Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-02-13
FEDERAL RELATIONS.

FEDERAL RELATIONS.
Speech of Hon. Horace Heffren, of
Washington and Ha rrison Counties,
i'm the Indiana House of Representa-
tives, February 1, 1861.
REPORTED BY W. H. DRAPIER
The question being on concurring in the report |
of the minority of the Committee on Federal Re- |
lations, submitted January 31st, embracing Sc
ries of resolutions on the state of the Union,
Mr.. Heifren said:
Mr.. SPEAKER:-I hope, in the discussion of this |
question, / may be able not only to answer the |
statements and arguments of gentlemen on the |
other side of the house, but also to render impreg
nable the position taken by the minority of the
select committee of thirteen.
/ will commence with the honorable gentleman
from Laporte, Mr.. Sherman who referred to trea
son and rebellion running through every line and
sentiment of the report of the minority of the
committee. While have great respect for his in
telhgence and kindness of heart, and while / be-
lieve he would say nothing upon this floor calcu-
lated TO around rrifate the sensibilities of any
gentleman opposed to him in principle, [ must
grant that under the circumstances surrounding
the Northern prison, he must have thought he
was speaking about my friend from Aliens Mr.
Jenkinson) resolution to arnhate that peniten-
tiary, instead of the minority report of the com
mittee of thirteen. Being charitably disposed,
and knowing his whole soul is fixed upon keeping
the pententary at Michigan City, / look over any
remark he may have made in the heat of debate
in regard to his report the offshoot of morbid
imagination. But the gentleman who followed
him on the same side of the house. the gentleman
from Jasper. Mr. Moody, who has been wading
in swamp land frauds in that woe-begone county
for lol these many months
Mr.. Sherman, (inteTupting)-Th gentleman
from Jasper is not presents not in his seat.
hope no allusons to him will be made
MIR. Heffren-Will the gentleman from Laporte
assume the gentlemans position?
Mr.. Sherman prefer not to, inasmuch as
am reminded that the gentleman from Jasper is
not present.
Mr. Heffren--l will make but single alusion
in regard TO the charge of treason and rebellion
which he hurled against the Democratic party and
their Representatives here. / could expect moth
ing else from one whose soul is so lost to honor,
to decency, and to the finer feelings of human
nature-a heart SO devoid of feeling so depraved
and infamous, to rise in his place upon the floor
and speak in calumnious terms and heap opprobri-
Gus epithets upon the dead
The Speaker (Mr Gresham in the chair rap
ping on his desk with the gavl-"Order."
Mr.. Heffren with emphasis Ave, Mr. Speak.
er, you may call to order now. Why did you not
call TO order those gentleman the other side of
the Chamber when they hurled upon US here the
tplluttS Ol treason ana tTditOT!
The Speaker (interrupting)-I will inform the
gentleman that | have just taken this seat. j
was not in the chair when those he refers to were
speaking.
Mr.. Heffren-The Speaker of this House suf-
fered those epithets, and we must suppose that
he who is his substitute would do the same thing,
especially when that substitute did not rise in his
place and call the gentlemen to order. So much
for that The gentleman from Koscuisko (Mr.
Erazi aho
sundry things in connexion with these reports.
do not propose to follow in the same path which
has been marked out here by gentlemen upon the
other side. | do not propose to descend to their
pools of infamy ard scurility and in the language
that distinguishes pothouse politicians belch forth
here upon this floor ISLANDERS upon my opponents
save in self defense. 1t would be beneath the
dignity of Representative of the people of In.
diana, and unbecomng member who stands
here recognizing himself as well as those who sur.
round him as being gentlemen and entitled to re-
spcct, until their conduct prescribes differ
ent course. You may discuss this question as YOU
will-talk of treason and Democratic traitors
talk about the bones of patriotic fathers rafting
in their graveS-yea, go back to the musty
| records of the past, and hunt up what the Demo
cratic creed was in l649, and give dissertation
thereon, aad even follow it down to 1861, ant
say that we have changed front-that we have
abandoned our party platforms and principles
that they are now different from what they were
twelve years ago-and what does it amount to-
| That is not now the question. 1t is not who il
consistent, but far greater question is to b,
met-one affecting every department of industry
and even liberty itself. 1t is question of tn.
right ofa State or the people of State to dissolve
the bonds that bind them to this Union and ex er
else the rights of freeme: and establish independ
ent governments, with p0werto contract alliances
make treaties, etc. But before entering into
discussion OF this question l must be permitted t,
answer some of the objections of gentlemen wht
have preceded me, and iefute the accusations
made by them, and also to illustrate their posi-
tons and arguments, and compare the same witt
their political Bible-the Chicago Platform. Tn,
gentleman from Koscuisko (Mr. Frazier) told N
this morning of the wrongs of the poor negro
he bewailed his fate in piteous tones and dolorou
accents, and took the Abolition ground, as
thought, of negro equality. When l asked hin
theplain and simple equestion-"is negro man p
-he lodged and squirmed like worm upon
hot shovel, until at last got the answer from hin
that negro ,ras a man. Gentlemen appear {,
| be indignant when accused of negro equality pro
! clivities, yet their Chicago Platform says "al
/ men are created free and equal, and are endowe,
by their Creator with certain inslienable rights
that among these are life, liberty and the pur
i suit of happiness" Now, the gentleman says
negro is a man, and your platform says all mel
dfc t4uot lutl L SuDDllt thdl, accOrulng II
| your logic. your platform and those who indors
it are in favor of negro equality" Tell me
you who swear by that platform, is ii not so?
it not the fact, and not the negroes entitled u
equal privileges, in accordance with its provisions
with yourselves; and do YOU not in effect say so
Mr.. Frazier (interrupting)-D not the bill
of rights of the Indiana Constitution commenc
the same way?
J A voice-"Does the Constitution of the Unite,
Statesl"
Mr.. Heffren-Perhaps they do, sir but tha
does not make any difference after the gentleman
asserts that negro is a man. | am following u
the arguments of the gentleman from Kosciusko
When he tells me that he swears by the Chicag,
platform of the Republican party of 1860, an,
then tell me, when he says negro is a man. tha
he is not in favor of negro equality must com
to one of two conclusions, either he believes tha
the platform Is lie, or that negro is not a man
Mr. Bundy (inteTupting) does the gentlemal
say a negro is not many
Mr.. Heffren-I do, emphatically; and | hon,
the gentleman from Henry will not take it that
intend to impeach his manhood in making tn
assertion, for | do not ILaughter.l | think
perhaps, the less talk there is ABOUT the politica
history of the past, the better it will be for us all
The question is upon US, and what is our duty
What is our duty Representatives? You de
nounce the report made by the minority of tn
J Committee of Thirteen You say it is a fling a
religion and the bible. Not word or a sylabl
! can you find therein that gainsays the bible, it
holy precepts, or makes fling at religion. Lool
at the three thousand clergymen of New Eng
land, who petitoned Congress in the name of Al
mighty God. Look at those who preach polite
J instead of Christ and Him crucifed, Look a
one of those long faced Judas hearted, hypocriti
cal wretches who invade the sanctuary of re
ligon and make hypocritical show of moralt
and decency Look at these fends who do all i
their power to distract our country, who have di
vided the Church and now seek to carry out thei
infamous designs by the division of the nationa
Government. Are they not worthy of execration
Are they not deserving of damnation and ever
+. lasting scorn and infamy! Sir, in this city the