, 1864-04-15
Free Speech In Congrcss.


Whatever be tho result in the case of the
Copperhead Long, whose treason spilled It.
eelf in the House last weok, the noisy below
ings for the right Of freedom Of debates in
Congress- comes With il-g1ace from the pro-
slavery zealots, against whom the New York
Earning fasf arrays little not very remote
history, as follows:
In March; 1sas, Joshn. Giddines presented &C.
Ees Of resolutions to the House OF Representatives
touching the caee Of the Creole. Some slaves car.
r1ed BY eea from Virginia towards New Orleans
rofe npo9 the crew Of the yeasel, took possession
aau. where their freedom was recognized and pro-
tetted. Our Government, however, demanded an
indemnldcaston tor their loss, and thesenpon Mt,
that a. elAvef5 IN abridgmcut OF natural richt
cou]d have no force bcyond the Jurisdiction waic
eIea;ed It second that when ship left the waters
70 IL: peculiar laws that the persons on board the
Creole in reeuming their natural rehte Of liberty
violated no law Of the Uni.ed States and Incurred
rc-enslasc them was unauthorized b The Consti.
tu:ion and Incompatible with our national honor.
, In our days thefc seem simple and harmless sen
tmsats enough: but net 50 IN ISL when hey pro
men and the Democrats Of the House were 60 In
censed By them that they passed vote dcnounctnp
wana1table, and deserving the severe condemns
u psrsicular." They eren refused to hear nj.
Giddincs IN bus dcftntc, by moving the previous
question, and PzeEed the resolution by majority
ol1s5 TO o. 1t ID vcrJ clear from this little history
tat the Democrats Of that day were not 90 eensi-
1iye IN regard TO the freedom Of debate a. ttose
rho bea1 that name now profess to be. Mr. Gid
dineB had simply expressed bis opinions, In 4 re-
Fpcctln way; those opinions were neither inde-
cent, immoral. nor unconstitutional; on the cor.
uoly. they wtfe j1et humane, aud noble: and rct
he was driven from his place by the bi.of1y Of Liz
fe]lowt. - N110
On another occasion, when John Quincy Adams
mentioned some petitions which he described 10 be
nom t~Gnty-t~o :lavet, without stating the pur-
port Of the petitions, he Was instantly assa{ied
WITH c1ies Of "expel him. expel him. and The
most furious excitement rclgned for tirue, 4 res
olrtion was instantly introduced that be had bean
guilty Of gToes disreepect Of the House, and
ought to be brought at once to the bar O! HE
Speaker to be ccnsused. Other resolutions dee1sr.
Cd that he lad committed an outrage on The rirhf.
AID feelings OF late portion OF the peonle Of the
utlon and one zea!ous gentleman-Ar, Thomnsnn
q Sontl Carolina State always fore1nos In eedg
Of dcspCtlsm-threatencdl him with p-osecution hr.
lore the petty courts Of the District Of ColumbIS
became, besides wanton1y Irritating the ieIcca.
cendarT petitions and sought to excite the slayes
Of the district to insur7ection. For week or
more ne was assailed With storm Of acrimonious
feTFoaenca and eplthets, when It was discovcr:I
That he had reEcr presented the petition couanlan-
Ell o. hut simply asked the Speaker vhether Il
would be lawta for him to present petition fron,
tlavea. The tone Of the debate however. shows
mai ne would nave been subjected to IN isnoutnf.
gus febuke II the assumed facts of the c3se h,d
neid water. TIE Democrats Of that day had no
se1np!es on the euhject Of the freedom Of dehate
n ~