Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-07-12
TIKI BlRBiRITlES OF SLAVERY.
SPEECH
HON. CHARLES SUMNER
In the L. s. Senate, June 4th, 1864.
CONTINUED.

TO enroll II IN all stages beginning
with the earliest pretensions OF South
Carolina, continuing in violence. and
ending yet in other pretenslons-l
among the special instances where the
.barbarism of Slavery stands confessed
even in official conduct. And yet this
transaction. which may we'll give to
South Carolina the character of shore
"where shipwrecked mariners dread To
land" has been openly vlndicated IN
all its details from beginning to end
by both the Senators from that State.
while one of them Nlr. Hammond,
in the same breath. has borne his
testimony from personal knowledge to
the character of the public agent thus
maltreated. saying. ''he was pleas
ant. kind old gentleman. and 1 had
sor, of friendship Tor him during the
short time | sat near him in Con-
gress."
Thus. Sir, whether we look at in
divi,luals 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 not enough Tor
truth. The most Instructive and
most gricvous part remains. 1t is the
exhibition OF slavemasters in Con
gressional history. OF course the
Representative reflects the character
a. well as the political opinions OF the
constituents whose will it is to obey
1t follows that the passions and habits
Of slave.masters are naturally repre-
sented in Congress-chastcae to a
certain extent. perhaps by the require
ment of Parliamentary law, but break
ing out in fearful examples. And
here again facts shall speak, as moth
ing else can.
In proceeding with this duty. to
which, as you will perceive, l am i'm
PEELED by the positive requirements of
!. this debate, l crave the indulgence OF
the Senate. while. avoiding all allu-
sons to private life or private charac-
ter, and touching simply what is OF
record, and already enrolled in the
Capitol, present few only OF many
instances which, especially during
;. these latter days, since slavery has be-
; come paramount, have taken their
o places in our national history. Here
is an instance: On the 18th February
1887, II. NJ. Whitney was arraigned
; before the House of Representatives
: for contempt. in refusing to attend
when required before a committee ol
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 eommittee-room
and on examination at the bar of th'
House, Mr.. Fairfield, member Of th'
: committee, afterward member of thi
D. body. and Governor of Maine, testitie'
d. to the actual facts. 1t appeared tha
Mr. Peyton, slave-master from Ten
'S nesee. and member of the commit
tee, regarding certain answer il
;, writing by Mr. Whitney to an inter
: rogatory propounded by him as oficns
n. i've, broke ont in these words:
Mr.. Chairman. | wish to inform
this witness that he is net to insult m
= IN his answers: if he does. God dam
him, | will take his life on the spot.
The witness rising claimed protect
ion of the Committee, on which Nj
Peyton replie,':
Cd d--n you, you shan't spea
s. you shan't say one word while yo
are in this room; if you do, l will pu
YOU to death
he Mr.. Wise, another slave maste
from Virginia. Chairman Of the Com
= mittee, and latterly Governor of Vii
ginia, then intervened saying:
Yes, this ID insolence Is insuf1er:
Lle.'
Soon after, Mr.. Peyton. observin
'0 that the witness was looking at hin
cried out:
.D-n him, his eyes are on m
Cd d-n him. he is looking at M
he shan't DO it; d--n him, he shan
look at me-
These things. anil much more. iii
'"e closed by Mr.. Fairfield in reply
interrogatories in the House, we
confirmed by other witness, ana NJ
Wise himself in speech. made Il
admission that he was armed wi
=. deadly weapons. ssying:
Il watched the motion of that rig
arm OF the witness, the elbow
&, which could be seen 10y me. and had
moved one inch, he had died on &
ter. spot. That was my determination
All this will be found in the thi
teenth volume of the CongreSsion
Debates. the evidence in detail, al
i, the discussion thereupon.
-, Here is an other instance Of simil
character. which did not occur in
- Committee room. but during debs
in the Senate Chamber While I
Compromise measures were under III
. cussion in 1880. on the 18th Of Apr
Mr. Foote. slave master from Miss
sippi. in the conr~e Of his remaks, col
= menced personal allusion to \
Benton. This was aggravated by t
circumstance that only few davs p
viously he hail made this distinguish
gentleman the mark for most bit
anil vindictive personalities. \
Benton rose ut once from his seat. n
heir with an angry countenance, hut wi
give out weapons Of any kind in his har
hall or. ss it appeared afterward before
'''' Committee, on his person, advanc
Ter. in the direction. of Mr. Foote, the
ter. gliding backward drew from
D. pocket a tive-chambered revolver,
loadel which he corkad Neanvl