Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1864-06-02
SPEECH

SPEECH
HON. BENJAMIN &. HARRIS,
OF LAND,
Delivered In the House of Representatives
of the United States, May 0, 1864,
The House having under consideration
the report of the Committee on Elections in
the case of Bruce vs Loan from the seventh
congressional district of Missouri
Mr. HARRIS said:
Mr. Speaker: should not have consd-
cred it my duty to have interposed any re-
marks upon the question before the House,
especially after the able argument of the
chairman of the Committee of Elections,
(Mr. Dawes. followed by the clear exposi-
tion of the gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr..
Brown, if it were not for the allusion which
has been made by the member from
Baltimore city [Mr. Davis to the past cleo
tions in Maryland, and especially for the
allusion made by him to one of my constitu-
ents, Ex-Governor Thomas Watkins Ligon
cannot avoid saying, however, just here,
that Massachusetts, whom the chairman OF
the Committee of Elections Mr. Dawes]
in part represents, has but little right to
cast slur upon Baltimore city for her Plug
Ugly enormities., AS long as the charred
remains of Mount Benedict look on Bunker
Hill-so long as the memory of that crime
shall remain-so long as the memory of her
''Hiss" committee entities her to the scorn
and contempt of the Worthwhile these
exist, Massachusetts should be quiet: she
should take care never to throw the first
stone. In carrying out these outrages,
however, she was but acting upon principles
which the member from Baltimore city Mr.
Davis was prominent in inaugurating in
Maryland. and of which he reaped the per-
sonal benefit which it was calculated through
force and violence to confer. But, sir, be-
fore proceed further, allow me to ask the
attention of the member from Baltimore
city, if he will yield me bis ear, upon what
evidence he charges Thomas Watkins Ligon
with being traitor.
Mr.. DAVIS Of Maryland | did not hear
sne remarK or Re gentlemen.
Mr.. HAaRs Of Maryland. You did not
want to hear. - .ss4
Mr.. DAVIS, of Maryland. That is false.
Mr.. HARRIS. of Maryland. Very well. [
want to know if the member from Baltimore
city will produce the evidence on which he
has undertaken to pronounce Governor Lii
gon traitor publicly upon this floor Mr..
Ligon is resident of Maryland. is now in
Howard county at large, and if the member
from Baltimore city has any evidence to
sustain the charge he has made against this
constituent of mine, I would like to hear it.
1 wait for reply.
Mr.. DAVIS. of Maryland. I respectfully
decline to make any reply to the ''unwor-
thy member" from Maryland.
Mr.. HARRIS, of Maryland. That is very
convenient. I do not want the members
reply because of any opinion he may enter
tain of my worthiness or unworthiness that
should have have nothing to do with it; but
l want his reply as relating to justice or in
justice to a citizen who is not here to de-
fend himself. The member thus sees fit to
to avail himself Of the impunity he enjoys
here to charge against constituent of mine
will not condescend to produce particle of
proof to sustain it. Now, sir, when man
makes such charge and will not give any
proof to sustain it when called on when he
avoids an answer to the demand for proof
by equivocating upon another issue, I can
not and will not say that he is anything bu,
slanderer. I am ready to withdraw that
charge whenever the member shall think
proper to prove that Thomas Watkins Ligor
is guilty Of the charge he has made agains,
him.
The SPEAKER If the gentleman makes
that charge against his colleague he is out
of order
Mr.. HARRIS. of Maryland What charget
The SPEAKER. That he is slanderer
it is contrary to the rules of the House.
Mr.. HARRIS. of Maryland 1 think he
was allowed to say that | was an ''unworthy =
member" But should like to know how
to characterize the conduct Of the member
from Baltimore city. If it is not SANDER
what is it? donot want to offend agains,
rules of order but have right to infer
and do infer, from the course of that mem
ber that the charge is utterly false. and thai
the member has no proof whatever to sus
tain it.
Mr.. j. MYERS rose.
Mr.. HARRIS. of Maryland I do MOI
give way.
Mr.. Speaker, the member from Baltimore
city seems to enjoy great opinion Of him
self. His whole hour was nearly consumed
in giving the history-if statements so false
can properly be called history-of the
great and glorious achievements of himsel
and his Plug Uglies who enlisted under his
banner. He would make us believe thai
the pillars Of the Constitution rested upon
his aud their shoulders. He was the great
defender of the rights Of the people of hi:
city, and worthy Of. as he had received