Year: 1861

thing never done IN the body before; and
then when they could not gag me to pre-
vent me from speaking, the only reply is
personal assault BE it so. You are the
majority but YOU will find that the mi
nority have rights, and know how to ex-
erci.c them ; and that this gag game can
not be played successfully, nor will it be
submitted to any further than the rules
are imperative.


Mr.. Fcsscndcn. rise for the purpose
of making personal cxplanation,which |
very seldom do. When | interrupted the
Senator, it was merely with view to call
his attention to the fact unwittingly, as
supposed, he had said the Senator from
Maine, when he meant the Senator from
Massachusetts.


Mr.. Douglas. No; | said wherever
they came" That was what you under
stood to be Maine.


Mr. Fcsscndcn. The Senator is mis-
taken. 1t is impossible for him to admit
his mistake; but if he will ask his own
friends about him, think he would be
satisfied that he did make the mistake.
All the gentlemen about me heard what
was said distinctly and my own object
was to correct the Senator that he might
admit that he meant the Senator from
Massachusetts, with whom he was having
a controversy. | supposed it to be i
mere slip of the tongue and | rose mere
ly to call his attention to that fact. |
took 10 exception to it in any way but
it has resulted in the Senator speaking
precisely as he has with reference to the
matter. and the intention about what 4
gentleman would do, and what a gentle
man would not do. Now, sir, do not
pretend to be very much more of n gem
tlcman than other people, nor very much
less. In fact, | make no pretensions up
on the subject. My idea Is that a gentle
man does not make professions in one
shape or another.


Mr.. Douglas Well, will ask the
Senator, does he not recognize the rule,
that if he misunderstood nv, or whether
he did or not, If correct him, Is he not
bound by every courtesy of a gentleman
to accept the correction? Is not That
the inyariablc rule, ask him


Mr. Eessenden II the Senator had
admitted that by slip of the tongue, he
had said one thing when he meant anoth-


Mr.. Dough-, did not admit it, be-
cause say now tn statement i, tals".


The Vice President The Senator Is
ont of order.


Mr. Fessenden. The Senator wants to
have y personal quarrel with me on that
subject but assure him he viii fail
here, at any rate If it i. hi, deliberate
design to u,e language unbecoming n gem
tlcman. which no man here uses unless he
has proyocation for using it, he will not
elicit from me reply OF the samcdcscriP-
ton, assure him here, at ANY rate II
this place.


Now, sir, all Senators, on both side, OF
this Chamber, will bear me witness that
have said nothing to which the Senator
had a right to take any exception. |
simply interrupted him to call his atten-
tion to the fact that he had done unwit-
tingly, as | supposed, as | said before,
what he did not intend, and said the som
ator from Maine Instead of the Senator
from Massachusetts, Now, sir if state
what is false, the Senator from Vermont
tMr. FooO states the same thing, and the
Senator from New Hampshire, (Mr
Clarke,) my colleague, (Nlr. MorriIl,l and
the other Seuator from Ncrmont Mr.
Collimor,) about me, They all heard the
Senator distinctly; but neither of Us sup
posed it to be said Intentionally in any
shape or form; and instead Of making the
explanation, the Senator undertook to de-
ny 1t. did not mean to suppose, for
single instant, that he was not laboring
under mistake about it nor did intl-
mate anything else than he WAS laborlng
under mistake. 1t did not even offend
me at all, for supposed i; to be an error;
but instead OF accepting that, the Senator
proceeds with language such as he d3d
use. to make an attack upon me PERSONAL
ly sitting quietly in my chair, about the
matter, and talk about the Senator from
Maine in the language of eondescenslon i;
that he was "a gentleman OF respectable
talent " and " respectable dcbatcr,
and he sometimes listened to him
with great pleasure" lie spoke with
insaite condescension. looking down-al-
though ordinarily the Senator perhaps,
might look UPON NE. humble as am !;
and called the attention OF the country TO
my humble State compared with his own
Well, sir. as ! said before, | make no
preteusions eren to anything more than
respectablity. am content with that.
| do not pu; myself before the country a.
entitled to anything more, or to eom-
pare myself with the magnificent Senator
from Illinois. | admit him to be just as
great as he wishes to consider Atmself and
to be considered | cannot admit him to
be gentleman, because mas used lam
guage here uubecoming gentleman,with-
out any proyocation whatever. That Is
what have TO say on that subject.


Now, sir. did not regard it as neces-
sary, and such was my view of the sub
ject, to reply to the laborei and prepared
speech Of the Senator. ] understand its
object perfectly well and every Senator
on this side of the chamber understood it.
We did not mean to be drawn into a con-
troyersy about it, We are willing that
the senator should take his own view OF
things; but we did not mean that he
should draw Us into position that We did
not mean to occupy. What is the simple