Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-02-12

hhne Nhro iho aonmat nal hU mmma
iinn lum
Nt RiyAbbmditewbalnIbui.
.ibt.l
J.. Mr bUUurm.d. DO rrlr,g ur Sem
.nlr. ihW hr void him That tu.h sW iI
mpl un lhr Hul dhy ul lhy session hO
called on Die colleague. ond U.hul hm o.
Introduce % resolution n frgbfd iD hi
.c1ac AncrN0rla hB colleague told hiu
, ihol the co'o hHl brrn The subject ul com.
sidcrnliun in cnUcua.
. Mr. LANE lRop) of Indiana slid thai
,at The first OF the session he had told hiN
colleague that hc should feel 10 TO be- bis
duty u Introduce resolution OF general
INQUIRY In regard To this case. After.
ward. at Caucus, which Hns held ON nm
other subject this case was spoken ol
. but no special caucus was held on this
/ case.
Mr. BANARD said hc was b2w rati'hcd
/ that no caucus had been held, but, nc9er
theless, party spirit had entered into the
case, and he had no hope for justice being
/ done under these circumstances.
Mr., BRIGHT lDemocrat), of Indiana,
said that what he was now about to say
should, perhaps have been said weeks ago
! He thanked the Judiciary Committee for
the favorable report they haa made, tho
one Of their number Mr.. Foster had
given way under the unprecedented pres
sure that had been brought to bear on MS
case. The reasons for this change Of SEN
timent might be satisfactory to that Sen
ator, but he doubted whether they would
be so to even-handed justice. His main
object III speaking now was to place him
self right on the page of history. II he
could do that, lie should be content, lie
was amazed at the party spirit which bad
been exhibited against him, rs well as at
the numerous accusations that had been
brought against him. lie might with
propriety have asked for counsel bu,,
conscious Of rot having sad anything or
done anything, or written anything, or
voted In any manner Inconsistent with his
prerogative rs an American Senator, hehad
not called iE counsel, and he did not now
regret II. lie would no. try to shield
himself from partisan blows, but challeng.
ed an Investigation Of all the acts of his
political life. lie had been honared bv
the State OF Indiana thrice by seat in the
Senate, and been in the confidence of the
Senate, and received the highest homer
they had to give. lie said this as answer
to those who questioned his antecedents
and sOIght to prejudice him in the minds
of his cOuntrymen. lie retel red them 10
the letter he had written 10 Davis, aud to
the character Of Nj. Lincoln whom lie had
known for many years, and who was al.
ways worthy man. He contended that
it was simply note of introduction, aud
that in the address he had no inten tion of
the right of Davis to the title,
but merely as a courtesy, in which he only
the example Of other on the floor
of the Senate.
The Senator from Maine, Mr. Morrill,.
in his assault on him, said the address was
that Of courticr. If the Senator had
known him better he would nave been
that that was not one of his faults.
If he had been sycophantic, he might have
more votes in his favor, but all
he had asked was for justice. When the
letter was written he did not believe thore |
would be war. lie referred TO the /.
Presidents inaugural, the acts of the Post
Office Department, and the dispatches Of
the Secretary Of State, TO show that on the
lst Of March it was not generally believed I.
there would bo war. He did not believe
there would be war until the fall Of Fort
Sumpter. After this there was wer, and
he should not have given such q letter.
lie had not the most distant recollection
Of having written the letter to Davis, nor
Of the other letter to Captain Franklin.
1t had been argued against him That he .
would do the same thing again. lie ewould
repeat what he said and meant that if he .
believed there was to be no war he would .
give such Il letter to an old friend. If he /
had had the least gleam Of suspicion that .
there would be Il war, he should not have
given the letter. But no one who has
listened to the debate here will suppose
hat this letter has really anything to do
with the attack on him. He was consid- /.
cred unfit TO associate with such patriarchs
n the country's 5 service as the Senator
rom Massachusetts Mr.. sumner and the
senator from New Hampshire Mr.. Clark Il
md even the Senator from Pennsylvania
Mr.. Wilmot and the Senator from Ten-
lessee Mr.. Johnson were affected 10y his
presence here, as not loyal enough for.
hem. Oh how he Mr.. Bright must
nave degenera ed in ten years In 1880
10 was appointed on committee with
such men as Clay, Webster, Calhoun, and
Clayton, and used his humble efforts to
peace. He had ever voted for
peace, and never given a sectional vote
Every impulse OF his heart was given to
MS country,and be would yield to uo man
nhs attachment to it. Though hla char
1cter had lcen asperscu, and his loyalty
Questioned, this would not ALLEVIATE him.
lie thanked the members Of the judiciary
Committee who had supported hun, and
the pledge OF an honest heart
hat his future life should give them 10
occasion to regret. what he had done. If .
he was to be turned out, he woald say to
his friends and enemies, that he would .
put himself OF trial before tribunal that
vas always found just. lie would submit
10 the people ofthe State of Indiana the
question OF right or wrong in this case.
Referring to the question Of the Senator
from Virginia, Mr.. WiIley) asking him
10 define what he meant Oy his second