Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-13
THE KNOXVILLE WIG.
Knoxville, Tenn, May IS 1853.

By BRowELow & HAws.
By SAMUEL wILKEsos.

On the I'd Of July, 1855, in the United States
ssnste Chamber the order Of the day being the bill
II nutharizs the people of the Territory Of Kansaa
e form q constitution and State gsyernm ent--the
number Of Senators opposed 70 she extension Of hu
man slavery being tbiFtoeB--the Southern repre-
ssptatives aud the Nortbera allies Of the slave pow
s4 wbo aaf in the ball dominesFiag snd determined,
king ia number thirtY-tY0 BenjHmin r. Wade,
81 Ono, arose 70 make his final plea for freedom
abd Justice for tie incoming State, and for freedom
and concord for the existing Union In the course
Of biz impassioned speech be ssid
asir, ! am no aycophant or wurshippeF Of power
.pyUhers. l know how essy It is for some minds
. glide along with the current Of popuor opinion
where influence, resp, ctabity, and all those mo
tg,s which tend to seduce The human heart are
brought 10 bear. / am not unconscious Of the per-
sussive power eEertsd by these considerations 70
drag men along in the current but / am not al
ibsrtv 30 travel thst road. | an not unaware bow
unpopular on this floor are the sentiments am
abou; 10 advocate. / well understand the epithets
10 which they subject their supporters Every man
eyho has been Ia this hall for one hour knows the
difference between bin who co oes hero as the de-
lender and supporter Of the rights Of human ma
turo and him no comes the vie sycophant and
BattereT Of those in power. l know that the one
road a easy 70 travel The other is hard and at this
time peTiious But, sir, shall take the path Of
duty and shall not sworve from it,
Ben. Wade steps oct Of these words an outlined
and characterized figure for al 10 see who have
not seen The mao. De stands before the reader
stat, Q Of proud and honest manhood. Walk part
way around this figure, and take another view Of
IT, Mr. Wade, continuing his speech, said
u an amazed NJ The facility with which some
men follow ia the wake Of slavery. Sometimes il
lekds even 20 hesitate whether am strictly cor
rect in my idea that all men are born TO equal
rights for their conduct seems 70 me 10 contravene
The doctrine. / see in some men an abectness
want Of that manly Independence which enables q
man b rely on himself and face the world on bis
own principles that don't know bat that ] am
wrong 10 advucating universal liberty. wish TO
Heaven al such were Of The African race"
Look at the high, massive forehead Of the Sena-
tor see the blazing intensity of the look out Of bic
great black ey feel The fOree OF the set Of bis
square jaws, aud hear the defiant tempest OF bls
voice; and you will know of a verify that this man
WILL fare the world on his CeSn principles, and
that be Is among the appointed Of God 10 advocate
lnversal liberty.
Before the thirty.two--duslis.s, slave-bolders,
srstOcrAis and misunderstanding IN crescent and
enveioping The thirteen, Ben. Wade thus baptized
himself and gave bis politics a
u come before the Senate to-day Republic
can or 81 ann1s prefer % call ine. d Black Rrpub-
lican for / do not object 10 tae term. care
nothing ABOUT the name. ] dome here especially
as the sdvoeate Of Liberty, nstead Of Slavery"
A sufficient baptism would say; but be re-
newed the rite by immersion, going all IN under,
ana came mp before the scDwlng oltgarchy the
.blsckest Of Black Republicans" He said:
nWhen, however, you undertake TO extend slaveTy
INTO territories hSW free / must meet you, and on
that issue the North will meet you. Is this Abo-
litiunisml believe IL marks strongly the charac-
ter Of those you call Black r. publicans. cannot
defend them against tho charge, nor do l wish TO
do go for l an enc Of The bhiekest Of the black, II
that be the criterion Of judgment"
The portraiture % this ptiu Of the antislavery
aehi ia she national Legislature can be completed
with few historical strokes OF the brush. In the
debate upon the Kansss- N ebrsska bin, Mr. Wade
was interrupted by Brown, OF Mississippi as be
closed this sentence: II know very we'll, tir, with
what yell Of triumph the passage Of this bill will
be hailed both in the South and in Pandemonium'
M BRowN-"Do you know what Is going on
ihere2' Laughter
Mr. WApE-"I do aot pretend to know precisely
what s foot there bat think II pretty evident
that there is a very free communication between
chat country and t3is body, and unless aua greatly
mistaken, 1 see the dwarnsh medium by which that
communication L. kept pp.' Great laughter, and
q voice from the Shareholders side: ~ reckon he
got you, Brown ~
Douglas then in the depth of bis errors and 81
the height Of his powers interrupted Mr.. Wade
while speaking, with Al inquiry designed At once
20 rebuke and embarrsss the orator OF freedom
aYoa sir, continually complainant Southern men
who support this BILL bus bitterly denounee North
ern men who support IL. Why is this You say It
e moral wrong; you say il Is a crime. II that
bs so ia IL not rs much q crime Tor Southern man
to support it as fer Northern man 70 do so =
Ma WApE-aNo, sir say not
Mr. DoUeLAs-1The Senator says not. Then
hs sntSrtsins different code Of morals from myself
and ~
Ma. WADE breaking in, and pointing 81 Doug
ias with extended arm and fore-angeri BIS lace
vgrinkling with socrn and contempt and rage nAsn-
INC out Of Dis eyesi-" Your code OF morals loUR
1ioraIsg Ny God ] hope go sir y
Cen raj Brisoin says that the "tiiant was bit IN
the forehead and, after standing for moment, hls
eheeks as rcd as scarlet be sank SILENT into his
chair.
mission Of Northern Senators to the insolenee ana
buildings Of the lords Of The plantation. His news
pnpsr bographaF relates that after taking has
eat a ere. oat,hg SoutheFnor in debate grossly as-
allied Free State Senator. As no aluson was
,nsde 10 himself or his State, Wade SAT still but
,,ben The Senate adjourned, he said openly; If
southern Senator made such an attack on him
,r Ohio while be sat on that noor, be would brand
him as lar. This coming 10 the ears Of the South
ern mon, g Senator took occasion 10 Pointediy
s,aak a few DAYS aflerward, Of Ohio and her peo-
~ as nerro thieves Instantly Mr. Wade sprsng
Z, - feet and pronounced tbe senator a liar. The
Sssltborn SenaioTs were astounded, snd gathered
around their Champion while me Northern men
roppsd about Wade. A feoler wss poi out from the
Southern side locking % retracton; but Mr. Wade
retorted N bis peculiar style, and demanded al
snologv for the insult offered himself and the peo-
rie be represented. The matter thus closed, and y
8ght wss looked upon IS certain. The next day
Gentleman called On the Senator from Ohio and
asked the usual question touching his seknoEiedg-
fnent Of The code.
Il am here be responded, "in double capacity
I represent tho State Of Ohio and represent Ben
Wade As a Senator am opposed 70 duelng.-
As Ben. Wade, ! recognise the code
my friend feell sggrievedi said the gentleman,
at what you said in the Senate yesterday and viii
AJAX for an apology OF satisfaction.
81 was somewhat embarrassed, continued Sena-
tor Wade, by my position yesterday, Is l have
some respect for the Chamber. l now take this
opportunity 70 saw what / then thought and you
vii, y you please repeat e. Your friend j. foul
mouthes old backguard
"Curianly, Senusur Wade you do not wish me
70 onnvey such message az that
"Most undoubtedly de snd aiil tell you, for
y0ar own benefit hbs friend Of yours viii never No.
lice IT, / viii aoi De askod for either retraclian
explanation, n fight
Next morning Mr.. Wade came into the Senate
and, proceeding 10 his seat deliberately drew from
undc- bis coat Two large pistols and unlocking biz
de-k, laid them insids TIE Southern men loukea
on 10 silence. while the Northern members snjoyed
TIE IRE eaters surprise Al the prosecuting oi the
piucky OHIO Sebator. No further notice was taken
Of The affair OF the day before. Wade nos
challenged but hfuerWzrd tFeated with
paiitersas ana confederation by the Senator VIII,
saa snFessansslz hasaesea nisn.
a Aneritnns eeff 81 ans istre a..
.s1,~s~ fhr k~naas - ebfash.. tait $50 49, ktHf
sEstte seHas,utn. The tiu.rC fl SO
the perfect co0rsga wtin which Boa- Nads fs,..,ss.
the extension Of slavery esainss the might Of ms