Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-04-13
THuRTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.
FIR st SESs ION.
Washington, April 5.

The House then resumed the consideration of
the anti-Polygamy bill which was passed with
verbal amendments-l49 against 60.
Among those who voted in the negative were
Messrs. Haskin, Martin, McLernand, Logan, Mont
gomery, Morris, Riggs and Robinson-Anti-Le-
compton democrats. Messrs. Adrain and Hickman
voted with the majority, as did the Republicans
in body. Nearly all the illustrious sixty are
made up OF ultra pro-slayery democrats, who fear
ed that blow against polygamy would recoil on
the peculiar institution of the South
Mr.. Lovejoy (Rcp. l.)-The House has been
occupied for several days in the discussion Of p0-
lygamy. The Republican party, of which ana n
member stands pledged, ever since 1888, So far as
Congress has the power, to eXtermnate the twin
relics of barbarism, slavery and polygamy, in the
territories Of the United States Now, sir, as we
have administered death-blow to one Of these
twins, propose to pay M respects to the other
twin. want 10 see both strangled and go down
together they heartily deserve. The question
presented is whether slavery shall be extended
beyond its present limits as that is the only ques
ton over which we have exclusive jurisdiction;
but, sir, when it l. proposed TO extend what Is
termed an institution, but what is not institu
! ton, but simply practice, like polygamy the
question naturally arises what is the nature, what
the influences and what the elem rents of TINS prac
tice, and what will they prove to be when extend
ed, If allowed to extend | aware that it has
been stated on this floor that the morality of
slavery has been settled that its ethics are no
longer to be discussed that they were settled by
the stagyrite of Greece and have been reafirmed
and re-establShed by the stagyrite of Ohio, who
portrayed il in gorgeous colors, like the hueS
| which gather around the clouds OF a summer
| set. We were told that where slaveholdlng viii
! pay, there slaveholding viii 90. Precisely
! upon the same principle, where robbery
| or piracy will pay they viii go, and where
| human flesh is cheaper than beeves cannlbailsm
will g, because it will pay. Sir than robberies,
than piracy, than polygamy, slaveholding Is worse
/ moro criminal, more injurious to man, and con-
| sequently more offensive to God SlaveholdInS
has been Justly designated as the sum Of all crime.
/ fou put every crime that is perpctrated upon
men into a moral crucbe, and dissolve and COM
| bine them all, and the result Of the amalgam is
| sayeholding. | am speaking in earnest before
/ God, and it is Gods truth 1t has the violence
of robbery the blood of piracy the brutal luss OF
polygamy ali combined and concentrated in itself
with agCravatious that neither Of these crimes
ever knew or dreamed Of. Now, Mr.. Chairman,
! the justification Of slavery is placed mainly on
! three grounds; the inferiority Of the enslaved
race, that the fact of ensaving imparts Chris
tianity and civilization 10 them, and the guaran-
ties Of the constitution. We eoncede as a matter
OF fact the inferiority of the race but does 1t fol-
/ low that it Is right to enslave a man simply be-
! cause he is inferior 10 you Mr.. Chairman, this
is to me a most abhorrent doctrine 1t would
! place the weak at the mercy of the strong. The
! theory is, that if man is crippled trip him ups
| if he is old and weak. strike him-he cant strike
| back; if he is child deceive him. Why, sir,
/ this doctrine Of the democrats-and it is the doc
trlne Of devils as well-would lead the strong to
! enslave the weak everywhere. It would justify
the angels in ensaying man, ant.in turn, Il would
! Justify the archanses in cnslayiny the angels II
carried out in the universe, it would ultimately
! transform Jehovah himself into an infinite Jugger-
| naut.
! NJ Tgrc;.,, ,rba lo3 ,,,,u,srco,l his rarnaf KS
on the extreme left of the Republican side, had
/ gradually advanced into the space in front Of the
! Speakers chair, and he warmed in his subject
! he began TO gcSticulate with some ychemcnce. In
/ the midst of the remark last reported he was in
tcruptedby Nr. Pryor, dem, Na-) who eNcitodly
! called him to order, at the same time advancing
/ toward him with fierce geSticulltIon-. He was
! understood 90 say, VrcfacinC the remark with
/ some offensive adjcctiyes, keep your own side,
! sir YOU shall not come over here, shaking your
/ fists in the face Of gentlemen g.
Great confusion cnsued. Members began to
rush toward the scene from all Sides shouting or
/ der, and others denouncing Lovejoy
| Mr. Pryor call him 10 order, Sir. He shall
! not shake his fists in our faces, Sir Il is bad
! enough to let him stand over there aud talk his
treason.
! Mr.. Iarksdllc Miss. dcm) who had been in
his scat with heavy cane IN his hand, came for
/ ward with the crowd shouting and Furnishing the
! cane The uul y words understood from him above
/ the din of the Chairman Eaycl were, keep his
/ own side, the rascal
/ Mr.. Adrian-To avoid all difficulty, l suggest
! the gentleman Just speak from his side no ono
/ supposes he can be inundated.
pryor-Noboly wants 10 intinidate him.
! Mr. Lovcioy-Nobody can intjmidate me, Sir.
| Sit down. gentlemen am safe enough
Mr.. Singleton (iom., Miss.) approached, shak-
! ing his fists
Mr.. Barr (icn., y. Y.,) and others restrained
! Kim.
! Mr. Burnett forced his way into the midst Of
! the circle around Loveioy. and secuted, "Ihere Is
a rule which requires every gentleman to keep his
| seat while speaking He can speak only from hls
own seat. lie cannot and he shall not cross this
/ hall in n monacng manner towards US, as be has
! done. lie mus, speak from his seat, and he shall
! do it,
/ The Chairman appealed to gentlemen to enforce
! order, and said he would call the oergcant-at-
Arms.
The young man acting deputy Of the Ser
! gcant-at-Arms approached with his silver mace.
| Mr.. Kellogg (Bep., I'D vocterated that his
colleague should not commit breach of the rules,
| but should have all his rights.
! The Speaker was called in TO resume his seat,
! when the Chairman reported that the Committee
/ rose owing to the disorder
Finally comparative quiet was restored.
The House then again went into Committee Of
the Whole.
Mr. Loveioy took his stand at the Clerks desk,
| and resumed his remarks. lie spoke about North
ern Christian women, who went to the South 10
prevent the people there from returning to barba-
rism.
Mr. Singleton dem, Miss.) said that he would
not allow such insinuations upon Southern women
to pass. If the member persisted in that course,
he (Singletou) would hold him personally account
able.
Nh Loveicy said that in four million of slaves,
there was not one legal husband wife, father or
child and spoke about Presbyterian Elder
down South. having the Gospel whipped into him
with the broad side of a hand-saw, and Of young
grl in Washington being whipped until the blood
came out Of her nostrils and then sent t the gar
ret to die. lie had sworn to support the Constitu-
ton because he loved it, but he did not interpret it
in the way southeners did.
Mr. Bonham dem, 5. C.)-You violate it.
Mr.. Ashmore (dem. s CO. And peTjure your
self
Mr.. Singleton-And are a negro thief into the
bargain.
Mr.. Barksdale-I hold no parley with per-
jured man
Mr.. Lovejoy said when Daniel Webster spoke of
the imposition of Austria on Hungary, he remark
ed the earthquake and the tornado have power,
and the thunder has power, but greater than these
was the power of public opinion, and before this
he proposed to arraign Austria. lie UovejJy)
proposed to hold up to the retribution of public
sentiment slaveholding in all its atrocty and hid
eousness lust as gentlemen here hadlpol ygamy.
Public sentiment will lurn and scour out slavery,
and the proper way is by the action Of the Slave
States themselves. He had endorsed the Helper
book because he wanted to do it. He did so with
out asking the gentleman from Missouri Clark,
or any body else You shed the blood Of my brother
twenty years ago, and am here free to speak my
mind The Republican party would spring up IN
Kentucky, and the gentlemen now here would find
themselves displaced by more moderate, and if it
were not offensive, he would add more sensible,
men. lie wanted to say in Charleston what be
could say here.
Mr.. Bonham-YOu had better try it
Mr.. Lovejoy-I can 90 to England and there
discuss the question Of church and state, or any
other British institution. Butt 1 20 into the
Slave States and talk against Slavery, where is my
protection ?
Mr.. Barksdale-The meanest negro in the South
is your superior
Cries of " Order y from the Republican side
Mr.. Loveoy, in speaking of John Brown, said
he would not curse him. He would pour no exc