Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-12-23
speech of
BENJAMIN +. WADE.

OF OHIO.
Senator Wade of Ohio, made capital
speech in the Senate on Wednesday of last
week. He is one who doesn't fear the
threats of Disunion. We give an abstract
of it below, the subject being Mr.. Mason's
Harper's Ferry resolution:
Mr.. WADE said at first it was not his
purpose to speak on this resolution. He
made up lis mind, when the resolution was
introduced, that he would vote for it, not
on account of any particular benefit that
he supposed would result from Il, for he
thought it would probably have the effect
of increasing that state of excitement
which already seems to be sufficiently
strong, at least for all practical purposes
But over this resolution, the whole subject
of controversy between the Northern and
Southern States on the Slavery question
had been discussed, and illusions had beer
made to him personally, in such terms as
to render it essential he should reply. He
had no desire to get up frequently to speal
on this most hackneyed subject. lie had
not been very forward in thrusting himself
before the Senate, but when measures Of
great importance had been pressed, he had
been compelled to give his velws. 1t was
said by the mover of this resolution, that
one great object of it was to elicit the state
of the northern feeling respecting the in
vasion at 1larper's Ferry.
Mr.. MASON desired to correct the Sen
ator. That assertion had been once or
twice ascribed TO him in the course of this
debate, but it was misapprehension.
What he said was that he wished to ascer-
tain from what source Brown derived his
funds, and the counsel which led to his in
cursion. He had reason to believe il came
chiefly from the New England States.
Mr. WADE continued. For the bascst
purposes the great party to which he be-
longed had been charged with completely
in this affair, but he treated the charge with
scorn and contempt. 1t was so entirely
overstraned that it fell on his ear without
giving him a single emotion But he knew
what the effect of such charge would he
in that part of the country where jealousy
existed with regard to the acts and mo-
tives of Northern men. The only state
ments that can reach the ears Of the South
ern people are one-sided, and the antidote
to this charge they will never get. No
man is allowed to express his sentiments
at the South, unless they are cut and
trimmed to suit public opinion. No North
ern man is now permitted to go into the
South, unless he leaves his manhood and
behind. Under these cir
cumstances it is not strange that the South
ern people are deluded respecting the state
of Northern feeling. They deem 1t i'm
portant to exclude incendiary documents
from their midst, but he thought the most
dangerous incendiarism was to be found in
the speeches of Southern men, when they
tell their people that the great party hav-
ing control of all the Free States sympa-
thize with John Browns raid. He re-
carded Brown aS insane, and asked Sena-
tors to discriminate between the man and
his acts. If the State Of Virginia feels
decply at this incursion into her territory,
and murder of her citizens, what were the
feelings of Northern men, a few years ago,
whose relations and friends had gone into
far distant Territory a'd formed colonies
there, weak and feeble, ard scattered
through that wilderness, when they found
il was the deliberate purpose of great.
powerful, and all-pervading party TO drive
them out, or coerce them to obedience un-
der institutions which they abhorIed from
The bottom of their souls. They were driv-
en- out; they were murdered in cold blood
their property was DESTROYED. They ap-
pealed to Congress for redress, and they
only got insults here instead OF sympathy
When state this, state what | do know.
This Government did at least conniye nj
that band Of conspirators, who. arming
themselves lawlessly with arms belonging
to the Government. invaded that Territory,
took possession Of the ballot boxes, drove
the citizens away from the polls, drove
them away from their possessions, and ex-
ercised tyranny over them; but that took
place a good wav off, and didn't create the
same excitement as when similar transae-
ton comes nearer home. In his judgment,
The only fference between that case and
this was. tha, in the case Of Kansas the ia
vasion was made with no other purpose
than to introduce Slavery there, at all haz-
ards, and by force OF arms; whereas Old
John Brown and his men, with like un-
lawful purpose. undertook to extirpate
Slavery from the State of Virginia. The
Free-Siate men there got no consolation
from the Government. but one Senator
used this language: g We will subdue you
you are traitors-we VIII hang every
man of YOU"
Mr.. Wade said he did mt 20 back to
these things for the purpose Of jastifying
John Brown and his crew in their invasion
Of Virginia, but only to show why IT Is that
the men in the Free States, 10 a considvra-
bic extent 10 sympaihize with this old he
ro. In the darkest hour Of Kansas. when
her rights were all in peril, and everything
looked gloomy there. and the Federal Gov
ernment failed to inierpose in her behalf.
then it was that old John Brown appeared