, 1873-08-24
" "HANGMAN FOOTE,o

uHfS tAkeu QUE t0It6 EO"QAy.
"HANGMAN Fo0TE.'
a 8conc In Congress In 1913, Depicted
by Ono OF the Actors.
In his " "reminiscences Of the Past" now bo-
Ing published in tho Washington Chronicle e1-
eenator Foote relates the following incident: It
WAS carly In tho summer Of 1B48 that an occur-
romeo took place In Washington City which WAS
productive Of great excitement at tho time, and
which called forth, also, much Of that sort Of
elimination and rccrlmination which never fails
to lohVe behind it foolinga Of permanent aicna-
tion and rancor, oxcopt, perchance, In fow
bobomB OF moro generous mould than ordinary
H1ortsls can expect to poHseas. Several OF ::
the unfortunate sons and daughters Of raoo
whom selfish and semi-barbarous policy,
originating in tho Old World, mud darkenne
with Its gloomy shadows tho beautiful
hills and valloya Of our own natal land for moro
than Two sad centuries Of shame and sorrow,
were prompted by that love OF freedom, which
ID everywhere inherent In tho human bosom,
to project scheme for their own enfranchiao.
or them had sought concaalmcnt and
setugo In tho froo states OF tho North.
yIA Whitl,ss thoy had boon couneolod to go
deserved prominence at tho time. One or two
OF thoso refugees were reported to Aavo been in
tho ownership OF certain Southern membors Of
ton; not for nalu,-vhioh would have been pai-
pablo violation OF tho thon existing laws Of the
District OF Columbia as domestic servants,
and t deemed BY them at least, altogether esscn-
aelves aud Of their families. A movement 30
unusual and aoelnlng to bode such extensive
mischief iu tho future may be easily imagined
to h.vo had very sthrtling influence in certain
to have been 1ont to fblu affair BY the circum-
stance that the members OF Oongrosy from the
free 6tatcs, who wero charged to have givon
their countenanoe to this project Of elopemont,
beth bot u II the neTspepoEa aud R no tvo Aoueo. q
soat in tho Senate, on the morning aftor
the hight Of these poos Obi children Of bondage
feat, and donouncing. With Il forvid ve-
hemenco Of toue and manner, worry un-
usual with this grave and solomn Senator, what
he depicsnred as . fearful outrage upon tho
rage ho ssid, which, II tamely submitted to,
would in short timo bring about tho ontre over
throw OF eyatc1n Of labor alike Indispensable to
tho enjoyment and prosperity Of the cotton and
ness OF other portions Of the Republic. Whom ho
c}oBoa his romnrkB, not without striking indica-
tions Of e1hauation-he came to my scat and
naid: NJ now lcaye this matter in tho hands OF
l.
stood here long in tho front Of battle, almost
aingle-handed and alone, defending tho rights Of
our elave-holding constituents. and begin to
feel 1t to be high time that such non as your
fsg fo1ssge Mr. D.vy nd ESa,so n should
which found It almost impossible to resist,
though really ! had mover seen tho timo whom !
would havo either gone or sent M agent in quest
! Of runaway slave, and bad alwaya boon dis
poned to recognize tho faot that ono whoao
! acutenesa and intelligence were euch ID to on
hblo him to achieve bis own doliveranco from
thraldom, might be vol presumed to be Alto
gethor capable OF enjoying. state Of freedom
| and Of oroditah1y maintaining his new-found
anergcB Of debate, John r, Hale, OF New Hamp-
shire, to close q most stormy and indignant
haranguo, in which hia facility iu the applica-
tion Of potential and striking epithcts had boon
fully dsplayod IT.. lesped ,pn, to IN ny e., feet and
tho overwhelming excitement Of tho moment,
one ct the most funny. rabid, and insnlt-
ing speeches that has over dishonorad q
| grave and dlgnilled parliamentary body; in
which told Mr. Hale, in plain ter1ns, that woro
sissippi, and there use such language rs that
which ho had juht uttered. / did not ut all doubt
| that he would incur tho hazard OF being strus!g
up on ono OF tho loftiest trees Of the forest
| aud that in auch case, should there be any want
OF willing e1ocutioner, I would myself turn
| hangman tor his benefit. Those frantic aud III
! decont words had scarcely been enumerated ere
became painfully ecuaible Of the stupid and
gHan nsnre o9Ey Of ny duct and would
sonBo had uttered. In loss than forty-eight
| hours received hundreds Of anonymous lettera
| llled with tie most caustie tovilemont, aad
others inclosing the ruost hidoous caricatures Of
inatod "uangnau Footo." positively writlot
! In agony. Mover had my solf-respecs suffered
| Huch humiliation.