Year: 1860

]
that We, with the untold millions we rep
resent, had so lost our Cnse of honor that
we could not resent an injury.


Did he believe we were arrant towards
on this side? If he did, and have no
doubt he did-if he believes this side of
the chamber are all non cOmbatants L will
not believe he intended to earn a cheap rep
utation for valor against those whom he
supposed would never meet the challenge.
1t is known to everybody that the people
of the Free States have utterly repudiated
this old, and they contend, barbarOus mode
of settling difficulties with duel. Every
intelligent man knows full well that the
man who indorsed this practice in the North
has SO fallen under the ban of public opin-
ion that he could afterward receive no Of
fee of trust or honor in any of those States
He is treated as an outcast; and if by any
accident, he should happen to be triumph
ant, he would be deemed criminal, and
held as such in society.


know full well. and regret it. that
this state Of things, although undoubtedly
that Just in itself, has placed us at a dis
advantage here. feel that this sentiment,
prevailing at the North. although right
eously, has frequently placed US, as it were,
at the mercy of those who construct our
foTbearance as a want of courage. 1t is
not strange that this state of things should
exist among the Northern people. We have
had no reason to distrust the courage Of
the people there Why, Sir, physical cour-
age with our Northern people is a senti-
ment so general that it is cheapened by its
universality Who ever has seen the
Northern man fail on the field of combat?
Was it not known that drawer men never
stepped on the quarterback, nor entered
the perilous breach? Who over heard of
coward at the North when duty called?
But if Understand the Senator, we On this
side, and the untold millions We represent,
have not the courage to maintain eur hon
/ OF.


Toombs-I would refer the Senator to
my speech. l made no such allegation;
| merely said that people who would vio-
late the contracts they had made were not
to BE- dreaded when they threatened to
march down upon u.s. made no such al
legation against the North. The gentle
man seems to consider that they on that
side are the people; l do not


Mr.. Wade said he had read the speech,
and supposed it was declaration that
those on that side. and the people they rep
resent, lacked that courage which was nee
essary to maintain their own honor when
impeached.


Mr. ToOmbs-I said these persons VIII
were not faithful to their contracts. and
who passed Personal Liberty bills, were not
! to be dreaded.


Mr.. Wade-I am very glad to hear the
Senator's explanation, because say it is
no particular merit or honor to gentlemen
on that side to have general courage We
inherited it from our common ancestors,
who dragged kings from their thrones when
they undertook to trespass on the rights of
the people; and trust in God that we,
their descendanta, shall ever be as ready
to indicate, not only our honor, but our
rights, as were our ancestors at any period.
But if that is all the Senator meant,
would not much disagree with him. The
men who conld be faithlesS would be very
apt to be towards. But don't wish to be
misunderstood In regard to this barbarous
mode of settling difficulties in thinly set
tied and partially civilized countries, where
there were no restraints of law, and where
semi-barbarism reigns, l don't know but
this code might be necessary. If men can
not be restrained by more elevated prin-
ciple than fear, it may be necessary to teach
respect for the rights of others, even by
fear of the combat But the Senator ac-
cused US of being perjured and faithless to
the Constitution, and ready to trample it
under foot. And now, sir, Just see how
inconsistent gentleman may be. have
no idea that he meant to express the full
import Of his language, because he came
here taking the same oath as did and vet
he told us he was eager for the signal from
the Old Dominion to declare war. He was
ready, prompt, and eager to second the mo-
tion, for he said, 'one blast upon her bugle
horn wolld raise million men, For
what? Why, to throw down the pillars of
the Republic in universal ruin. He would
do 50, Sir, if Republican was elected
President at the next election. Did he
stand on high ground? Did he stand on
an elevated position, when he charged us
with trea on and violation of oaths, and
threatened, in a certain emergency, that he
himself would stand forth to pull down the
! pillars of the Republic? If to do that is
not treason. don't know what is lfthat
is not violation of the oath he has taken,
| do not understand the import CT it. To
be sure, these things are said in the heat
Of debate, but they 60 out to the country,
and must be noticed here The Senator
went back to the ancient history of Greece
ia illustrate his argument


He did not come forward without prep
aration- He accused us because we did not
happen to be quite uimble footed enough,
as he supposed, IN the execution Of the fu-
gitive law, but be did not instance a single
case, if | remember rightly, but it was a
general charge. There has not been SIN
gle case of resistance to that law in my
State. When the cases came before the
Courts, they received the most rigid scru-
tiny, and the law has been vigorously ap-
piled. There have been cases Of the most
doubtful character Men have been kid
mapped and carried of. A case occurred
not long since. And that was not the on
ly one. l meet the general charge with a
general denial When has there not been
faithful execution of this most rigorous,
) odious and l believe in many provisions,
unconstitutional law. Mr.. Webster thought
it had no warrant, except in judicial decis-
ions But he was not going to argue this
point Mr.. Wade referred to the clause
giving power to commissioners as decided
ly unconstitutional.


1t gives SO to decide one way, and S.
the other. We are told this would not
{ buy magistrates, but that the magistrates
who generally decide these would be infu-
enced by a 'f'penny bit Mr.. Wade went