Shreveport daily news., 1861-08-16
Senator Breckfnride in the Sen.
ate Chamber,
al and political liberty.

The senator asks it q senator in
Rome had uttered these things, what
would have been done! The war
between Rome and Carthage was al
together different from the war now
going on between the different sec
tons of this confederacy. But
would Auye said rather than avow the
principle that either must be subiuga-
ted, let Carthage live apd pursue her
policy, and let Rome pursue hers.
The senator says my words are but
brilliant treason, and attributes it to
the characterof our constitution, that
[ am allowed to utter them upon tho
senate floor. Mr.. President, if 1 am
speaking treason l do not know it.
| am speaking what / believe to be
tor the good Of my country. And
by whose indulgence am I speaking?
Not by that Of any man, but by the
guarantees Of the constitution Of nv
country, which seem to be so little
respected here. And sir, a senator,
whose courage is yet to be tested, has
said that in Rome l would have been
hurled from the Tarpeian Rock. Sir,
if ever We have a Tarpeian rock and
victim is wanted, it will be found
to be that man, who has to theutmost
Of his ability, and to the measure of
his intellect and heart, been the chief
author Of the misfortunes of his coun-
try's misfortune. He and the men
like hun, have brought the country
to this condition Of things, and l re-
ply with all the just indi gnation which
| ought to feel at such an insult Of
fered on the floor Of this senate by a
senator sitting in his place.
But l shall not longer detain the
senate. My opinions are my own,
and they are honestly entertained,
and do not believe l have utte1ed an
opinion here In regard to this contest
that does not reflect the Judgment OF
the people whom l have the honor to
represent. Ii they do. l shall find
my reward in th,. fearless utterances
OF their opinions. If they do not,
sir, a,p not the man to cling to the
forms Of office, and the emoIuments
of public life, against my conviction
and my principles; and l repeat that
if indeed the commonwealth OF Ken
lucky, instead OF attempting to me-
dlate IN th1s unfortunate stru@sle,-
should throw all her energies in the
scale IN the attempt to maintain the
administration, in what l believe to
be a war Of subjugation, she NAV take
her course. l am her son and shall
share her destiny. But, she will be
represented by some other SON on the
| floor of the senate.
Note.-On the next day, the I'd, Mr
BrecIinridge rose iu his place for a
personal explanation. In Yesterdays
debate, the senator from Oregon had
asked the question, "what would have
been done with the Roman zenator,'
&c, and another senator answered.
she would have been hurled from the
Tarpeian rock" to which Breckin-
ridge 1nadea sharp reply. This NOR
ming, he discovered he was mistaken
and it was the senator from Maine
who made the remark. He desired
to explain that he had no unking feel
ings toward the senator from Maine
and he did not mean to say anything
unkind in any way toward him. H>
made this acknowledgement without
any intimatlon from or to the senator
from Maine.
AS an ilnpsrtant part Of the history
, of this whole matter. we would her.
state that the whitewashing enact
ment so eloquently and forcibly op
/. posed by Mr.. Breckinridge, was de
feated i'm the senate.