Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-03-19
CONGRESSIONAL.

Hon.. w -. fAehley.
EXTRACTS FROM HIS SPEECH ON THE BILL To
ESTABLISH A BUREAU OF FREEDMENs AF-
FAIRS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, FEB
23, 1864.
SIR: In the absence of assailable provi-
sions in the bill, the gentlemen from New
York (Mr. Brooks) poured forth his indig-
nation upon the grand old Puritan State,
He said.
II know the spirit of Massachusetts. l
know her inexorable, unappeasable, demoni-
nc energy. know that what she DEGREES she
will execute, as when she ordered the burn
ing of the witches ut SALEM, or the scourg-
ing of the Quakers, or the exile of the Bap-
fists to the rocky shores of the Narragansctt
or to the mountain Businesses and glcns of
New Hampshire where my maternal Bap-
tist ancestors were banished. Hence when,
as now, she DEGREES on the African, trem-
bic for three million of hitherto happy hu-
man beings now doomed to determination. "
And again he saidi
"The spirit of Massachusetts has done in
two or three years only what Christ, or the
Church of Christ was twelve or fifteen hun
dred years in accomplishing in the Roman
Empire"
Sir, am no son of Massachusetts or New
England, as the gentleman is; but remem-
Der that, in my wayward youth, being free
from the indenture that had bound me to a
long apprenticeship, but not having attained
manhood, wandered from my native Penn
sylyania, counter to the current tide of emf
found home in Massachusetts, and may
be pardoned if | pause for a moment to
feebly testify my gratitude to her in whom
found gentle and generous foster mother
l thank God for the Puritan spirit of Massa-
chasetts. A boy, poor, friendless, and in
pursuit of wages for manual toll. l found
open to me in the libraries of Boston the
science, history, and literature of the world
At cost that even the laboring man did
not feel, found, night after night, and
week after week, in her lyceums and lectur,
rooms, the means of intercourse with hel
Bancroft, her Brownson, her Everetts, hei
Channings, her Prescott, her Emerson, and
scores of Others us learned and as able
though perhaps less distinguished sons thar
these. thus learned what II was to be al
American citizen, and TO what a height
American civilization will be carried and
found four years of life spent at well paid
toll worth to me what the same number o.
years in college might have been; thank
the men OF Massachusetts, us will the schol
ars in public schools fashioned upon heI
principles in the city Of Charleston in gooc
time. They may be white, they may b
black, they may be yellow, but when th'
civilization OF Massachusetts, shall have
penetrated that dark city, and fashioned Ii
Institutions. as l, will, the pleasure Of th'
pleasure Of tbs pupils In no schools will b
to thank God night and morning for thu
spirit Of Massachusetts, which kept liber,,
alive, and finally brought It's blessings Il
the entire people Of the country. Yes, ssr
In the past two or ,Aroe years has givsa I
practical application Of .hsse prlneiple
which, In twelve oF lnesn eeaiurles gay'
gave freedom .o kuIepe. aad y about gly
lag !. 10 al the rsapie ef Amsgies No
wi,hou, was, however aad ,hs ssasiemal
ignoTed the teachings u hisiegy when b
sald .s..Al u had bssa doas sl,Lsss waT u
Europe. sir, Ms Aia,esy II the soass.s u
llssdoa 10 kasaps Is history u saa,lnu
loas, sansaiassy sai dssslasiils war