The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-12-14
l. & L EST r MI w 8
Thirty-Sixth C0ngress-First SEES
sion.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.

sion.
WASHINGTON, Dec 10.
The Senate met at noon.
MI. King presented the petition of Daniel
+. Ilemann, Mayor of New York city, and
one hundred and three other citizens, in fa-
vor OF the passage of "homestead" bill.
and opposing the monopoly of the public
lands
Mr.. Mason's resolution relative to the Har
per's Ferry invasion again came up.
MIR. Clay said he wished to know where he
stood. Let there be no concealment. The
Senators on the other side profess to respect
the Constitutional right of the South, and de-
clarethey will preserve and maintain them. If
that declaration is sincere, and the Republi-
can party will keep their pledge there is no
cause for complaint.
But the South has good reason to distrust
these professions, when the conduct of the
Opposition Senators is so different. One
Senator treats the whole matter with levity,
which would be offensive if he did not al
ner; and will probably DIE, like Raselais.
with jest upon his lips, and never wake to
the responsibilities of life and death unit, he
be called to judgment.
Another Senator ridicules the cowardice
weakness and impotence of the South In
suffering handful of men to seize the Arsenal
at Harper's Ferry, in the face of fifteen hun
area lnhaDltants. Another entertains us
with newly discovered opinions of Washing.
ton, Jefferson and other fathers and francis
OF the Declaration ofIndependence,a and Fed
eral Constitution, disappearing of slavery.
Another endeavOrs to excite domestic
dissension and discord within our own
ranks at the South, by appealing to non.
save holaers to come to the support of the
republican party, protesting to vindicate
their rights and rescue them from the cnrse
of slavery, thus striving to scatter dragons
teeth over the plains of the South. in the
hope that there will spring up armed men,
Others would brighten US with fierce and
brave words, threatening US with coercion
to submit to their authority, no matter how
unconstitutional and oppressive. These are.
the evidences OF fraternal affection, respect
and regard for the South which you present
us.
Wendell Phillips has SAID, speaking OF the
foray in Virginia, that it was the natural re-
suit OF antl-slavery teachings, and for one, he
expected 1t. A'
Mr.. Clay admired his courage and candor.
1t was the truth. Others had predicted the
same things. WAC
lie then quoted the remarks of the Renpb-
Means, showing hostile feelings the Soutb
governor Chase has said he hated slayebod.
DlSNeOIiaapup
has said substantially the same thing,
HOUSE.
The House met at the usual hour.
The question before the House being m
the motion OF Mr.. Hickman to amend Fri
days journal by inserting that he had offered
resolution for the adoption of the plurality
rule.
Mr.. Sickles observed that he would moi
tresoass on the time of the House, did he
not deem it his imperative duty to protest
against much which had been said on this
floor in the course of the discussion as to the
sentiments of the North.
The gentleman from PENNSYLVANIA. (Mr
Hickman) had owned "the irrepessible con
fict" as not in the future, but existinS in
tact and as here now. Mr.. Sickles sa1fthat
the Northern sentiment is otherwise. There
beats In the North millions of hearts deyoted
not only to the Union but to the Constitu-
ton on which it rests; and they would never
reinquish their allegiance to it, OF be nm
mindful OF the duty of performing their al
legations with which that allegiance is in
seperably connected, and without which.
their love for the Constitution and the
mon, would be hypocrisy and deusion He
said Mr.. Hlckman's view of the Northern
sentiment is otherwise as unfounded in no;nt
Of fact, as the charges he makes in the name
OF the North, as well as the reasons for this
feeling, are unjustitiable.
In the course of his reply to Mr.. Hick-
mans charge that the South has violated
covenants, compacts and compromises. he
referred to the history of the adoption of the
CONSTITUTION and kindred subjects, to show
thaf there had Eeen no violation of Igood
alth by the South. He desired an antidote
20 20 forth with the poison. The gentleman
rom Pennsylvania could not sustain himself
q his first charge that the clause in the
Constitution for the abolition of the slave
'rade, was concession to freedom on the part
If the South, when he (Mr. Sicklee) had
proved that the clause as originally report
ID by eleven States was enlarged and sus-
aimed on motion of gentlemen from the
y orth.-Inere was no instance where the
southern Courts had failed to take c0sniz-
'nce OF or punish those engaged in the Slave
rade.
Expeditions with this view were fitted ont
With vessels sometimes built expressly for
his purpose and the proceeds of the traffic
distributed in the North and East, and ia all
probability at the South. The late District
Attorney of New York, Mr.. McKeon, gave
t as his opinion that more slave trade expe-
lltlons were fitted out and sustained by
lortherh capital than from any other parts
If the Union.
AS to the charge that the South has brok-
N the Missouri Compromise, he argued that
could not be called a compromise. 1t was
N experiment, and had ceased to have vati-
lty in the quarter where alone it could be
ustained. When the violent and excited
ceiling produced by the repeal of the Mis-
ouri restriction shall have ceased, the North
will, as heretofore, regard the principle of
he Kansas and Nebraska bill as conrenial
o their convictions, and on which the best
opes of the patriot can rest; and entirely
air to all portions of the confederacy. He
maintained there had been no violation of
of 1850 and "a.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania had
aid the great question to be presented in the
ext Presidential election was, "Shall slave
y be allowed to go into the Territories"
me gentleman had not shown any reason or
Justification for that issue'--In view of snoh
contingency in our affairs as existed two
II three years ago with reference to Kansas.
ever to understand that.it was to be brought
onward as an abstract, not as an existing