Gazette and sentinel., 1860-08-25

inc objections, explaining doubtful
points. mtcrpoSiHg to cut of int.sc.cct
speeches from friends, turning OF the
hostility IF opponents by a kindly word,
ami finally, with scarcely the loss OF q
single item, carried the bill throu- by
a vote Of unc-huudrcd and thirty-ci"ht
to one hundred and eleven. in the
course of the debate, Mr.. Brcchur!lgc
said Il am perfectly aware, Nj. Chair
man. Of the Responsibility which have
personally incurred in attempting To
conduct this bill through the committee,
lof the Whole and that it would be
impossible, having the bill in charge, To
engage in irrelevant and heated dis
CusSiunS."
Upon the advent of Tie Know-Noth-
ing party, Mr.. Breckenridge was the
first to take the stump in Kentucky t.
attack it. There hc laiddowu the broad
proposition that all men. citizens hy
our laws, were equal, and that any dis
tinction made ON account Of birth or
creed, was at war with the principles Of
our Government, and tended to ~
throw the liberties Of our country ; and
in Congress he made the first speech
upon the subject, in which, standing
upon this proposition, he exposed, III Il
most mastery manner, the fallacy and
destructive tendencies Of It's creed. a.
at war with the social relations II life,
and a fatal blow aimed at civil and re-
ligious liberty.
In a debate on a bill reported by Mr..
Wentworth, Of Massachusetts, on the
81 March, 1875, to prevent the imPorta-
ton of certain classes Of foreigners to
this country, after an able exposition Of
its absurdity and injustice, Dir. Brcckin-
ridge said:
Il do not propose to enlarge pa this
subject. regard this bill as u Of the
fruits of the proscriptivc feeling which
is Just now pcrvading this country. |
know it is popular, and | know 1t is
sweeping, like a hurricane, from one
end of the country to the other; but it
is in conflict with the Fundamental prin-
ciplcs of our system of Government,
and | an willing to oppose my hand to
it, and await the time when there shall
be a reaction i'll the public sentiment, rs
| know there will be. | want the gen
tlemcn Of this House to know that. if
they vote for this bill, they draw Il dis
tlnctlon between the poor and the rich,
and allow only the latter class to come,
nor can they come, except with a pass
in their hands, like negro going from
one plantation TO another"
The reaction in public sentiment,
which Mr.. Breckinridgc's sa@acity fore
saw, quickly came, when know-Noth-
ingism vanished before the light Of in
vcstigation like the mists Of the morn
ing before the rising sun.
In general debate, Mr.. Breckenridge
discussed III a philosophical and elabo-
rate manner some of the greatest cues
tons of the day, and distinguished him
self by his hand-to-hand encounters
with the most experienced glad;ators of
the House. Thus, in the discussion
between him and Mr.. II. Marshall, the
real Issue was so directly and vigo-
rously thrust back by the former that,
Notwithstanding r!r. Marshalrs great
logical acumen and fertility of resource,
the equilibrium of the contest was fully
restored. Mr.. Breckenridge, i'll an en-
counter with Mr.. Giddings, so pressed
him, that the latter ficrcely denied the
power of the Federal Government To
enact a fugitive slave law, or to employ
the force Of the country to enforce it.
But he particularly signalizcd his fdel-
ity to his friends and principles by his
defense Of the gallant soldier of Ken
tncky, Gen. VIM. o. Butler, and of a
long array of able and experienced
statesmen, attacked in the January and
February numbers of the Democratic
Review, 1852.
The name of Gen. Butler had been
presented to the Democracy of Ken
lucky, as q nominee for the Presidency.
Francis p. Blair having in this event
signaliZed his intention to vote for him,
Gen. Butler was falsely charged with
being infected with Freesoil sentiments,
and indeed with having formed a coali,
ton with the FrcesoiIers. These char.
ges were repeated and grossly eXagge-
rated in the February number of the
Democratic Review. An incidental al
fusion having been made on the floor Of
the House to the Islander against Gen
Butler, Mr.. Breckenridge, on the Sd Of
March, 1852, rose in his vindication
and that of the other statesmen villifcd
and slandered in the Democratic Re
view. The letter of Gen. Butler on tho
subject, which was endorsed by Mr.
Breckenridge, and which the latter read
to the House, was so sound and national
in its enunciation of constitutions