Middletown transcript., 1876-04-08
persons who thus create . breach Of the ordsl

ofihe Senate. - ast m
Mr.. President, I did not catch al That the
Senator from Massachusetts said Inregard
IL my political associations that is i matter
4 " opinion in which, opiniops mst 1ead sus
sadly astray-in which a pan is neither the
worse than the better for the opinions which
be honestly holds.
believe there is an instinct Of selfpreser-
vaton that will show the people of this coun-
try whom to trust and whom not 10 trust. /
believe in that. aud therefore,it is that ar-
proacli that contest without fear. Something
was said by the Senator about my looking to
time when the Ku-Klux shall return, and he
said something about my being politically u.s.
sociated with such class of people. ] hardly
know how to answer such suggestions. If
there be any act OF mine-if my. name has
ever been connected with any act of lawless-
ness or Of dishonor, the Senator has my free
permission to point it out or to obtain IL from
any where in the world lie thinks he may !; and
then he may have justification for his charges
or his innuendoes. do not propose to make
this Chamber the theatre fer assertion or de-
nunciaiion. have no epithet whatever to
throw back upon him or his State or his party.
He must stand or fall by his own works. I
leave him and his speech Of to-day to be an
swered by the people Of the great. ancient and
honorable Common wealth of Massachusetts,.
They must speak to him because he here as
sumes to have spoken for them. If he has
spoken for them, was going to say so much
The worse, in my opinion, for them; but | do
not believe that he has. | do not believe he
has spoken the sentiments Of Massachusetts, IN
uttering words of bitterness and Of hate to-
wards the Southern people and distrust of
those who are here as their representatives.
But in this strain have already continued
too long, had no idea there would be in this
matter personal remark or personal feeling.
The Senate is no place for it. | think can
refer to my record here in DEBATE to show that
I am not wrong in saying that when have
spoken of the action Of Senators il has been
in regard to their official action, their opin-
ION, and the record of their printed views
Wherever have thought that they tended in
iuriously to the public interests have not
hesitated to say 80, and propose to continue
this course SO long as remain member ofthis
body Certain it is that the question Of mr.
banity, the question of attempting TO educate
he Senator from Massachusetts, in anything
like rule of courtesy, is something that
should entirely despair of. ! do not propose
20 attempt the task did not suggest it, !
merely commented upon what thought WAS
4 breach of decorum in the Senate when in
r>king question he injected political TRADE
into my remarks.
One evil Of our times, one great wrong Of
our times, has seemed TO me in condemning
or praising mea for the accident Of their
opinions. Their personal character, the de-
gree of respect to which they are entitled.
certainly does not depend upon the result OF
their mental organism or the object which
may affect their opinions. remember very
we'll that when ! first came into this Chamber
was one ofa minority Of about eight men.
Tken, as now, was on what is believed TO
be the weaker side, side which the growing
generosity of this country towards the South
is gradually making stronger side, q side
which trust for the safety of the whole coun-
try will in November next be destined to be
the strongest side; but whether it is or not
the issue is not with US. and it is for each man
to do that which he thinks is right in bring
ing it about / have esteemed men most
highly who differed with me entirely 10 opin-
ion, remember WE'LL upon my first coming
into this body, that sAid TO a gentleman ex-
ceedingly violent in his proscriptive feeling
towards the Southern people, as thought,
hut for whose personal character had the
hi. hest RESPECTS "How strange it seems to me
to hear you speak and vote as often rs you do
in the Senate, when if your home had been
but few hundred miles south of where il
was you probably would have been just as
violent on the other side, just as positive
rebel as you call it,as you were Union man "
That gentleman was the late Mr.. jacob N.
Howard, and / remember perfectly his entire
assent, saying he really believed in his heart
it was SO. Is 1t possible that al this stage of
the world history men areto he condemned,
yilified, abused because of their honest politi-
cal or other opinion? It seems to me very
natrow-minded and miserable condition Of
aff.,irs if such things should be-. do not be-
lieve that such a course is at all in consonance
with the temper or the wish of the American
people. who like all great people, are gener-
ons people. They do forgive, except where
they believe that meanness, hypocrisy, un.
truth and dishonor have stained the character
of man When that is 80, they are justified
in Withholding fiom him their confidence.
am glad in speaking now of the coming
month Of November that there is some ques-
tion Of personal character to enter into the
contest that the people of this country will
insist that man shall Lot be the mere figure
head of party, with its name stamped upon
his forehead bat they will look below the
badge, and they will see whether the man
who bears it is consistent man, speaking
his conscientious sentiments in victory or de-
feat, standing by his principles whether they
are to lead him into minorities or into major
tiles. These are to me the tests; and, there
fore, SO far from having to beware of the
month Of November, from my heart welcome
it, The day cannot come too soon when the
people of the country shall decide on which
side is the right or wrong, the true love of
country, the true patriotism, in this country.