Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-03-17
Lands for the Landless-Niggers fo

LdlluS iOT GHc LdiluIeSS-NlSSeIS lOr
Niggerless !-Skulk, ali! SILVER
do we?-Senator Wade Aroused!
From a letter to The Nep York Tribune
we give sketch of the way Senator Wade
bearded the Southern lion in the Senate de-
bate on the Cuba bill on the evening of the
25th. The letter says:
Mr. Wade of Ohio got the floor and moved
an adjournment, so that he could speak to-
morrow. But the Democrats, having deter
mined in caucus that they would take the
final vote on the bill at that sitting, though
it extended into Saturday night, refused to
adjourn.
Mr.. Doolittle now moved to lay aside
Cuba, and take up the Homestead bill. The
few Cubans who favor this latter, implored
Doolit,le not to injure the Homestead. by
antagonizing it with "this great measure of
foreign policy" He warned them that the
country would regard this as q test VOTE
They WINGED, and the skrmsh went on.
After little brush on the points of order,
T.ombs got the floor. To understand the
scene that followed, you must know Seward
and Wilson sit on the rear row Of chairs,
and Toombs, Wade and Benjinan immedi-
ately in front of them in the next row
Wade having Toombs on his right and Ben
imam ON his .eit-and all FIVE being in
close proximity to each other. A little
further off to the left Of Benjamin sits Fes.
sender. Toombs directed his speech entire
Iy to Seward. Always impassion ard
furious, he was now extraordinary vehement
in tone, violent in gesliculation, and abusive
in language. He called Seward demagogue
"a snrall demagogue-said he disp;sed all
demagogues, detested small demagogues in
particular, but more especially pited and
despised those who could be driven by small
Cemagogues, bringing his fist in the vicinity
of Wade's desk as he uttered the last clause
He accused the Republicans in a body of
cowardice, personal and poiticaI-of skulk.
ing the issue Of G uba, and sbivering in their
shoes at its mere name.
He rung the changes on Stewards term,
"LanG Cor the landless," and sneered at the
slack landers," as he called them, of whom
the Republicans were afraid, &c. He smote
his own desk violently, occasionally reached
over and Stewards. kept his back toward
the chair that he might turn his face tow ard
Seward, ever and anon thrusting his hand
almost in his face, and pushing iRadvertent.
| ly against Wade's chair; all this time bis
face glowing with passion, and his air and
mien and tone suggesting the ferocity oi
Danton, combined with the maIignity o.
Murat. During his short speech portion
OF the galleries kept up running accompa.
niment Of feeble gusts of laughter.
Nearly all eyes had bee1 fixed on Toombs
and Seward-the latter calm and pale, anc
looking steadily at his assailant. But the
few who knew Wade well, had not failed tc
notice his hands firmly clenched on the arm
| of his chair. his compressed lips, and the
indescribable air of defiance that sat upor
his countenance. Ere Toombs was fairly
in his seat, Seward, Wilson, Fessenden ant
Wade sprlng TO their feet. II was impos
sible for the Chair to assign the floor te
anybody but 'the Senator from Ohio,' fol
the tone in which he pronounced the for.
mula, "Mr. PRESIDENT" and the eye he 6xet
on Breckenridge, said, as plain words
could have uttered it, 81 must Ind will have
itm
Wade, v no don't fear the devil, turned
square upon Tuomos, who knows that Wad
don't fear the devil, ard. bringing his 6sl
down within about an inch of Toombs' nose
and heavily upon his desk, said, his eye riv-
citing him, and the hot words kissing through
his teeth, ,"Skulk, ah! shver. do wei"
The Georgian pushed his chair--it stands
on castors-a few inches further off, so as
to give his Ohio neighbor more room!
Wade went on, leaping almost from the
floor at every sentence, showing plainly
that though he was able to reply effectively
to the taunts and abuse that fell from
Toombs' lips he would rather drive them
forcibly down his throat-all of which
| Toombs knew, because, once on a time
they being neighbors in the Senate then as
now, roombs was abusing all Republicans
in the most vituperative style, when Wade
his hands on the arms of his chair, ready to
leap to his feet, demanded to know, "Does
the Senator include ME in what he is now
sayingr' Upon which the Georgian respond.
ed,"I except the Senator from Ohio!"--
Since that occurrence. everybody thinks
Toombs desires to give Wade a wide berth
But TO the speech. The first sentence wen,
straight to the core o! the subject, and all
the rest follow ed il. "You sneer at the
Homestead bill, because it gives land to the
landless, do you! What is your pet measure
Stealing nigoers for the niggeriess! We go
to the contrary upon it-Land for the Land.
less versus N:ggers for the NiggerIess.
This was enough. The galleries had
seemingly held their breath. Now, some
feet came down with one determined stamp
upon the flosr-a few hands smote together
but the mass, in gallery and in Senate
shouted with mingled roar of laughter ant
cheers--the President throwing down the
gavel in despair
Having in this phrase, compressed the
whole argument into the smallest possible
compass, Wade went on roasting the De-
mocracy about their 'niRger bill,' and satis
flying Toombs that he (Wade) was not muci
frightened, however it might be with hin
(Toombs); and then he handed over thu
fight to Fessendsn.
Mr.. Fessenden was more deliberate. In
deed, be was persistsntly calm and provo