Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-02-10
Il q LITIC A l..
SPEECH OF MIR. rEssENpEN

In ne S.paie on hc 23i Of January. a. re-.
ply 10 10. 'psoch of VI. Douglas, on he
w5jsd Of "a proieciiol Of &GisS aHd Ter.
riiono ogaiHd iHrduoH
did not anticipate. Mr. President. that
the honorable senator from Illinois. tMr.
Douglas in his address %. day. would say
anything thas would call upon me, or any
member OF the Senate on our sldo OF the
House to say word in reply but, ,lr, no
ha. followed such line Of remark, unia.
miliar To those who ARE IN the habit OF li.,
ening 10 speeches in ,hi. body, that, com.
Ing from him a, ,hi. particular ;lme, feel
impsllcd TO sy few words. IN relation
particularly to what ho ha. saii Of the 70.
publican party.
Mr.. pr,iid-n', was somewhat a, loss
to imagine villa, necessity there was Tor the
resolution upon your table. oirsrel by the
honorable senator, upon which he has spo-
ken. Veal know that. at an early PERI
oi Of th. session. the honornbls senator,
from Virginia Mr.. Mason Offered re.olu.
ton Of inquiry IN the cause, and psriicu.
lar, of inquiry into the llarpcr's Ferry al.
iair, and that be no, only offered that rc-o.
lu,ion OF inquiry bat went further. and
proposed tha; an inquiry should bs made
a. t. the remedy. and what laws ough; TO
Dc pis,d, IN or,!cr 10 protect the States Of
thi. ur'ln, IT necessary, against each 9th.
er. Av'ry aLlc COMMITTEES was appointed
to Investigate that subject. That commit.
tee has had. and still has. tho matter un.
tci consideration. Tho honorable S,nltor
irnm Illinois. not content with that. de.
trusting i, would .ccm the ability and pow.
er OF that committee to make the necessary
examination. lays resolution upon your
table. and appoints u time at which hc -.
sumo. e. instruct that COMMITTEES a. 70
their duty. and 10 Point out the particular
mod, tha, tasy At, to AdoP, m order TO ac.
c0mplt.h The plrp,.s.
SIR. was that the oljc,t, or had The bon
orable Senator an Object beyond, simply
speaking on question M, attended In my
Judgement with any very great constitution.
al or legal d,tEcul,ys Had hc something
bsyeul that, 70 avail himself Of an oppor.
tunity t. make what certainly have a
night {, den,min,te a political sp'e'h, IN.
tending 10 affect the parties OF the country
With reference u political obi,ci. rather
than - accomplish tho particular purpose
apparent upon the fac, of the resolution it.
.eli?
We'll, .ir. following out the apraren,
purport OF hi. resolution. hs has made an
Argument. an arsumcn, which Il Is 'uli.
ci-n,ly clear. ous that think have seen
substantially in some Of the now'paprr' he.
fore. with reference g. the constitutional
power OF Congress on ,his subject. take
It tiers j, uo very great Difference of vpin.
ilr ur1p 'l- matter. think the Senator
v.. permit . o.. s,y that. upon that point
hc LAs al,,nc d nothing very NV AMI
avn vet 60 kDlw that there i. any member
Of ,hc mate. " any member VI this Con.
gr,s., who - not a. de-irou- a. be l. that
all attempt, o. iasit, iu.urrecsion IN neigh.
boring S,a,,.. or % make attack. upon
neishb,rius States. eome trcm Wha, quar-
ilr they may, ought !, be suppressed. and
that AL Shg power VI this Government
on:h. q b, u',i to .lpprs" them
d, no, know that there has been dc.isr
anywhere, except In the minds Of some leW
individual. in tho country, who are vel
known no, TO belong to any party. that q
.t all oPpJ'd to the e,ursa pointed out h'
him. and which hn- hcsn previously sugses'
TED by the honorable Senator from Virgin
IA
have not examined the cln,,ltutio n'I
question my.,li have my own general
impression with regard TO It. | have trus
tel 1t 10 ihe abls c,amlttso who lave had
II in charga, and Isuppos'd ,h't at the
proper time We should hear irom thcn, q
scheme within constitutional limits, calcu-
lated. designed, able. TO affect the obj'ct
which the senator seems 10 have ,, much
At heart, and which we all have at heart
And. ,ir. | will say this that as far as b,
has spoken on that particular portion o.
the inquiry, with regard to the question o
constitutional power, as at present advised
am disposed to agree with bis views.
certainly am disposed TO agree with him a'
to the importance, IL need be, IN view o
tine recent events which have transpirrd
and excited 90 much feeling throughout th,
country, that the power Of this Govern
ment should be e1eried now, in order tC
teach the people OF all tins country that
they have M right to disturb the peace o
their neishbOrs. hold with him, and
presume with all members Of the Senate
know do with all the members OF my owr
par,y-,ha, il thi. party can be found-and
believe il exis,s-it should be eIerted lOi
that end am ready to 80 a' far as any
man reasonably coaId 90 in order to accom-
plish tho purpOsa.
Bot. sir. leaving that-fjr !, Is not to
,ba, particular par, Of tho gentleman
speech that | wished to address few word'
to the Senate in reply-I come TO the next
point which he makes, and that is, that for
,ha, even, the Republican party of thu
country i.repon'ibls. That is substantially
hi. charge. Ilo says tha, it, due to the
teachings oi the Republican party. Sir, We