The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-07-11

"caught" the fever, and yielding to its influence
passed another statute, forbidding under sever,
penalties any person within the State from &C
cepting commission to befriend these coloreG
mariners, AID urder penalties severer still, ex
tending even to imprisonment for Life, prohibit
ing any person ION his own behalf or by virtue
OF any authority from any State to come within
South Carolina for this purpose; and then, tc
complete its work, the Legislature took away the
writ of habeds corpus from all such marines.
Such is simple narrative founded on authen.
TIC documents. do not adduce it now for crit
cism. but simply TO enroll it in all its stages-be
ginning with the earliest pretensions of South
Carolina, continuing in violence, and ending in
yet other pretensions-among the special instan.
ces where the barbarism Of slavery stands con.
fessed even in otfcial conduct And vet thi.
tran saction, which may well give to South Caro-.
lima the character Of a shore "where shipwreck.
ed mariners dread to land, has been openly vim.
dicated in all its details from beginning to end
by both the Senators from that State, while one
OF them, Mr.. Hammond in the same breath,
has borne his testimony from personal knowledge
to the character of the public agent thus NAL.
treated, saying che was pleasant, kind old
gentleman, and had sort of friendship for
him during the short time sat near him in Con.
gress."
Thus, sir, whether we look at individuals or at
the community where slavery exists, at lawless
outbreaks or at official conduct, slave. masters
are always the same. Enough, you will say, has
been said Yes; enough to expose slavery, but
rot enough for Truth. The most instructive
and most grievous part still remains. 1t is the
exhibition of slave.masters in Congressional his
tory. Of couSse, the representative reflects the
character as well as the political opinions of the
constituents whose will it is his boast to obey.
1t follows that the passions and habits of slave
masters are naturally represented in Congress-
chastened to certain extent, perhaps, by the
requirements of Parliamentary Law, but break.
ing out in fearful examples. And here, again,
facts shall speak, as nothing else can
In proceeding with this duty, to which as you
will perceive, am impelled by the positive re.
quirements of this debate, crave the indulgence
OF the Senate, while, avoiding all illusions to
private life or private character, and touching
simply what is of record, and already "enrolled
In the Capitol" present few only of many in
stances, which, especially during these latter
days, since slavery has become paransunt, have
taken their place in our national history.
Here is an instance. On the 18th February.
1887, r. NJ. Whitney was arraigned before the
House of Representatives for contempt, in refus.
ing to attend, when required, before Committee
OF Investigation into the administration of the
Executive Office. His excuse was, that he could
not attend without exposing himself thereby to
outrage and violence in the committee room: and
on examination at the bar of the House, Mr..
Fairfield, member of the Committee, afterwards
q member OF this body, and Governor of Maine,
testified to the actual facts. 1t appeared that
Mr.. Peyton, slave.master from Tennessee, and
member of the Committee, regarding certain
answer in writing by Mr.. Whitney to an interrog-
atory prOpounded by him as offensive, broke out
in these words: "Mr. Chairman, l wish you to
inform this witness, that he is not to insult me
in his answers; if he does, God damn him!
will take his life on the spot!" The witness, ris.
ing, claimed the protection of the Committee; on
which Mr.. PeytOn exclaimed: "God damn you,
you shan't speak; you shan't say one word while
you are in this room; if you do, will put you
to DEATH" Mr.. Wise, another save-master from
Virginia, Chairman of the Committee, and latter.
" Governor of Virginia, then intervened, cav.
ing, "Yes, this damned insolence is insufferable"
Soon after, Mr. Peyton, observing that the wit.
ness was looking at him, cried out, Damn him,
his eyes are on me-God damn him, he is look.
ing at me--he shan't do it-damn him. he sban't
look at me-"
These things, and much more, disclosed by
Mr.. Fairfield in reply to interrogatories in the
House, were confirmed by other witnesses, and
Mr.. Wise himself in speech made the admission
that he was armed with deadly weapons, saying,
'' watched the motion of that right arm, of the
witness, the elbow of which could be seen bv
me, and had it moved one inch, he had died on
the spot. That was my determination"
All this will be found in the 18th volume of
the Congressional Globe, with the evidence in
detail, and the discussion thereupon.
Here is another instance of similar character,
which did not occur in Committee-room, but
during debate in the Senate Chamber. While
the Compromise measures were under discussion
in 1850, on the 18th of April, 1850, Mr.. Foote,
a slave-master from Mississippi, in the course Of
his remarks, commenced personal allusion to
Mr.. Benton. This was aggravated by the cir.
cumstance that only few days previously he had
made this distinguished gentleman the mark for
most bitter and vindictive personalities. Mr.. Ben
ton rose at once from his seat and, with an angry
but without weapons of any kind
in his hand, or, as it appeared afterward before
the Committee, on his person, advanced in the
direction of Mr.. Foote, when the latter, gliding
drew from his pocket fve-chamber.
ed revolver, full loaded, which he cooked. Mean.
while Mr.. Benton, at the suggestion of friends,
was already returning to his seat, when be per-
ceived the pistol. Excited greatly by this dead.
ly menace, he exclaimed, al am not armed.
have no pistols. l disdain to carry arms Stand
out of the way, and let the assassin fire." Mr.
Foote remained standing in the position he had
taken, with his pistol in his hand, cooked "Soon
after" says the report of the Committee appoint.
ed to investigate this occurrence, "both Senators
resumed their seats, and order was restored"
All this will be found at length in the 2lst vol
ume of the Congressional Globe.
Another instance, which belongs to the same
class, is given by the Hon. William Jay, a writer
Of singular accuracy and Of the truest principle,
who has done much to illustrate the history of
our country. 1t is this: Mr.. Dawson, a slave
master from Louisiana, and q member of the
House Of Representatives, went up to another
member on the floor of the House, and addressed
to him these words: "If you attempt to speak,
or rise from your seat, sir, by Cd, I'll cut your
throat"
The duel, which at home in the Slave States
is "twin" with the "street fight" is also ''twin''
with these instances. 1t is constantly adopted or
attempted by slave-masters in Congress. But !
shall not enter upon this catalogue. / content
myself with showing the openness with which in
debate it has been menaced, and without any
call to order.
toned, in debate in the Senate, 26th of March, ,
1850, thus sought to provoke Mr.. Benton.
take his words from the Congressional Globe,
vol. 81, p. 603:
There instances in the history Of the Senate,