Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-05-14


me. l said that some gentlemen. bv their ar
ton in this house, seemed to afford all the aid
they could to jeff Davis.
Mr.. SrEyENs.-I am saving nothing AGAINST
the gentleman personally, but | am only re-
plying to his argument. 1t will be very diff
cult for me to bring myself to say anything
which can justly be considered offensive to
my friend from Rhode Island. think the
| doctrine which he has given us on this sub
ject is like that of the story which have no
doubt we all have heard a captain, who was
little timid, unlike my friend, raised COM
pany to 20 out and fight the British-it NAV
be that they were from Rhode Island, Qaugh-
ter)-and when his company were brought in
front Of the enemy, he cried out, when they
were about to shoot, ''For Gods sake, don't
fire, for don't you see it will only make them
a great deal madder." Daughter The
rebels are mad now, according to the gentle
man, and we ought not to exercise the power
conferred upon US in this instance, because it
will make them great deal madder
Mr.. SHEFFIELD-I have heard another sto-
ry, and it may be the man was from Penn
sylvania.
Mr.. STEvENs.-I do not purpose to have
any difficulty with the gentleman
Mr.. SHEFFIELD.-Neither do with the gen
tleman from Pennsylvania, for | would as
soon get into difficulty with porcupine!
Mr.. STEvENs.-The gentleman could not
get me to say an unkind thing against him.
1t Is not in my heart to do so. Now. Mr..
| Speaker, | have discussed this question long
er than | intended; and | promised the gen
tleman from Illinois to renew the call for the
| previous question, which | will now do if he
| desires it. On division on sceonding the
demand for the previous question, there were
ayes so, noes 66.
Mr. THoMAs.-Mr. Speaker am not to be
drawn into the discussion of this general
question. asked, as | supposed well might
a very respectful question of the gentleman
from nSylyania, and | met as | ought to
have expected, with anything else but cour-
teouS reply. l have long observed in this
house, that wheneverany position taken by the
chairman Of the committee of ways and means
Is attacked, his usual resort is to ridicule, and,
will not say to manners which do not become
gentleman, but to the semblance of such
manners.
The SPEAKER.-Such remarks are hardly
in order.
Mr.. THoMAs.-If the speaker had seen the
difficulty before, it would have pleased me.
Did the speaker hear the comparisons of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
The SPEAKER.-Gentlemen cannot indulge
IN personalities, and when they are INDUCED
IN, he will call members to order.
MIR. THoMAs.-If the speaker will indicate
the personality, l should be happy to hear it.
Mr. CAMPBELL desire to call the atten-
ton Of the gentleman from Massachusetts to
the fact that my venerable friend (Mr. Stew
EMS is not in his seat.
Mr. DAwEs.-And wish to call the atten-
ton of the gentleman from Pennsylvania to
the fact that his colleague just went out as my
colleague rose to reply. (Laughter.)
Mr. IHoMAs-Ihat is not the first time that
| the gentleman from Pennsylvania has done so.
Mr.. Speaker, | do not object to a fair applica-
ton Of parliamentary rules to gentlemen on
the floor of this house. | am ready to abide
by them, and | never expect to violate them:
but | understand my rights, and all | ask is
the dlspenSation of equal justice as between
the members of this house. l do not mean to
be drawn into this general discussion. | was
so fortunate, as the gentleman from Pennsyl-
wanna Mr.. Steyens) said, to put Il new idea
INTO his head lift was sound point of CON
sututlonal law, 1t was new idea in his head
(laughter) and it must have felt there like
mouse III strange garret-atogether out of
place in his head. (Renewed laughter The
gentleman from PENNSYLVANIA, the chairman
OF the committee of ways and means plants
himself upon this distinct ground of law, to
which hold him before the house and the
country that for the interest which a man
holds in persons, Commonly called slaves. \
call it property, right Of service, or by what
name you please, he is liable to be taxed as
lor properly, and not as Il capitatiOn or per-
sonal tax; that under the constitution of the
United States and under the express Ian
guage of that constitution which provides that
private cbol1 bo oil
public use without Just COMPENSATION.
you have the right to take that in
terest or right Of service without COM
pensahon 1t is property for taxation, but
not Tor compensation. If a sound man can
rest upon that position, very well. But for a
very able man, holding the position of chair
man OF the committee Of ways and means to
say upon the floor of the house that for the
dYestlng OF that property which he holds YOU
nave right to tax, you should not afford a
falr or Just compensation when you take it by
the right Of eminent domain is to me a now
and strange doctrine. Such an assertion few
men besides the gentleman from PENNSYLVANIA
would be bold enough to make. | NAV saw.
MT. Speaker, and | hope within parliamentary
rules That for any fair, constitutional argument
however honest and sincere may be the con-
ylcuon OF the person who utterS it. however.
deep may be his sense of the value of the
doctrine to the country, and however strongly
ne may feel that, in a struggle and crisis ike
this, those who are seeking to enforce the
laws must obey the laws, those who are seek
ing to maintain the constitution must he
faithful to the constitution; for quiet and
firm recognition of that fidelity to which we
are sworn; for loyalty to that supreme law
upon which depends to-day the life of the
country, the gentleman from PENNSYLVANIA
mas offered nothing but coarse ridicule and an
tlque jokes. Not so, in my humble iudg-
ment, are the great issues Of the hour to be
solved and our solemn duties discharged.