself Of another opportunity TO 60 int
? It at greater length.
Now, sir, the charge Of treason that hal
been madewas not sufficiently powerful
70 humiliate and disgrace us, and we fine
this newspaper adding 10 il a charge o
2 corruption. II there Is any man Ia thii
body Of men who knows Of any contrac
or agreement that | have entered iHtv Titi
anybody, for any purpose, let him pro
claim il now, or forever hold bis peace.
have never done so anywhere, al any time
and / say now, that II the election of my
; friend, Colonel Forney-and take pleas
ure in calling him ny friend-that il
could procure his election as Clerk of thil
House by entering into a covenant viii
any man here, upon this side Of th'
House, l would refuse 70 do il. As ar
Buchanan could not purchase me, so car
not be purchased by others. Applaus'
and hiEses. have already been oiiere,
more than am worth, and | refused I,
sell myself at that. Laughter and ap
plause Why, sir, this is all false pre-.
tense. | know where the trouble is, AMI
the country knows where il Is, have
yentured TO express opinions against CIV
ing 10 slavery an unlimited charter totrav-
elwhere il pleuaos. This 10 the body Of
my offsnsej all the rest Is false Preton'o'
And | desire 70 cay now, that ii Domoc-