Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-21

| cling now. The gentleman from Ohio (Nr Ste
venson) knows It is all proved, and that was
prominent N getting up the proof which viii be
| laid before the country in less than week That
/ sir, Is the reason they are
BOUNDING ON AN OLD MAN
to malgn me SO that they may be able to say ait
is that fellow Beck, nigger-driyer, who said it:
he is not worthy of credit, his statements are not
| entitled to consideration against loyal men,
That is the game; that is the reason am ma
/ igned; that is the reason 1 am set upon and
| they select poor old imbecile to attack me-
had said that was willing, if this language
had been used in place and at time where my
| constituents, and they alone who knew me, could
have heard it. to have passed it by with the scOrn
1t deserves; but when it has been used in place
and at time when the whole American people
| can hear it, and when the
soURRILoUs REMARKS
! bear upon what may have said in my official
| position here, and on what 1 am about to do or
| say and am doing, as a. member of a great COM
mittee of this House, so to belittle and put me
| down because of the assumption that the mem
| Der who says it is unworthy of confidence, con-
| sideration, and the respect OF honest men, then
| l say that have right to stand up in my place
and say to the Representatives of the people and
! to the country that the statements made about
| me were
| UNQUALIFIEDLY AND MALICIOUsLY FALSE.
or course was an humble man; never de-
| MED it. My people know that NhateVer Lhave
acquired have obtained by the sweat of my
| brow, by the legitimaU use of the intellect God
has given me, and by the labor of my own hands,
went to the State OF Kentucky, hardly yet
man, in the fall Of 1913, and was there just one
| year and one day before the Presidential cleo
| ton OF 1874, when / cast Juy first vote for my
| great predecessor, Henry Clay. l have never
| Obtruded my personal history on anybody, and
am almost ashamed to allude to it here; but my
silence in the face of such charges and insinua-
| tiGns might be construed by my enemies into an
admission
| THAT WAS ASHAMED OF MY EARLY CAREER
and with a confession that feel great doubt as
to the prOpriety of doing so, will simply say
that, as most of you know, at least all those who
have Thought itworth willie to look into the Con-
gressional Directory, am ScotchmaI by birth
and was educated in Scotland. l lived nearly
four years in Western New York with my father,
who was known to several gentlemen here.
There was no better farmer in the county of Wy
oming, as the records of the State and county
fairs for many years will show. He had other
children, younger than myself, to educate and
provide for. He had done all for me could ask.
/ desired TO study for profession, but was un-
able to command the means to do So l went
with letters from the best men in New York TO
the best men of Kentucky. had gone to school
for ten consecutive years, but had never taught
school. knew no mechanical art; was not a
beggar; l had health and strength, and in order
to enable me to make enough money to complete
nv professional education, l did undertake the
management of estate there for gentleman
who is one OF my most intimate friends to-day.
| managed it for over year to his entire salts
faction, and with the money thus obtained en-
tered Pennsylvania University, and within three
wears and half from the time l went to Ken
lucky was graduate of that time hOnOred in
nor engage in any ignOble struggle; settled down
among the men with whom have since cast my
lot Clay and Wickliffe. Robertson and Breckin-
ridge, Buckner and WOOlley and other men of the
highest order of talent were at the bar. have
practiced law there ever since, with and among
the best men in the land. have done so with
some success. Ihave never betrayed trust con-
fided to me, nor done an act to bring shame on
my family or my friends.
NV people know me; they have sent me to this
House three different times, the last time
mat and In anita of
declaration that did not desire to be renOml-
mated. They have met me with Ovations at home,
such as
NO CARPET-BAeeER IN THE SOUTH EVER HAS
OR EVER WILL RECEIVE,
no matter what position he may hold, and am
willing to stand upon their knowledge Of me and
of my character.
1 never was in any mans livery stable. If
had been would not have been ashamed of it
l never whipped any mans slaves, nor even my
own, though perhaps it would have been better
for me and them both II l had Gone SO some
times and the charge made against me that |
was merely cruel, degraded slaTe-driver and a |
hOstler, Is A LIE, no MATTER WHO SAYS 1T, AND |
HURL IT BACK AGAINST THE NAN WHO SAYS
IT, AND MY PEOPLE WILL HURL IT BACK WITH |
THE INDIGNATION AND sCoRN THAT IT DE- |
SERVES.
regret, as 1 said, feel Inundated to have to
state even this about myself. would not have |
done il if it had not been reflection on the peO
pie represent, who would be disgraced by such |
a Representative as am charged TO be; and If |
not so much against me personally as to destroy |
before the country the power and effect of what |
had said and what l intend TO continue to say |
against these carpet-baggeT governments at the /
South, and all their
FRAUDS, CoRRUPTIoNs AND RAsCALITIEs.
do not intend to allow it; that is my excuse |
for obtrnding my personal history on the House.
not one feeble old man only; he is merely put |
forward and made to say mean things, to become |
the mouth-pieee of others who are worse men /
and arT nprp dapTalr- m than
IN REFERENCE TO HIS TALK ABOUT SLAVERY. |
hold book in my hand which was written in /
part by that old man, in which he says;
''Not only will 1 throughout this discus
sion openly and boldly take the ground that |
slavery, as it exists in America, ought to be per-
petuated, but that slavery is an established and
Inevitable condition to human society. 1 will
maintain that q cd always intended the relation /
of master and slave to exist; that Christ and the
early teachers of Christianity found slavery, diff
fering in no material respect from American
slavery, incorporated into every department of
society that in the adoption of rules for the gov
eminent Of society, and of the church, they pro
vided for the rights of owners and the wants of
slaves; that slavery having existed ever since the
first organization Of society, 1t viii exist to the
end of time.
"MflliOns old ollars have been spent, and humid
reds of valuable lives sacrificed in the attempt to
evangelfze the negroes of Africa, and yet slav-
ery-the abhOrred, cursed and reviled insti ution
of slavery-has brought five times more negroes
into the fold of the church than all the mission
airy operations of the world combined. Slavery
has tanned, civilized, Christianized if you please,
the brutal negroes brought to our shores by New
England kidnappers; it has elevated them physi-
caIly, mentally, morally; and therefore it has
proved blessing to them, and ought to be per
petuated"
ICoMMESD THAT BOOK
TO the consideration of the other side Of the
House. As to the man who is maligning me, it
is habit with him TO indulge in such things. If
yon will read his speeches made in 1860 you Will
find Mr.. Lincoln denounced as an AboltiOnist
and worse; you win find Mr.. Hamlin, then candi-
dictate for Vice President, spoken C. as "tree |
negro" l could quote page after page Of charges |
made against him infinitely worse than any |
ever made. Yet this man talks of laying a lash
over my back. No man has ever laid lash over
my back or struck me blow,
AND NEVER SHALL AND LTyB
am no bully, and no braggart. do not know
that he can say much. Mr.. Lafayette McMnl-
len knows whether he can or not, as am in
formed.
do not intend, as have said, to indulge In
any billngsgate; am no blackguard. do not
THE WEAPONS OF THE PoLECAT.
The hsh-women of the town can beat me at
that. But will repel with honest indignation |
charges made against me, come from what
source they may, that, either in my personal or
official character, as a member of the House or |
as gentleman, have ever been guilty of any
thing unworthy of myself, my family, and my
people, If had been the man am charged
with being, would not have been here.
REPRESENT THE PROUDEsT AND GRANDEsT
agricultural district in America. 1t has more
capacity TO produce all that is required for the
support of human life and comfort than many
whole States have. 1t has sent men to these
halls who were the peers Of the greatest in the ,
land, men who have done honor 10 the positions
they have filed. However humble and feeble |
may be as compared with them, will try not to
disgrace the places they have left. 1 am in the
place of men whose fame is familiar to every gen
tlemsn here. need not name them to recall I
them. The people of the time-hOnOred Ashland
district of Kentucky have seen fit to send me
here for three consecutive terms, and that ought
to be an answer to all such reflections upon me
as have been INDUCED in to a delighted audience
as am told. The people of that district knew
that had gone among them poor, friendless, and
alone. They knew that had been poor man,
laboring for my living, begging neither money
nor favor from anybody, never owing any man
anything but good will; and, sir, if you look at
the newspapers of my district you will see allu-
siOns made time and again to the effect that my i
early poverty is not considered badge of dis q
grace; il is rather held out as encouragement to
the Young men of that district who are poor as [
was that when man can come there friendless {
IS did, and do as well as have done at the bar (
and elsewhere, they, too, may do likewise. Per a
laps made blunder in coming to this House; t
but
I DO NOT INTEND TO BE DENOUNCED FOR IT. [
l know that have been attacked because / a
have always been, in season and out of season, 9