The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1860-01-11
she National Debating Club.


ua select, as specimen brick, the fol.
Inc passage from the proceedings Of
S. House of Representatives on
.hs ssd Of Decenber'
Mr. Farnsworth, Of III charged the re-
.,onsibility Of a failure to organize upon
,be Democrats. No sooner had they con-
.aned than they were met with speeches
md resolutions about Helpers pamphlet,
threatened dissolution, &c.
He proceeded to arraign the Democratic
naarty for endorsing the book called Black
diamond, written by Pollard, Of Virginia,
and caused to be read various testimonials
Tits cover, adding, the writer advocates
the going into Africa, and Selling and
deluding natives to gain their consent to
be shipped to this country BY the middle
passage, as apprentices, and after getting
them here to induce them to live IN per-
ptual bondage The writer admits II
voald be an infraction and violation Of
Che claws Of the United States, but justifes
itby the necessities of the case, and says
that the Union could be preserved only.
BY this SO called conservative policy. Is
this the sentiment Of the Democratic
party?
MI. Cobb deprecate the reopening
Of the slave trade. Now, you speak out
and say whether you endorse Helpers
book.
Mr.. Farnsworth would like to ask Mr.
Miles the question whether he endorsed
those sentiments.
Mi. Miles replied he most heartily, ut
terly, and from the bottom of his heart
deprecated any evasion Of the laws. APP
pause. He recognized the higher law
ofsentiment and honor, which compelled
him to Obey the constitution.
Mr.. Farnsworth wanted to know Wheth-
er he was in favor Of reopening the trade
by The repeal of the laws.
Mr.. Miles said he was not prepared to
say whether he was in favor of reopening
the slave trade at some future time, bui
not so long as the laws Of the land forbid
engaging in the traffic He believed il
was useless to discuss the question SC
long as the South remained in the confed
eracy, He believed that in the present
Union the slave trade can be reopeneC
legally, and no one advocated the reopen
ing of it illegally. He should like to ash
Mr.. Farnsworth whether he was in favor
ofthe repeal Of the fugitive slave law.
MFR. Farnsworth replied he would ans
wer that question by and by.
Mr.. Reagan remarked that he had come
out in the canvass on that issue, and was
opposed to the reopening Of the slave
trade in or out ofthe Union, and was in
favor Of law, order and justice. Now Dc
you endorse Helpers book? Answer like
man. Applause.
The Clerk checked the disorderly mani
fcstation.
MI. Stanton felt it his duty to say, fol
himself and those he represented, that 81
fur as Helpers book advised seryile in
surrection, he utterly abhored and de
tcstedit. There were not as many men ou
as in the Peritentiary of Ohio who woule
tolerate it for a moment
MIR. Kellogg, of Ill, congratulated th,
House on the happy return Of good feel
ing, when the Undergraduates continued:
MIR. Bonham said the act of 1920, which
characterized the slave trade as piracy
was blot on the statute book, and ough
to be expunged; but he knew no party il
the South in favor Of having the law 0
1918 repealed. With regard to the latte
he was not prepared to say it was uncon
stitutonal. There was no considerable,
part Of the South, or of the Democratic
party, who agitated the question Of re
opening the trade. 1t can never be done
ia the confederacy. AS to whether b
was in favor Of rcopening it at some fu
ture time, he was not prepared to say.
Mr.. Farnsworth. Does the gentleman
endorse the sentiment in the book Blacl
Diamond, for the revival of the slave trad
bylaw?
MIR. Bonham--It is impracticable. Id
not stand in the attitude of one who en-
dorses the violation of any existing law
Mr.. Farnsworth asked Mr.. McRa
whether he endorsed the sentiments.
Mr. McRae, as an individual, was il