Year: 1860

eh0y HnSc suleIeu at tHe naHuS Ol tne DlacK republican party of this country? In view of the extraordinary circumstances that have preceded and that now prolong this eiectlon, 1t IS gross prostitution of the terms national and conservative to apply them to any man who insists on chair -''

 But, MT. Clerk, it is necessary that @e snail organize. The question is. will the conservative elements in this body mite in constituting majority? I am satisfied from the developments of tho nost tbree weeks, that they will. Three woots of 1rultless oailottlngs have failed to convince the gentleman from Ohio that he is not tbe choice of this House for it's presiding officer. but l am satistd that three months vao three years, will not bring maicNtv to his support.

 The character and dignity of this House the necessities of the government, and tbe interests of the whole country, demand an organization-an organization effected too by the conservative members of this body in opposition to the enemies of the Union and the constitution.

 

 How, sir, is it to be accomplished? I feel, sir, that any ore who can extricate us from the difficulties and endorsements in which we are now involved will deserve, as he will receive, the thanks of the whole country. Let us, then, address ourselves to the task in spirit of concession, con- ciliation, and selfsacriicing patriotism. Let us discard from our minds and our hearts, so far as the infrmities of our na- lures will allow, all personal hatreds, aIh party animosities These are, after ar,' but poor and patry sacrifices to offer upon the altar of our country.

 l, sir, claiming no more patriotishfthan majority of the members upon this floor, am ready to make them. l acknowledge no other obligation, no other restraints than my oath to support the constitution, and an honest regard for the best interests of my whole country imposes upon me. contemn and despise and defyevery trammel, every shackle, that would exact from me a sacrifice of my country'S welfare to the success of party. Claiming perfect in- dependence of thought and speech and action, always in subordination to the federal constitution and the rights and equality of the States, am willing to allow the same liberty to all my colleagues upon | this floor 1 may not agree with single member of this House upon some of the minor questions which have divided even the democratic party; but, upon the great and paramount one, of the necessity ot the defeat and overthrow of the reasonable, incendiary, and revolutionary black repub- lican party, of which the gentleman from Ohio is a leader and exponent in this House, to the repose of the country and the perpetuity of the Union itself, l am satiR- fled that concur with majority of them.

 Mir. DUNN. I call the gentleman tc order. The gentleman violates all pro- priety in applying the term " treasonable' to the party of which I am member Mir. LEAKE The gentleman must re- duce his point of order to writing.

 Mir. DUNN. We have listened to this kind of thing long enough.

 Mir. RUST. l have said nothing that l do not believe to be true, and will not re- tract it. 1 was not here 10 vote upon the ad- mission of Kansas into the Union under the | Lecompton constitution; but 1 am free to avow that, had been, would have voted for it, if at all, with extreme reluctance, and less in obedience to the dictates of my own judgment than from deference to the perhaps more enlightened opinions of a majority of the representatives from my section of the Union. Yet, sir, I have voted with pleasure for prominent sup porter of that measure, and am ready to vote with equal pleasure for either one of 6 number of gentlemen who were as promi- nent in their opposition to it.

 1 have always and everywhere advocated freedom of religion, and the privilege, to the victitims of oppression in the old world, of immigration to our shores, and participation in all the political blessings which we enjoy. Yet am willing to vote for a number of gentlemen belonging to that party whose cardinal principles and measures are hostility to the Catholic church, and warfare upon the rights, privi- leges, and immunities of our foreign born citizens.

 Mine, sir, in the impending contest, is platform upon which every patriot, every friend of the Union, every upholder of the constitution, and every respecter of the rights of all the States can stand with me, without the sacrifice of principle, of consis- tency, or self-respect

 l recognize no enemies upon this floor but the revilers and violators of the consti- tutional laws of the land, and until they are defeated and disbanded shall look for no antagonists, and seek for no causes of strife and dissension and controversy else where.

 I declared few days ago that l was willing, in order to organize this House, to vote for any one of hundred gentlemen on this floor to preside over its deliberations, and l repeat the declaration to-day. All that demand is, that the gentleman shall be free from suspicion of sedition, treason, and incendiarism--of hostility to the con- stitutional rights of my State and section, and of sympathy with those who have been guilty of these and still greater crimes- When the gentleman from Maryland was endeavoring to fasten upon the democratic members of this House the responsibility of failure to organize, without consulta- tion with one of my colleagues, I submitted proposition eminently just and fair and liberal, which seemed to be received with universal favor upon this side of the House; that proposition was subsequently, renewed by the gentleman from South Carolina,

 Mir. Keitt, to whom, by the way, the papers have attributed 1t, in the face of his statement at the conclusion of his remarks that it was simply renewal of my own. 1 again submit it with the conviction and earnest belief that if facceded to by the Ame- rican party, it will lead to speedy organi- zation ofthe House. That proposition was that the conservative members outside of the democratic organization should select some member of that organization and unite with us in electing him; or that we will select one of their number and unite with them in electing him. All that we claim is the poor privilege of a choice of evils, and this we are willing to concede to you. Which proposition do you accept? Mir. HILL. want to be set right. So far as l am concerned, have not been ap- preached by any authorized body of gentle men to unite in the selection of a Sneaker