Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-25

society OF gentlemen. Sir, he volunteers this
assault lon this side of the House. We have not
soughtit- Every man who has ser ed with me
in Congress knows that dislike and avoid per
sonal controversy with my peers on this floor.
But the tenor and tone o. the remarks by the
gentleman from Ohio seem to invite to chal-
ienge. to provoke unpleasant controversy. So
Tar MS am concerned, and those who sit around
me, respond with de 6ance.
Mr.. Speaker, the general principles which |
have thrown on the subject Of freedom OF de
bate apply to every person. l am discussing now
not merely the right of Democrat on this floor;
am discussing the right Of every Republican
on this floor. go further am discussing
the right of the humblest citizen of America, the
right to escape the CALLING yoke of tyranny snd
oppression; the last right, what Mr.. Webster
properly called a home-bred right firesde
privilege, on the extreme boundary of which he
declared he stood. and which should not be called
in question anywhere. We are asked TO strike
that down Run your minds eve back over the
history of the world The dark spirit OF bigotry
and intolerance once chained down Gafeo for
saying that the world moved, laid him on the
damp floor OF a dungeon, as the gentleman from
Ohio Mr.. Schenck) would do with his political
opponents. Opinion was divided. Some said
that Calico was right; some said he was wrong
So it will be as to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Long, But while he lay in bis fostering irons
on the floor of the dungeon, he exclaimed to
himself. The world still moves" Claiming his
person did not chain his thought, could not con-
troll his opinion nor contradict the fact which he
had discovered Thought is boundless. eternal,
and cannot be chained nor controlled. You are
making vain attempt. You are com mitting a
sacrliege against the divinity of human nature.
| You invade the very holy of holes with unclean
| feet the Utmost recesses Of mans nobility, the
right to think for himself. You are actuated by
| the same fell spirit which lew years ago struck
down men because they worshipped God accord
| ing to the dictates of their own consciences be-
cause ,hey worshipped Him with cruci6x of
their Saviour in their hands. Ii is the same
murderous and proscriptive spirit which in Puri.
tan New England whipped, scourged. branded,
and scared men and women of the Quaker per
suasion. Ii is the same infamous and damnable
spirit which has stamped undy wing, condgn loath-
ing, and adherence for all succeeding ages, on
| all the names that were connected with
attempt to crush the freedom of thought and the
freedom Of speech
But, sir, let me 90 a little further in this con-
necton, ! have kind regard for the Speaker
of this House rMr Colfax Nothing but per-
sonal kindness and acts of personal courtesy have
ever passed between him and me l regret ex
ceedingly, however. that he has placed himself
in the attitude Of public accuser on this occa-
sion. / think on shor; review of the antece
dents OF his own political history he will come to
the conclusion that did when heard he had
laihered this prosecution, this accusaton-I
thoughs that little charity would well become
him. little of the kindliuess OF his natural ma
ture, il / may be allowed to use Pathological
expression | remember that at "A time when
this country was all at peace. when it NOV
ing on a happy, almost unrutlled sea- piraiical
craft suddenly launched Oh tue political
waters 10y one Hinton Rowan Helper, who. if
am not mistaken. now holds Office as Consul to
Buenos Avres, under the Administration YOU so
much love. His book OF infamous notoriety,
recommended assassination recommended COW
ardly murder. recommended that ssv ehoders be
killed by strychnine administered by their slaves.
recommended the torch to the roof and the knife
To the throat of men, women and children, de-
clared total extermnating war against slave
holders in express terms. II anybody disputes
this have the book here to convince them. /
lamented bow Ell nav head with grief when that
incendiary book appeared with some sixty-eght
names OF The Republican members of this House
appended. aud the name of the present dis:n
guiShel Speaker at the head of the entire list. 1t
was recommended by these signcrs as work of
very great public merit. and approved for general
circulation But would not expel him for that.
No, would not even censure him for that. ex
cept to differ with him one member NAV differ
from another. | would argue the question with
him would tell him that he gave his name in
a time of profound peace for war; that when the
smoke and carnage of battle were not ascending,
when the sky was c, ar aud The sun was shining,
he gave his voice for strife and desolaIion-for
the war of John B own-of servile instruction;
not an honorable war, Lot a civilized war, but
of murder, of blrbarism. of the slau ghtsr of
women aud children in their beds. Such
the voice of the present Speaker of the House
at that time.
The same gentleman now cannot tolerate the
gentleman from Ohio; no. he cannot tolerate the
gentleman from Ohio. His vrtuons. pure. un
stained patriotism is shocked; and he rushes
from his Speakers char, springs tn the floor,
before ANYBODY else get in a resolution. with
the Appearance of saying, IL cannot be held any
longer this thing will not do" And vet this is
the gentleman Whose voice was for dishonorable
when the untrv in a condition OF pro-
found peace The gentleman, | Am sure will
not complain nj this little episode in his political
history. Those who swift to accuse, should
not complain if their own deeds make retort
upon them. ] would be the last man TO throw
my colleagues record in his face, but Tor the
spirit lie has shown here.
Sir. let him compare filth and works upon the
subject OF the Union. upon the subject OF peace.
upon the snbjert uf fraternity upon the subject OF
the preservation Of our Government, with the
gentleman from Ohio Mr.. Lnngl and he will
have ground la hur the first stone The adj
moniion OF the Savior comes with peculiar force
to nm ndorser Of the Helper book: 10 an incer
Of riot blood. war aud disunion Let him that
is without sin cast the first stone at the gentle
man from Ohio, for daring To express his sentl-
ments upon this floor. If that injunction had
been obeyel INV role que would have stayed his
hand, and RENAME in the Speakers chair
But let me indne little further In regard 10
the right of my colleague To deal har-hly with the
political frailtes Of his fellow members This
Hall was. few evenings agD. given up to The
great English atolitiorist and disunionist George
Thompson 'io not know whether The Speaker
presided on that occasion, Ms he did upon form