The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-12-23
Speech of Hon. II. A. r. Nelson.
Delivered in tie House Of Representatives., De
Gender 7. 1880

]
| Oihce OF Speaker, was before the House, and Mr.
Gilmer, of North Caroliua, introduced resolution
declaring that cit is the duty ofcvery good citizen
oi ths Union to resist all attempts ut renewing in
congress or out of it, the slavery agitation, under
Whatever shape and color the attempt may be
made, and that no member should be elected Spea-
ker OF the House whose political opinions are not
known to conform" to this sentiment In support
ofthis resolution Mr. Nelson addressed the House
Nothing has beeu said by any gentle.
man in this body with respect to the rcso-
luton offered by the gentleman from
North Carolina, Mr.. Gilmer, and as
he and occupy position here between
the dominant parties Of the House and
country, | trust that / will be allowed
although had hoped that it would have
fallen into ADLER hands to do SOTO say
something tothe House in behalf of that
resolution.
am one of those. Mr.. Clerk, who be-
lievc that the resolution of the gentle
man from North Carolina ought to be
adopted, in preference to the resolution
offered by the gentleman from Missouri,
| Mr.. Clark. was panied to see the
resolution introduced by the memberfrom
Missouri. While go as far as any other
man in the South or North to dcnounce
that most infamous publication that has
excited the attention of this House, | for
one, think-with great Difference to the
sentiments that have been expressed OH
the other sidc-that we are giving too
much dignity and too much importance
to most infamous publication. |, for
one, am not in favor of placing Mr.. Hell
per and his book in the same enviable
notoriety that Erostratus acquired by de.
stroying the Ephesian temple. /, for one.
am opposed to damning his name to ev-
erlasting fame, by placing it on the re-
cords of this House and handing it down
to an inglorious immortality. 1t seems
to me-with great Difference to the 'opin-
ions of other gentlemen who have OK
pressed different sentiments-that we are
dignilying this infamous pamphlet too
much by giving it the notice which it has
commanded here.
think that the resolution of the gen
tleman from North Carolina answers the
purpose designed by the mover of the
other resolution, and is more in accord
ance with the dignity of this House and
the gravity OF legislative proceedings than
the resolution offered by the gentleman
from Missouri. And why should we not
all come up, from the East and from the
West and from the North and from the
|
the resolution offered by the gentleman
from North Carolina, which contains
nothing that, by any legitimate construc-
ton or intendment, could be construed
as wounding the feelings of any member
of the House? Why will we not all vote
for these resolutions? They breathe the
true spirit Of the two great parties that
have hitherto controlled, alternately, the
destines of this great country. One por-
ton of the resolutions is copied from the
resolutions Of the great Democratic party
in 1862; another is copied from the reso-
lutions OF the Whig party in the same
year. The sentiments that are avowed
in the resolution of the member from
North Carolina are-lrespectiuily submit
to the gentleman from Missouri-intinite-
ly more comprehensive than the resolu-
ton which he has offered herc because
while his resolution signalizes particu-
lar publication, and gives it notoriety
which is altogether unworthy its nature
the resolution offered by the gentleman
from North Carolina condems the slavery
agitation in every shape and form. |, for
one, prefer, therefore, the resolution Of
iered by the gentleman from North Car
olina, and | earnestly insist on its adop-
ton by this House.
There is one thing, Mr.. Clerk, which |
think cannot fail to have struck the
mind of every patriot and every member
OF this House. We meet together under
most extraordinary circumstance. An
event Of q most exciting character has
occurred in one of the States of the
Union, and it is natural that there
should be a feeling of excitement on the
part especially Of those who represent
.ht .ii'. - - pn .,'io noo. Is natural
.iu' .neie Snoui'' &c lIeiis oi syinpa-
wy Ss S,iios iio'o Vi u' "ho i'Ve III a'Joih-
riS'IV ~ ''fe' puv u. a.io sumo .iiiie, Nj
c'ei; - i,i'',n.',i ; ''''.V we hiuy carry this
,Ia. ~ oNo',o a':i Wv 'lt' hhc"
.''.. Seii'.iiien' eNis's Oh .he part Oh
,,L,;,, ~ - f'o,,, ~ a. 'ilo iio'Ser .
IJtIIusS q. ie''o., nm 'ne ooii'uoI Vi
Si.oso "nH iept:seit l''iI vi t'ie -Northerh
Sa''e'.'ii''. .iiis oAcite'ieii' Is atoSeth-
- :. J .Lt''; '''' a ..oro 10 lo c'.use ior
~ any. 'ta' uet'eI con,Ports WIN
i'm uisn,ty "nu "!.n .neit nohor .iia'
my ''t;oh anG' no' p'',.ioipsso III tle oisGus-
'ioii "iioh mas 'rN'i. Pi"'e heIe: Ier
ii,.' ino W say 70 Iiiose VINO entertain that
seil'ilieht 'Ii"V l lhliik they uhderrate
tne sta'e ol eHc.ielnent ~. that exists at inis
1'ile III 'ne so1iherii states. anu while
l oeioiiS' M oierh, W minority mere
m,u Mniie i GaI,hol A eHPeGI 'iiat lhe selltiI
mems W wiilcii sle'l eve utserlilce VIII
.iiee. .iie npPio.ai oi Gl.her OF Ihe Gohl-
nan. parties IN tnis house, | Deg leave
10 tuii lne at'eiitloh ol the uouse 10
wlat ! reg"r1 as lhe alarming crisis that
9Nls.s III 'i,e history ol our peioVea laha'
WISH 10 90 tlii' telhpefately ana mod
era.ely, "ish 10 90 II IN spirit OF per-
,eo. IcspeG' 20 every sehtlvIiuh Oh the
Nor.n .tn Sp anu p' une eou'n' eu Mheh we look
" .he iIoulh, we iihe state ol excite
| 'HS'' ' 'n 80 - "NNot "",iNS "i'ii