Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1859-12-30

him to the support Of all who wish to
see the purity Of the Government vim
dicated, and vcnality and political
prohigacy chastised with the scorpion
lash Of public Indignation.
Ny constituents, Mr.. Clerk, have
too great interests at stake in the or
ganization of this House to permitme
to hesitate as TO my choice of Speaker.
| will vote for no candidate for that
Office who is not a true and proved
friend of the cause of Protection. l
know Mr.. SHERMAN to be such, and |
know that he will so organize the
Committee Of Ways and Means as to
give that question a fair hearing,
when a proposition for revision OF
the Tariff shall come before it. We
have q right to expect that the busl-
ness wants of the country shall be ia
ken into consideration; thatremcdial
measures shall be applied to existing
evils, and that the voice of the great
productive masses shall at least be
heard and respected in the committee
specially charged with the protection
of their interests. The election Of
my friend from Ohio will be the sureSt
guarantee of the realization Of such a
hope.
But, sir, apart from all this, | know
the gentleman to be q man Of just and
equable temper. of fair and honora-
bic nature, and incapable Of pcrvcrt-
ing parliamentary law into an instru-
ment of partisan despotism. If |
knew him to be otherwise, or if | had
the slightest doubt on the subject, |
would hot give him my vote at any
time as | will never aid in placing
in that chair any man who will not
administer TIE rules of the House
with equal and exact justice to all
parties.
But, we are told that Mr. SHERMAN
is one Of those who signed the recon-
mendation in favor of HELPER Book.
Very well, sir; did not sign it, and
| claim no particular credit for not
doing so. | have read but little of
the book. So far as | do know any
thing about it, | understand that it is
work written by native OF a South
crn state; book peculiarly and al
most exclusively addressed 70 South
eru men, rccting the experiences of a
Southern man, and drawing a compar-
ison between the proiuctivcncss and
the utility Of Free and Slave labor.
The book, sir, must fall or stand upon
its own merits. And what is done
here? Why, gentlemen magnify this
book into a tremendous engine of
mischief. They proclaim that this
book, and all who indorsc it, are ca
pable of producing infinite mischicfto
the peace Of this country. They pro-
claim that all who indorse it, indorse
treason! Has not my honorable
friend said that, in so far as that book
expresses anything contrary TO the
Constitution Of the United States, so
far he condemns it? Could any dec
laration be more unrcscrvcd, more
candid, and, | may add, more accept
able, if gentlemen are willing to be
licvc in the ycracity Of their peers
upon the floor? What have we to do
with Mr.. Helpers book, more than
with any other book? Are we TO sit
here, as a college Of Jesuit ccnsors, to
the literature of the coun-
try? Arc we to convert ourselves from
a congressional and legislative body
into literary tribunal, and pass in
review the merits every publication
which may be thrown out in the couu-
try, and hold gentlemen responsible
for the sentiments Of that publication
in so far as they have read and indors-
cd it, directly or indirectly? Why,
sir, this is n most extraordinary pro-
cccding. 1t lifts Mr.. Helper into a
consequence he never dreamed Of at
tanning. 1t makes him an enemy of
the South, more formidable than he
ever aimed to be, if, indeed, he aims
to be an enemy Of the South at all.
This book, so full of mischief, which
has been occupying the attention Of
Congress now nearly for an entire
week, you have asked the whole pco-
pie of the United States to read and
ponder upon. 1ou have been dwell
ing and dwelling upon its infamma-
tory text, SO that if it ever had any
in it, you have increased the
power of that mischief to an incalcu-
liable extent.
And, sir, what has been done upon
this floor, is in perfect consonancc
with the action of the Democratic par
ty. Who repealed the Missouri COM
promise? who broke the bonds of
peace which had been signed thirty
years before by the wise men of the
North and Of the South? The Demo
cratic party. Who framed the Kan
sas- Nebraska bill The Democratic
party. Who refused TO carry out the
provisions of the kansas-Ncbraska
bill ? who deluded the people of Kan
sas into the idea that they were to
layc free expression OF their will
IN their organic form Of government,
md then denied it them? The Dem,