The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-06-02

slavs-srade Pirates Bearded in their Den.
The Commercial Convention"
which met in Vicksburgh a few DAYS
since, to devise ways and means for
giving additioal vigor to the slave trade,
and to thwart any attempt the Govern
ment might be forced to make to check
their piratical operations, met with a
"snag" in an unexpected quarter.
The Hon. Henry S. Foote, better
known as "hangman Foote," astonish-
ed the piratical conclave, by an exhi-
bition of holiness and honesty, for
which we can almost forgive his ankle
ty to hang John p. Hale. The New
York Times describes his {" Chivalrous''
bearing and the effect of it so well,
that we make free use of its article
He had been silent spectator of the
proceedings of the Convention until a
resolution was proposed. directing the
speech of a certain Mr.. Spratt, of South
Carolina, to-be printed among the pro-
ceedings of the precious body. The
speech recommended armed resistance
to any attempt the Government might
make to prevent the prosecution of the
slave trade, and set forth the right of
the South 10 kidnap negroes from Afii-
ca without interruption, and give the
miserable fanatics and traitors huge
delight. But it was more than Mr..
Foote could stand, and springing to his
feet, the Times says he roared into the
ears of the startled delegates that
Spratt's speach was reasonable, and
that any man who would attempt to put
into practise the views which it contain
ed, deserved to be hanged by the
neck until he was dead, dead, dead: )"
The confusion amongst the chivalry
which followed the enunciation of this
unanswerable proposition, as sounded
in morals as it is in law, was immense.
They shrieked, howled, protested and
spat, but in vain. Foote loaded and
fred another broadside into the mob,
in the following fashion:
"The proposition that the Constitu-
ton of the United States is no longer a
valid and binding instrument-the
proposition that the sacred laws of the
Union-enscted by wiser men than now
live, and wiser men, | fear than will
ever live in the country again appre-
ciative laughter and cheeas the prop
osition that these laws, marked with
the most profound wisdom, the object
of admiration to the most enlightened
men of all nations-that these laws are
entitled to no respect, and that viola
ton on violation of them may be perpe-
trated on the high seas and on the
land of this glorious Continent-that
these laws may be set at naught
and the Government functionaries de-
ged, and thatreliance may be confident
~ placed on the juries of the country
by perjury to acquit felons, is one of the
most monstrous and vile propositions
that could be made in the hearing of an
intelligent and highminded people"
1t might naturally be presumed that
such bold and defnant language, aud
such whitening contempt for the whole
gang of traitors, would have led to any
number of dueIs. But these miserable
demagogues are as cautious as they
are blatant. They prefer to fight with
less experienced duelists than Foote
and they were induced meekly to sub
NIT to the charge OF treason, ribaldry
and folly by his declaration. 81 speak
for the country, and / take all the re-
sponsibility of what / say and I will
meet the whole band of Southern chiv.
airy at the swords point, or pistols
mouth, or anywhere ~ In cases OF
this sort, the chivalry does not often
vindicate itself in its favorite fashion.
As long as there is a lurking suspicion
of speakers responsibility" as the
slang hath it, he is apt to be shouted
down. His point made clear, he has
fair field, at least, if no favor. Mr..
Foote continued:
81 have no idea of seeing my coun-
try's liberties cloven down, the Consti
tuition and the laws of the land trampled
under foot, and stand by quietly, sub.
uniting to that inglorious degradation
without raising my feeble voice in
solemn exclamation against that un.
righteous conduct. / dare the publ
cation of that speach. / was glad to
hear It for knew that such doctrines
had been for some time smouldering
in certain bosoms and / was afraid
there would not be sufficient manliness
and frankness to disclose them. ]
wished the monster of treason to un-
fold himself to public view that be
might be attacked, and in all his mon
strous deformity, put to death by the
voice of freemen. Encouragin G
cheers.
The effect of this vigorous philippe
was as marked rs it deserved to be-
Detroit Advertiser.
The Sandwich Islands.