The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-22


merly entertained by Legislatures of Southern
States, to break through the principles of the
compromise of 1850, and break through the
covenant of the Kansas bill, and on that text to
preach sermons on the soundness or unsound-
ness of the Democracy of the Northern States
He proceeded to allude to speech of Mr..
Gwin, delivered in Grass Valley, California, in
which it was stated that Mr.. Douglas was de-
posed from the Craftsmanship of the Committee
on Territories, on account of his views on the
Kansas-N Nebraska bill. He would not stand up
here to defend the Senator from Illinois, who
was abundantly able to speak for himself, but
if he was expelled from that position for that
cause, they would thereby expel ninety.nine
hundredths of the Democracy in every nom
slaveholding State.
This was no longer question of individuals,
but of principle; and instead of assaulting o
man in his absence, it would be more manly to
do as the Senator from Georgia has done, and
arraign the entire party. He never saw any
thing in the Lecompton case that ought to d.
vide parties, or make it necessary to make any
changes in committees. He thought, however,
that Judge Douglas was not removed for that.
After he had made his speech in the Senate,
denouncing the Lecompton Constitution, and
taking issue with almost the entire body of
Democratic Senators, North and South, and
after he had taken issue with the Administra-
ton, the Senate proceeded to put him again at
the head of the Committee on Territories, and
he staid there till the Lecompton controversy
was dead and buried. He wanted to knew
whether Democratic Senators from Northern
States recognised this as a test of Democratic
fellowship.
moving Judge Douglas from the Territorial
Committee.
Mr.. Pugh went on to declare that the Sena
torial usage in regard to appointing committees
was intolerably bad, and had operated to give
Senators from slaveholding States the chair of
every single committee controlling the public
business in this body. The Senator from 1lli
nois was the only exception, and he had been
decapitated.
Mr.. Ive,son said he would reply to these re-
marks on some future occasion.
A long colloquy took place between Messrs
Gwin, Davis, Lane, and Brown, who expressed
their views in regard to the power of Congress
to exclude or establish Slavery i'm the Terrific
ries. After they had concluded, the Senate ad-
journed.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Gilmer caused to be read a newspaper
article, commenting on an extract from the
Boston Tract Journal, associating his name Of
fensively with Helpers book, and saying,
among other things, that the South should look
about to see whether or not there were traitors
on her own soil. He said, 80 far as this article
applied to him, it was an infamous and mali
cious fabrication and falsehood from beginning
to end. If he had ever received Helpers book,
as charged it must have been through the mall
but he had no knowledge that the book ever
came into his possession. Certainly he had
never read a solitary word oft. Ever since he
had refused to act with the Democrats on the
Lecompton Constitution, which he believes to
be an infamous fraud and swindle, he had been
pursued with the ferocity of tiger and the
whole publication, as far as it has intended to
affect him, is a lie from beginning to end.
Mr.. Singleton, replying to Mr.. Hickman, en-
phatically denied the latter's charge that the
South had violated all compacts and compro-
misses. Where and when, he asked, had the
South demanded anything more than she was
entitled to under the Constitution Whenever
aggressions were made, they were by the strong
er on the weaker section, and the South was
obliged to take her present stand with view
to preserve fraternal relations.
He said that any nan who had signed a
recommendation of Helpers book for circula-
ton, with a knowledge of its contents, was
guilty of moral treason, and ought to be dealt
with accordingly; and any man who signed it,
with knowledge of the contents of the book,
was unfit to be Speaker of the House.
Mr.. Curtis, during the debate, in reply to
question, said that tho Republicans are opposed
to the extension of Slavery, and would by Con-
gressonal action endeavor to prevent its extern
sion. But they did not propose to circumvent
Slavery in the South by any system of policy.
1t was not his purpose directly or indirectly to
injure the people at the South holding slaves.
Mr.. Singleton, replying, said that it was in
tended to lull the suspicion of the South, so as
to make further aggression upon it which was
to be bound hand and foot, and delivered over
to the tormentor. He understood Mr.. Curts's
remark to be this that the South is never to
have another foot of slave territory.
To which Mr. Curtis replied, that is the idea
Mr.. Singleton said, if you thus act, you will
disrupt every tie which binds us together. We
will have expansion for Slavery IN the Union,
Or if we must, outside of it. If you want to
know my advice to Mississippi, it is, the sooner
we get out of the Union the better He review
ed the doctrine of squatter sovereignty, saying
that if Douglas should be nominated by the
Charleston Convention, he would not vote for
hm-never!
Mr.. Logan replied, that he was from Illinois,
which claimed to be Democratic; and, as a
friend of Douglass, he would vote for the nomi-
nee of that Convention, whoever he might be,
with a view of putting down the Republican
party. Applause.
Mr.. Singleton said that the South could ex-
pand to Mexico; that country was now in
state of disruption, without Government, and
the South had q right to administer the estate.
Whenever it shall be undertaken to place a
Black Republican like Seward or Hale to pre-
side over the destinies of the South, then you
may expect to see an undivided front in the
South, and all parties uniting to resist aggres-
sion The only way to preserve the Union is,
to reopen the Territories to the South to exc.
cute the fugitive slave law; permit slave States
to come into the Union, when formed, and
give the South assurances of protection in all
its constitutional rights. In conclusion, he ar
gued that State has the right to peaceably 60
out of the Union, and that it was for her to
Judge of the mode and manner of redress
The House was then called, preliminary to
vote for Speaker.
Three ballots were had for the election of
Speaker After the first, Mr.. Bocock withdrew
his name as a candidate. He said he had per-
mitted the use of his name as q point round
which the conservative and sounder portion of
the House might rally, but that hope had be-
come more and more dim, and was now COM
pletely gone. He thanked his friends for the
honor conferred by voting for him.
The last vote stood as follows Sherman, ITO;
Boteler, 81 (; Bocock, IL Bxrksdale, 20; rest
scattering. Necessary to q choice, la.
The House then adjourned.
THE BRUTALITY OF A DEMOCRATIC"
JUDGE.