Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-03-14
Anecdotes of the Congressional
~ Career of Benj. +. Wade.

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Career of Benz. +. Wade. 5r
Gen. Jas. s. Brisbin, in the Spirit of tn
@f ad if Times.
Soon after taking his seal, Wade wit
messed one of those scenes so common
in the Senate in those days. A South
ern fire-eater made an attack on
Northern Senator, and Wade wa
amazed and disgusted at the cringing
cowardlv way in which the Northerr
man bore the taunts and insults of tn,
hot-heated Southerner. AS no allu-
sion was made to himself or State, Mr.
Wade sat still, but when the Senat.
adjourned, he said, openly, If ever {
Southern Senator made such an attack
on him or his state, while he sat or
that floor, he would brand him as a II
ar. This coming to the ears of the
1 Southern men, Senator took occasion
to pOintedly speak = few days after
ward of Ohio and her people as negrt
thieves. Instantly Mr.. Wade spranp
to his feet, and pronounced the Senator
a liar. The Southern members were
thunderstruek, and gathered around
their champion, while the Northern
men grouped about Wade. A feelel
was put out from from the Southern
side, looking to retractien, tut Mr.
Wade retorted In his peculiar style, ,and
demanded AT. apology for the insult Of
fered himself and the people he repre-
sented. The matter thus closed, 9
| fight was looked upon as certain. The
next day agentleman a called apOn the
Senator from Ohio, and asked the usual
question touching his acknowledgment
of the code. n5d- III Iih '-i'.--.-t ii
IL am here" he responded, sin q
double capacity. represent the State
OF Ohio, and l represent Ben Wade.
As Senator, am opposed to duel
ing; as Ben Wade / recognize the
code" Iili c4 r-',t .'-' '''- pm
"My friend feels aggrieved," said
the gentleman, sat what you said 10
the Senate yesterday, and will ask for
an apology CT satisfaction.
II WIS somewhat embarrassed,
continued Senator Wade, "by my pc.
sition yesterday, as / have some re.
spect for the chamber 1 now take this
opportunity of saying what / then
thought, and you, il you please, repeat
it, Your friend i5 foul-mOuthed old
blackguardpp fl' .'-
"Certainly, Mr.. Wade, you do not
wish me to convey such message as
that?" @ -. 'teii
Most undoubtedly / do, and will
tell you, for your own benefit, this
friend of yours will never notice 1t. l
will not be asked either for retraction,
explanation, or fight" .tr 81
Next morning Mr. Wade came into
the Senate, and, proceeding to his seat,
deliberately drew from his coat two
large pistols, and, unlocking his desk,
laid them inside. The southern men
looked on in silence, while the North
ern members enjoyed, to the fullest
extent, the fire-eaIers' surprise at the
the proceeding of the plucky Ohio
Senator. No iurtner notice was taken
of the affair Of the day before. Wade
was not challenged, but ever afterward
WAS treated with the utmost polite
ness and consideration by the Senator
who had so insultiDgly attacked him.
During the argument on the Nebras.
ka bill, Mr.. Badger, then Senator
from North Carolina, DIRE " q glowing
picture of slavery. H. had, he said,
been nursed by a black woman, and
had grown from Childhood to man
hood under her care. lie loved his
old black nanny; and now, If he Was
going to Nebraska, and the opponents
of the bill succeeded in prohibiting
slavery there, he could not take his old
NANNY with him. Turning to Mr..
Wade, he said: fHlt 'fse
Surely, you will not prevent rue
from taking my old nanny with
me?' -a '1u
Certainly not replied Mr.. Wade,
but that is not the officially in the
mind Uf the Senator. 1t is because live
make the Territory free, he can not
sell his old mammy when he h6 got
her there
MIR. Wade was arguing to show that
slaves were not property in the con-
stitutional meaning of the term. He
said: If man Carries his horse out Of
u slave State into u Tree one, he does
not lose his property ty-interest in him;
but If he carries his slave into free
State. the law makes him iree.'
Mr.. Butler, interrupting him, said:
% yes; but they woL't stay with you;
they love us so well, they will run OFF
and came back in spite of you and your
boasted freedom
Mr.. Wade smilingly replied, amid
roars of laughter: % yes, Senator, i
know; they love you so well, you will
have to make fugitive slave law to
catch Them
The cowardIy attack made by Pres
ton s. Brooks on the Hon. Charles
Sumner, in May, 1856, fired Wade's
indignation. He made u speech, go
ing so far in his denunciation Of Brooks
and his abettOrs as to completely
dumbfOund the fire-eaters. Among
other things he said:
"MR. PREsIDENT-It is impossible
for me to sit still and hear the principle
announced which have heard on this
occasion. As to the facts connected
with this matter, l know nothing
about them, and of them 1 have moth
ing to say. l sm here in pretty
lean minority; there Is not perhaps,
more than one-fifth part of tho Senate
who has similar opinions Of my own,
and those are very unpopular over
here, but when hear iJ stated upon
the floor of the Senate, that AN assassin
like, cOwardly attack has been made
upon man unarmed, having no pow
er to defend himself, who was stricken
down with the strong hand and almost
murdered, and that such attacks were
approved OF by Senators, il becomes u
question of some interest to us all, and
especially to those who are in the mi
nority. 1t is very true that a brave
man may not be able defend him.
self against such an attack. A brave
man may he overpOwered by numbers
on this floor, but, sir, 0verpOwered or
not, live or die, L will vindicate the
right and liberty OF debate and free
dom OF discussion upoR this floor NJ
lQns as live. If the principle now
announced is to prevail, let US come
armed for the combat, and, although
you are four to one, am hear to meet
you. God knows q man can die in no
better cause than vindicating the right
of debate on this floor, and 1 have on
ly to ask, if the principle Is to be APP
proved by the majority, and to be.
colne part and parcel Of the law Of