Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-01-21

public business. We have exhibited a mon
strous farce for the amusement of the gallo
ries. The responsibility rests with the Lee
compton Democrats. They alone present an
organization in the only way it can be done,
and he desired them to have all the glory OF
shame. He appealed TO the Democratic party
to waste no more time. II they would not per
nit an organization he wished the country 10
know where tine blame rests. lie heard that
fault had been found with him because he had
not repelled the attack from the other SHE ana
their threats of disunion. He had constltu-
encv who could and did read and write, and
Who would stand by the Constitution. He
did NOT believe in any right to hold slaves, I'M
less by special commission from GOD tie
read certain extracts from Jefferson, Henry,
Madison. and Others, to show that they not
onIv held the same doctrines the Republicans
do on the subject of slavery, but great deal
stronger.
Mr. HARDEMAN, wishing to place himself
and friends right on the record, alluded to a
letter he had written in reference to the organ
ization, and which had found its way into the
press. He recalled what he said therein, the
condition of certain gentlemen having since
shown that he was under an erroneous impress
sion
Mr.. CLARKE of Missouri made some eXpla-
nation as to his object in introducing the reso.
fit TO be Speaker OF the House.
Mr. SHERMAN asked Mr. Clark whether he
would withdraw his resolution in order to give
him an opportunity to explain.
Mr.. CLARK said he had avowed his purpose,
and would tell the gentleman his explanation
has failed to absove himself from the respon-
sibility of recommending the circulation OF
the Helper book.
Mr.. SHERMAN replied, that an opportunity
I.,,l
man from Missouri introduced the resolution
offensive in manner, AMI at an improper time
and place, he cut off what he said he desired
to do, namely afford opportunity for explana-
| fIon. When, three days after, the gentleman
from Virginia, Mr.. Millson, appealed to him,
he said he had never seen or read the book,
and had no recollection of signing any recon-
mendation. After the explanation was pub
lished he received a letter from E. B. Morgan,
a member of last Congress, recalling the cir
cumstances under which his name became
connected with the publication. Mr. Morgan
said that while he (Shermanl was writing at
his desk, he asked permission to use his re-
commentator in circulating political pam
| phlet. He consented, provided there was no.
| thing in it offensive or improper and, he con-
fided in the Judgment of the friend who re-
quested the favor. This was the whole story,
and presented plau, unvarnished statement
| of the facts which had been so much misrepre-
| sented. These were all the circumstances
under which his name had become associated
with this book. The other day, when the sub
ject was brought before the House, in Ian
! guage which he did not consider courteous, he
was charged with disseminating treason and
| lighting up the torch to be applied to the dwell
| lings of his southern brethren charged with
| crimes, which, if he were guilty of them,
would take from MIN his title to seat on that
floor When he rose in his place and told the
gentleman from Missouri that, if the resolu-
ton was withdrawn, he would answer as the
book was read page by page, whether he avow-
ed or dlsavowed the sentiments therein. The
gentleman refused to withdraw it. He did not
believe it was the desire of the gentleman to
| give him the opportunity, or to relieve the
| difficulty if so, he would now withdraw it to
| give him an opportunity to do what he pro-
posed. Never, so help me God whether the
Speakers chair stands before me or not, never
while that resolution is before the House i'm
properly, and in an unparliamentary way, and
| its adoption is urged by offensive arguments,
will l explain single word in those extracts
| Applause from the Republican side and gale
ries. While the resolution is intended as
stigma, and is sustained by epthets, he can
not expect me to say more. He said that the
| circumstances under which this resolution was
pressed were not characterized by candor and
a manly course While they might conduct
their controversies in the House with zeal and
determination, it ought to be done with
trankness and firmness. While the resolution
had been pressed, and there had been offensive
| debate, he had been arraigned before the coun-
try, with his hands tied and his lips sealed.
He had been assaled here day after day, in
manner without precedent in party caucuses,
state conventions, or anything else. He had
said, and he repeated that his opinions were
| i'll reason. Gentlemen sad they had exam
! lned to ascertain what they were 1t was
charged that he had objected to the introduce
ton of a bill Il; but when the gentleman who
introduced it made a satisfactory explanation,
Mr.. Sherman withdrew his objection. The
country would take notice that was the only
accusation against him.
Mr.. HINDMAN-I charge the gentleman
with having advocated ON this floor a PROPOSE
ton to exclude slavery from the territories by
congressional legislation, and of having avow-
ed his intention to oppose the admission Of any
slave states into the Union, and of having
branded the fugitive slave law as savage and
inhuman. charge him with having stigma
tized southern slavery as INJURIOUS and a
| crime.
Mr.. SHERMAN-In other words am charg-
| ed with being Republican. This is my of
fence, and none other. | never sought to in
wade the rights of the southern states nor the
| rights of any citizen l have my ideas OF slave
! ny in the territories, and at a proper time am
willing to define them. | have made but one
speech on the subject in Congress, and
| that growing out of an offensive mes
sage of President Franklin Pierce. They
are the opinions of the body of the Re-
| publicans, and gentlemen may discuss them.
| stand by my political record. Gentlemen on
the other side, while proclaming me a traitor
| by implication in order to serve political pur-
| pose have called on me to show the proof of
my innocence. They have failed to sustain
their charge when called upon to specify, and
the only thing they could say was that while
sitting at my desk 4 friend came to me and au-
thorized him to use my name to paper, and
that by this | become traitor, and would put
the torch in the incendiaries' hand. This is
not fair argument. repeat if the gentleman
from Missouri desires to know what my senti-
ments are as to the extracts from the book,
will give them if he will remove what | con-
slider an insulting menace Otherwise | never
will 1t is not in my blood and this gentle
man cannot put it there, (applause.) have
been patient and forbearing. desired 10 see
| an organization opposed to the administra-
| ton. 1t is our highest duty to investi-
| gate and analyze the mode in watch
| this government has been administered
for few years. did not believe the slavery
| question would come up, this session. /
thought we would have an examination into
the condition of the government, but for the
unfortunate affair of Harper's Ferry do not
believe there would be any feeling on this sub
Ject No Northern member came here APP
proving of the foray of John Brown. Every
one was willing to condemn the act of lawless
violence. Before we had reached even for
NAL ballot this nuestion was thrust nnon ms