The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-02-26
SPEECH OF
Hon, 6. E. ELLIOTT,
IN THE H@UsE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
On tie Seaalc Resoitiion uStruct'ng our Senator's
in Congress to voie for the exputSt0n cf the
Irauor, Jesse u. Brlgh
! | did not intend to occupy any portion of
the time of the House until heard this entr-
getIc, earnest, vigorous defence i'll these Halls,
uf an arch traitor | had made up my mind
TO sat qulely 4u ing this debate, as | nave
ucl eIOturc, Qu n the session OF this Winter.
bui, eir, | can du 1t no lun1er when Such doe
II ne, are prUclaIm,d as We have just lis en-, d
20. " hat Il spectacle have we presented
hvIel A IN mhcr rises ia his place, and in
iil, place upon Tins floor defends Il man whD
has recommended Il reliable friend to ''iil>
EAc,i ,iieuCN, tue President IF The Conf derate
! ii ltiIu. sir, vino treason in his heart.
For II ever man had treason III his h, art,
believe that NAN is Jesse ID. Bright. Ave,
! here. npon the floor OF the House of Repre-
scntatlNes OF The great Commonwealth OF
| PennSy ylvnuia. loyal as she is to the Union. we
/ ind such IL man defended and ext"llt beyond
all moderation of praise! VINO is IT that
uhus eXtGls jesse b. Bright? a gentleman
" H. comes in here and boasts Of 1t thing
Of wnlcA member Of this House ol
Representatives he should be ashamed -th0l
because of his political opinions. Sir do
no, wonder ut II 1t was lit condemnation.
have. ll ing up my table the very eSolu-
iuuc passed by the CunN eutIUn that momina-
ted thai gentleman and hi, colleague. | will
read those resolutions. for they very brief.
| Iake them from the EIf .idCOc0ie.
The following are the resolutions referred
to, aud which. ON the objection Of Mr., Duff
field, were not read to the House:
In pursuance of Il cSliution passed ut the
/ Democratic convention held at Rdgeway,
August 1860 the Representative Conerees OF
the counties of lt.rteld Jt fltre' II, Elk aud
M'kean met at ST. Mary'S on Thur>dty
August ; for the purpose of nominating
suitable persons to represent this district in
the Legislature.
The convention was orglnized by selecting
Geo. Wes. Esq Preside Mt. and j. Is. Otiatt
and Lever Fitgal. Secretaries.
TIE co,nm t e Oh resolutions. through Their
chairman DR.. J. T. Bower. reported the fol-
lowing which were unanimously adopted by
the convention:
Rr$Otred, That we are in favor of a speedy
settlement of the present difficulties by COM
promise.
R.soired That when one section of our
country shall have been sui jugated by the
Other. we have already become the slaves Of
Il military deSpoliSm
ResotCcd That the small patriot band Of
Senators and Representative in the last extra
session OF Congress, who dared To malntRln
the integrity of the constitution under tue
meLaces of expulsion and imprisonment, are
entitled to the gratitude of every American
citizen and impartial history will award
them an enviable distinction
Rcsoi0ed, That the persistent determination
of the majority of the meG bers of The late
extra session of Congress tn trown down every
measure that had tor its object the peaceful
adjustment of our national difficulties. indi
Gates a fanaiical mania that would have much
better become the crusaders OF centuries gone
by than the representatives. of free, Inielh-
gent, and christian people of tue nineteenth
century.
Mr. DUFEIFLD. rise to a question of order
Have these resolutions an, thing to do with
the question before this H"uSe2
Mr. Speaker. They are not properly in
order.
Mr. ELLIOTT withdraw, then, my propo-
Sition to read them and will simply state that
the resolutions are almost as full Of treason
as the letter of Jesse D. Bright.
Mr. Speaker, dcprtcate much as any
gentleman upon this floor, the Juggling in ofa
political question here at this juncture. 1t
as not been dome by those who act with me
politically. lam party man it is true, in
ordinary times, but in this question am de-
termned 20 lay aside all party. ! have not
thought of party. Had Mr.. Bright been u
member of the Republican party, should
have voted Just rs readily for his expulsion
as do now | do not take into consideration
that he is a member of the Democratic party
nave discarded all politics in this question; /;
and hope to God | may ever discard tncm
When Questions like this are at issue. say
L deprecate any such political issues; and
was glad To hear the ''cunsti utionall' gen
4 teman from Bedford NJ CEssNA.) say that
he deprecated such questions. as | was also
! glad 10 hear the gentleman from Cambria,
! Mr.. Pershing) make similar declaration.
Though member of political party, | wish
it understood that in this matter discard all
parties, and all political preferences. 1t is a
question Of treason or loyalty to this gov
ernmeDt.