The Greensborough patriot [March 9, 1860]

              xtm*boxQU$ atriot
TiJVv SHERWOOD & LONG. a jfamily Krtospaprr-^iBcbotrii to ILitcrature, agriculture, Jfttuvutactures, Commerce, antr Jfciscellaneous grafting.
1
TERMS—12.00 IN ADVANCE.
VOL. XXI. GE1CENSBOEOIJGH, N. C, MAECH 9, I860.
A
NO. 1077.
BUSINESS CARDS.
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
978 tf.
,. HEUCJEfOCK, ATTOR
I wr* A. LOSCJ, ATTORNEY AT LAW,
l.lJIfc" GREENSBOROUCill, N. C.
LEXINGTON, N. C
| K fTLET, COMMISSION AND
\\ Forwarding Merchants, Fayettcville, N. C.
—gyj SJ 111(111 having turned his attention
*HiiVsi!" AND SIGN PAINTING, respectfully
JicUe the public Pa,ro,na8c.0,,
it, HOt
67 tf
,|l(i 1. F. EOABD. t. HOOKER.
...IIUI. FOARD & HOOKER, IMPOR
(' ',1 wholesale GROCERS, (except liquors)
I'H PRODUCE, and GENERAL COMMISSION
I ICBASTS, SEWBBBN4K. C. jan l(MiL» 8m.
Jn .Ml I:KS.(OIIIIIIUnion Merchant,
<ILD Cut .Ml WHARF,
Kewbern, \. «.'..
-ftroBipt attention to all business entrusted to
';* F 1-iceiuber 16. !8:.9. lypd
Gr. L. MEENLEY,
Hi
t> s
-o
©w
©
K
p
rr- o
June 15, ISM.
CIXV
p
CD
4
4D 1y
gpecisj attention given to SURGERY. Of-
. .'I' K. Depot. Feb. 1850. 24 tf.
I- ivV (fll>(KT^EKSillIP.~J. A. LONG &
| n{ i UI'WKLI., Greenshorough, N. C, having
..;jt(Jtli*ti^elves in the practice of the law, in the
-•'..;'' . rl county, will promptly attend to all
...,.',st}U,ted to their care. Jan. 1858. 96T tf
1011* W- PAl'XK. ATTORNEY AT LAW.
II ,,,n0f permanently located in Greenshorough. N.
, ",-,•:] :lie Courts of Randolph Davidson and
... ... i promptly attend to the collection of all
.•.,»!in his hands. Jan. 9, lb57. "I"> tf
IIIB. W. 1*. I*V«»1I IS PERMANENTLY SET-jl
.• a HIGH POINT, N C, »i'Tf he will givi
tided attention to the Juries ol lii- prof »-ioo
1. ' »:Trfiiioti giver t.i Dl.rTrMio a:..I til '.'.- .1 I
^and Children July IMM '
|run. J.»VI» *
Jill* A. If IRDEE. ■••'I'' • i- • '
..a Merchants, Petenbarjc, * i»
IfLiberal 4 ASH advances mad* upon r,«ii
.. eota :.-ir..d. Sept.2?, 1859
ii I. H4L.C, AIT ORNKY \! :.'.•> <HK
.1. ».'i:.".' .\. «'.- (O-icein lUc t ■ i .. I '■■• > wt I
■ bis profession ,i. Randolph and the adj ining
[ .
apt ait.h'.i'.r given to all business en'ruaie l_m
rin .M.U.
I.HU*. •'• "• •-t»"K-IlLXtlN
fcrilRft, COMMISSION UEK-
1.1 «HANTS,Wilmington. K.C. Prompt per-
I attention given to consignments ol Navai .•■"ores,
n n os other Country Produce, for sale or shipment.
I — in Lime, Piaster, Cement, II ur, fee
January 'Jl*. 1869 ly
II r. MM;mil. of \oiiti taruiina.
\\, With WM GRAYDON & CO..
rpojteW and Jobhei ol Un <»00<ltt, 4'"' PARK
E and41 BARCLAY STREET.
Wai Grsydon. l _ • w.».-i. I "■*"' H Seeley.
Jas Grsydon. ) **" ,0,K'\Wm. A.Scott.
IVotrmlitT, 180S. tl
BDWLAWD. I W. l>. HEVSOLI18. j J. II. ROWLAND.
[IIOWLASD & RBTHOIaDS, SUCCESSORS
III la Anderson ^c Reynolds, Grocers and Commission
iista, NORFOLK". Va. BBfir I'nv particular nt-t
« tie sale of il&ur, Gr^in. Tobacco, etc., avoid-
■ •-iry charges, and rendering prompt re-
L Daeanber, 1867. '■'<'■'■ tf
l.'Vl.I. FiMllO\N—Mrs Sarah Adamn
vill 0|ien on Saturday th? 8ih instant, her large
i •< BonnetH, Itlliiions. Flrwerit. Ru-f'
li»-H, Xc., which for cheapness and beauty, shall
'• Mrpaaeed ID this or way other market.
•.•-•<rro?uFIFTY CENTS to TWENTY DOLLARS.
'rrktftiXi October 4, 1869 66 tf
i E\I.\,;TOV JEWELRY STORE.
Ii The anhscriber hii" on liaiul the fine GOLD LE-llfATl'HES
mani.t'acturcil by Johnson of Liver-c:
Pixon of Lo.idon. Also, Ihe Silver Lever
"i lommon Virge Watch, with a variety ot
'•f all descriptions. All of which will be
■ •.'revn. Wat'lies of all descriptions repaired-
GEORGE RILLY.
MJ. MOORE, Formerly of Stokes county N.
• C, with MFARLAND. TATMAH & CO., Im-porters
and wholesale dealers in FOREIGN and DO-MESTIC
DRY GOODS, No. 247 Market Street and 234
Church Alley, between Second and Third Streets,
J. B. MFarland, ^ PHILADELPHIA, i II Berghauser,
J. P. Tatman. j jan20-ljm f J R C.Oldham
Watches and Jewelry.—Having located in
Leaksville, N. C, I respectfully offer to the pub-lic
generally a well selected stock of fine GOLD AND
SILVER WATCHES, with a large assortment ol
FASHIONABLE JEWELRY Those wishing to pur-chase,
would do well to give me a call, as I an' confi-dent
that lean please in both, article and price.
BfcKT' Watches. Clocks and Jewelry carefully repaired
and warranted. (6mjan2<>) BENTON J FIELD.
Ur t.WOYYi.LI/> PhotOffrraphifC.nl-
• Icr.V is now opened, and Cameotypes, Mclaino-types.
and AMBROTYPES. which cannot be surpassed
for DURABILITY'and BEAUTTare taken in Lockets.
Pins and Cases, to suit the tastes and purses of all.—
Having permanently located in Greenshorough. they
confidently expect a liberal patronage.
$k$F Call ainl examine Specimens, and learn i lie
Kricea. Rooms formerly occupied by A Starred, sec-mi
story of t.arrctt"s brick building. W.st Market St ,
lireensborough. N. C. Sept. IW>9. 58 tf
*.. PIANMER • DORTER AND DEAL-ne;
i|«t!i and American
II VK1 »\V VRE,
■ kDDLERl II RDWARE. AND
< AHKIAOF MATERIALS,
X„ |IJ Hollin.jbrook Strut
(31..K t.» TI1K KB\ )
•-• \: DOOR in I.IKRAHV HALL,
PETEKSHI »'i.. v v.
fi-r ILL GOODS SOLD AT NEW YORK PRICES.
June I. l6'-9 38 I vpd
£ 11 TO £11 ltl.lt. JEW ELLER % V O
\_f AATC1I-MAKER, Meat Market, Gitn-.Nsii'.Ro'
N. C . has on iinnd am' ;s receiving a splendid and wen
selected s!o< '^ of fine and faabionable Jewelry of every
description, among which may be found several magni-ncienl
sit^ of coral Jewelry
lie hae also a stock ot line (Sold nnt! Silver Watches.
All repairing done in the BEST MANNER and war-ranted.
Allpeisona purcfaaeing Jeweh-y, would do well
lo call on him before purchasing elsewhere, as he is
confident that he can sell U good bargains •s can be
bought in this market.
AuguM 1st. 1S.-.8. 996 tf.
t 'KCVI.lt & BAKER'S SCWIVU tlA-U
CHINES —The attention of Housel eepers Seam-stresses.
Dress-makera and Tailors, is invited to the
unrivalled excellence of liinvei & Itakli s
Sewing Machines They are simple in construction
efficient anJ uurable in operation, beautiful in model
and finish, and applicable alike to families or manufac
tures
The company feel confident that their Machines are
the best ever offered to the public, and refer for confir-mation
of this opinion to the thousands of families who
have used them. Price from $">(! to $125.
J. R. & J. SLOAN, AgentB.
September 28. 18">8 :j tf
THE PATRIOT.
S. SHERWOOD. JAMES A. 1.1 ■!■
SHERWOpD & LONG,
Sii. ,o
EDITORS A.*'-0 PROPRIETORS.
TERMS: «*J.OO A YEAR, IN ADVANCE.
Hates of Advertising.
On dollar per square for the first week, and twenty-five
cents fer every weekjthereafter. TWELVE LINES OB
LESS making a square ' Deductions made in favor of
standing matter as follows:
3 MONTHS.
One square, " ?-3 50.
Two squares, 7 00..
Three '• 10 00..
6 MONTHS. 1 TEAS
...$5 50 $8 00
...10 00 1400
.. 16 00 20 00
uKHiS i\l> >II:I»I. 1XES!
I J "OTT.
[S(,,TT&. SCOTT,
-»at Law. - -
K**> C TIIO.ll
" S8 SHOP to .IK
WILL. L. SCOTT.
ATTORNEYS ANDCO&N-GREENSBOROUGH,
N. C,
Ktend the Courts of Guilford, Alamance, Ran-
I-• I*»*i'ls>in. Forsythand Rockingham All claims
''.•:«! t« rh.eni for collection, will receive prompt
I- a. iiifiee on North Street, fourth door from
■ fa toner.
|J{ LMEM>»;\I| 1I.I,, LAND AGENT. WILL
!"• .dec! an.l enter Government Land. Locate Land
Wata,Liak»investments for capitalists at Western
! ■; 'ue., and transact a general real estate hu-
"• ia Minneaeta, Iowa and Wisconsin. Address,
'1 li». Minnesota.
•;•■—lluu. J. M. Morehea.l. George C. M.n-
•- I ' ■ liter Gwynn and lion John A Giliuer.
-.- !••. >•'••.. 888 tf
AS has removed his IIAR
-. -. .%. ,n rooms rcce-nl'y occupied bjl
1 *AL«a, Esq.. twodoora North ol LINDSAYS
■ : ' lately ip posite the Sew Court House,
■ « ''■† pleased to receive calls from his <dd
"U and the public generally. I is hi- inient on
1 ' y I,M I and . '.'in \-- il r.\l
•lllt\J>>j ,„ | , .; . ,. ,,.
■'*''' *'• , • ..-. • . • ten
■ †' • ■ ■ - • »ery l i . i ■■< Vien Ii ...
Is I. H pei sen: ..i
ta Pianos. Parlor Organs. Organ d
■ .' il'inv Gllil .,- Stools, I I
" • ' . . ■ † †Ml :.i irunioiu • • •
M • "t n i- iyf Pal. il '.. .,
"'' ' in ulai - . i ...iiiiineii.- .ml Pu ii)
: •'- U j! Bi i,.,.. in John \ Milinei
' ■' P I.. -„,„..„„l ...I..T-.
It'^LI.. isr.s- llauillton At t.iaiia ••
IMPORI | R> AMI .lOiiiJKLS
:: . on thi mo t . I ibl< i
■ESALK •:! ■• KR.s ., large Mock ol For-
■" nod OtiiiM-.ru l»r> VoodM, arterteu
•r the iFaii JL winter Tr»de,
'.uei',!0* rar'*ty. beiuty an.) |t^ idaptation to'be
r« CAROLINA. '
VIRGINIA AND
' K.\:>l-:s.-KE TRADE
H wind second lo tone hovers from H!I M itioni
■il i« a close an.I rigid ex imtnation ol our Stork,
I /" '"c- No. 60 SYCAMORE
I
III
STREET.
'-P>mke, ll,. .-tei-biiru Va
"'M: <;t \S. 1 KEEP CONSTANTLY ON
•nd, in my shop, two miles Nonh of James-
'• ! ; ol Superior Rille f.uiiM. which
""1 at reasonable price-. A- an evidence ot
"I ^n'' 'be excellence of mv work. I will men
•: one of my RIFLES TOOK THE PREMIUM
*»tata Fair at Raleigh last week. My address is
I -e"o*a. Guilfort county, N. C. A. LAMB.
' •—Permit,, sending orders by mail, should be
- hJ the direction of their letters, to avoid tfon- ■ "mistakes. \ L
'.\,->!' ^ »K'II\. KRO. £> CO., GROCERS
VMJ COMMISSION MERCHANTS, No. 189
*e street, Petersburg, Va,
■„,?•"• >I*RTI.\, SO\ & CO..
* H ISSI o N M E RC H A NTS,
Richmond, Va.
POUTER & GORRELL,
(srcCESsORS TO T. I. PATRICK.)
Wholesale and Retail DrutrgiNlN,
Are prepared to execute oulers tor Drills and Medicines,
and all articles pertaining to Ihe Drug Business, with
neatness, accuracy and dispatch. With large and im-proved
arrangements for business, and with a very
lar^e stock on hand, which has been selected with unu-sual
care, we feel satisfied that we can offer inducements
to physicians and others who may give us a call.
Physicians who buy from us can rely on having their
orders filled with pure and reliable Drugs. Special at-tention
will be given ,o orders. April 15.
1. W. IIOWLKTT, I). I). 8. j. r. IIOWLKTT.
JW. IIOWLETT &. SO.W DENTISTS. RE-
• spectfully offer their professional services lo the
citizens of Greenshorough and all others who may de-sire
operations performed on their teeth in the most
approved, modern and scientific manner. They are
amply qualified to perform all and every operation per-taining
in any way to Denial Surgery, unsurppssed for
ability or beauty.
The Senior of the firm has in his possession Diplomas
from the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, Anieri-an
Society of Dental Surgeons, and Dr. S. S. Filch ot
Philadelphia, anil has been in the regular practice ol
the profession for over Lwenty yean
They have furnished their Operating rooms on rte.it
Street, two doors above ihe BRII'TAIN lioFSE. in a
handsome and comfortable manner lor the reception ot
Ladies, where one ol the firm may always lie found.—
Ladies will be waited on al their residences it desired.
June l.i. ISM H;I;
rpUE I HOY.
I \Ui 11 -T;:: FT
Phil iadel|»hia
O JJI '■.: ■
■ '.■• L
[I i ji.iii. i . . ni.-i
•- -i ■† t tdclphia eiilu i I ,r |,us n --
.
I 1 ;■. M .. ■ v i •-,. ' . ■> i - ; .
... .1 i - ■ n dui .'...• ii - to nisi in • isi
in—-. r- n Be >c'i .ii pleasuie. the cou
—t -»- i i v ;• - n i iii i . | . '. til .-•.: ■• i- irs an I l
it. .-I...-, proximi y, ..H'i: l -. | i. .-'.ni ri I. fo il; mi re
nominal -.mi ol half dime io all places ol interest m
ur about the city
lb. Proprietoi gives assurance thai The I niort
shall be kepi won s.ieli character as will Meet public
approbation, and Would respectfully solicit NOB III
CAROLINA PATRONAGE.
UPTON S. NEWCOMER,
Proprietor
August IK. 18.»9. 49 ly
MIEE-H itlt.ilTl.Vt. x >l Itlll.YERf
Datr-
•" *<r.Tn,
. • ■aatw,
*' *A*TtK.
an. RO. TANNAHILL,
II. L. l'LI'MMER, JR.,
■ . ■S.. ■M . MARTIN, JB.
Ju«. Wide^f'""11 a"eu,'"D K'"en to the saie of pro- sr* lor goous promptly nil ill ajjj 40 ly
rUOS.C II AM, Kernel sville. "J.C.,
Would respectfully announce to the public that he is
prepared lo put up a" kinds ol Mill-Work and
kindred >la« liim-i > on the moat APPROVED
PLANS, with neatness, durability, and dispatch.—
Having li.nl -everal years exj^rience in the business,
he leels confident of being able to gi\e entire satisfac-tion
to all who may lavorhim with their pairona-e.
He would further say that he is AGENT for the
sale of all kinds of Mill-Building Materials, such as
French BOTT, Cologne. Esopus,
and Cocalioo Mill Stones,
Bolting Cloths, Grain Mills, Smut Ma-chines,
Mill Spindles, Shafting,
Belting, Gearing and Cast-ings
of all kinds, for
Corn, Flouring and Sa%» Mills.
ALSO,
Circular Saws and Circular Saw-MU «, and
Portable and Stntionttru Steam EitgiMt of
ALL KINDS AXI) SIZES.
All fitted up lo order ol the best material and style of
workmanship. All orders promptly attended to.
Address, THOMAS C. HAM,
Keinersv. <e, Forsyth Co., N. C.
August. 1859. 5u tf
ELECTION OF SPEAKER.
SPEECH OP HON. H. W. DAVIS,
OF MARYLAND,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
February 21. 1860.
The House being in theCommittee of the Whole on the
state of the I'nion—
Mr. DAVIS, of Maryland, said:
Mr. CHAIRMAN : The Honorable the Legislature of
Maryland has decorated me with ils censure. It is mv
purpose to acknowledge that compliment.
It is long, sir. since the party which now controls the
Legislature of Maryland has been so fortunate as to
have a majority in both its branches: and it has 30
■ conducted itself that it is probable it will be long ere
again it succeeds in getting that control again.
If one may judge from the course and conduct of that
body, the gentlemen who compose il are perhaps more
surprised at their present power than their opponents.
They do not appear to be less bewildered or more to
have changed their original nature than Christophero
Sly. when waking up. after his debauch, in the noble-man's
chamber, dazzled with the unaccustomed elegance
which surrounded him. he began to question himself
thus:
•• Am I a lord '.' and have I such a lady ?
Or do I dream V or have I dream'dtill now?
I do not sleep ; I see. I hear. I speak ;
[ smell SWPi 1 savors, anil I feel soft things:
I p.01 my life. I am a lord, indeed :
And not -i linkc-. nor Christophero Sly.
Well brio -«i'ir lady hither to our sight :
And utirr again, a /><> o' the unaUeti ale."
Sudden elevation has never changed the character of
the person accidentally raised to a position he was nev-er
intended by nature to occupy : and those who ima-gine
it ever Can may tree themselves from Ihe delusion
by looking at the Legislature of Maryland. That ma-jority,
which now presumes to represent the people of
Maryland, are as much out of place in her legislative
hails as was Christophero in the lordly chamber; and
ihey retain and reveal their natural instincts and abili-ty
as did Christophero his preference for the smallest
ale over sack.
There is no department of legislation to which, in the
brief period of their power, they have not applied their
fingers, and it would bedoing them injustice to say thai
there is any they have adorned.
Greatly defidenl initial first quality which consti-tutes
the legislator—sound practical common sense—
they abound in that genius of ignorance which so 11-
mazed and delighted Montesquieu's Parisian in the Pa-risian
professors—a genius which enabled them to un-dertake
to practice and teach, with the inmost confidence,
arts and sciences of which ihey knew nothing.
Inexperienced in the forms of legislation, it was cer-tainly
prudent thai they should be attended in the cau-cus,
where, instead of the committee, their laws are
matured, by learned attorneys, not members of either
House, for else llieir blunders might btttag their ienor-ance
: yet, in spite of this wise precaution, this Legis-lature
has worthily earned for itself a place beside that
Lack-Learning Parliament, whereat Lord Coke says
there was never a good law passed.
Not elevated to the full sense of the dignity and re-poiisibiliry
of their high place by the great memories
which surrounded them in the Stale House where daily
they meet—where once the great Congress of the Rev-olution
sal. and where George Washington surrendered
bis sword, that the law might thenceforth reign—the
caucus is ihe Legislature, the Legislature the. recording
clerk for the dictates of the eauetis ; debate is silenced
and consideration is banished. At a suggestion from
partisans out of doors, the sacred rights of a great
city are sacrificed ; every responsibility surrounding
legislation is gone: and the result has been such a se-ries
of legislative measures as will, perhaps, revive in
the memories of the people of Maryland the fading
sense of the greatness of the calamity indicted upon
lliem when Democrats control a majority in bulb branch-es
of their Legislature.
Since, sir, they have seen fit to botmr me with their
Censure, il is fit that this high and honorable body
should have ihe means a little more in detail of appre-ciating
ihe weight at that censure.
Ambitious of the reputation of Justinian, and not en-lightened
by the great jurists which surrounded his
throne, the General Assembly of Maryland, in the first
few days, not of their consultation, not of their consid-eration,
but of their session, adopted, without reading
it. and in profound ignorance of its provisions, a code
defining ihe rights ol person and property of every cit-izen
in the Stale of Maryland : and a great part of the
residue of the brief period assigned lliem by the con-stitution
has been occupied in repealing and altering
the code they had just adopted.
Anxious to overrule the popular will and touch the
fruits of political success, where political success is
not lik.dy to be attained by the will of the people, they
have been exceedingly desirous to empty some of the
offices which, in Baltimore, were tilled by the popular
vote ; and evidence having been taken in contests be
tween members of the Legislature and persons claim
ing their seats, the honorable the committee of thebody
nl which 1 am speaking, so cognizant of the laws of the
I tnd, so aware it tne rights of justice, and so anxious
■ •; e them ;u'i .11 -ci. allows thai evidence, taMbn be-hind
the backs ol gentl men whose offices are contest-ed,
to be ;.i., '.:, 1 . nisi them, upon tli" witnesses mere-ly
lueuiiiying . leir depositions formerly taken. Per-haps
they w< • conscious, Mr. Chairman, that some
wim — s eimii . sately be resworn after the lapse of a
,\ aso. able time.
In the mid t of the excitement in the country upon
the negro question, it is qot surprising that they have
pome men among them anxious to follow ihe deplorable
examp!.! which has In en set recently elsewhere, shock
ing i" the-sensibilities of the great mass of the people
of Mary) ind, of reducing into slavery the men that our
lathers freed. That such a measure is now depending
before that Legislature, and receiving such considera-tion
as il can give to anything, instead of having been
iastanlly rejected, or leave to bring il in refused, this,
sir. would be cause of great surprise in any other Legis-lature
assembled in Maryland. Bui. sir. 1 fear that
nothing but the unanimous shriek of indignation which
.-ling from one end of Maryland to the other averted ihe
danger of the passage id some such despotic and op-pressive
measure, and one seriously and rashly unsett-ling
the industrial interests of Maryland.
From these few circumstances, perhaps, we may be-gin
to divine something of the character of that honor-able
body and the scope of its legislative sagacity.—
They are slill more careful of southern rights. They
boast themselves their sole guardians in Maryland.—
They are diligent and not unsuccessful students of the
debates of this House. They were smitten with admi- I
ration of the resolution offered—and s,, long debated in
this House—by the honorable gentleman, my friend
from Missouri. [Mr. CLARK.] A bill was pending be-fore
the Legislature of Maryland for the purpose of
disfranchising a great city refractory to the Democrat-ic
yoke. Certain respectable attorneys, knowing as
much of constitutional law as is comprised in the art of
special pleading, aspired to apply these microscopic
principles of their favorite art to the construction of
the constitution, and the result of that novel applica-tion
was a bill which annulled by evasion, and repealed
by direct enactment of the Legislature, some of the
most fundamental provisions of ihe constitution itself.
Accepted at the hands of its legal originators, by tin-caucus—
if ever read, yet never understood, by the ma-jority
in either House—it was about to receive the con-firmation
of the Legislature, when a grave omission
was discovered. It said nothing about the negro ques-tion.
That was beyond the province of special plead-ing:
and the Legislature rashly tried their 'prentice
hand on a proviso. They solemnly incorporated in the
bill the following clause:
'• Provided, That no Black Republican, or endorser or
supporter of the Helper book, shall be appointed to any
office under the said board,"
I'pon its passage, the yeas and nays were called and
recorded; but I should not perform a grateful task
were I 10 rescue their names from their native oblivion
and spread them on the face of the debates of this
House.
The proviso was the fit cap and bells for such a bill.
Its provisions deprived a great city of their osnstitu-tional
right to self-government by a flagrant usurpa-tion.
It was fit that the men who were ambitious of
the honor of passing that act should likewise place in
the bill the measure ot their capacity, by enacting
what they, with ihe same breath, condemned. Per-haps
the most obnoxious portion of Helper's book is
the proscription of fellow-citizens for their opinions on
slavery : and the proviso, for the first time in American
legislation, excludes by law from a municipal office all
the members of the most numerous political party in
the United States by their party name, and because of
their political opinions ascribed to ihcm by their ene-mies.
The proviso does not confine its exclusion to the
approvers of Helper's book—itself sufficiently ridicu-lous—
but deprives the honorable gentleman from Ohio,
[Mr. CORWIN.] and the Speaker of this House, and the
Governor of almost every free State, and over a million
of voters, from all chance of promotion in the police
department of Baltimore. Possibly the people might
noi have selected them : but the Legislature apparently
feared thai their board of commissioners might.
Their vigilance having been once awakened. Ihey
were not content with having thus protected the insti-tutions
of the people of Maryland against the wiles of
this great northern party, by excluding Ihern from the
high and lucrative position of policemen. They were
called upon shortly afterwards lo pass upon another
measure, a city railroad for Baltimore—a dangerous
contrivance of northern ingenuity, which would cover
with its network of tracks that great city, on whose cars
thousands of people might come in contact daily with
the conductors and directors, and by them, if not ituand.
the subtle poison of anti-slavery sentiment might be
diffused through all the streets and alleys of Baltimore,
wishout anybody being the wiser. That sagacious and
learnod body, the Sanale. having hurried through the
code for the purpose of getting at those things which
touch the vital interests of the country, having before
them this bill for the inauguratian of that great mod-ern
convenience in the city of Baltimore, thought thai
there likewise they should protect themselves by law
against this poison in the atmosphere. And therefore
it was provided, and now stands as a part of that bill—
■• That no Murk Republiean, or indorser or approver
of the Helper book, [laughter.] shall receive any of the
benefits and privileges of this act, or be employed in
capacity by the said railway company." [Renewed
laughter.]
I want honorable gentlemen upon ibis side of the
House, the Helperites as well as ol hers, to know, that
when ihey pass home through the city of Baltimore
ihev must be prepared, at the car doors, to deny their
political principles, or lose the lightning train.—
[Laughter.] Disappointed office-seekers here can find
employment there only by apostaey. and secret trusts
alone can secure Black Republican capital in this lu-crative
investment.
Sir. in the course of a few days there was before the
Legislature another bill for the purpose of endowing an
agricultural society in the Slate. An energetic, but not
discreet, representative of the dominant parly rose ami
moved to apply this proviso to that bill. We all know
that contamination does not spread so rapidly in tlie
rural districts, as ill our great cities, and some legisla-tor,
more sagacious than his brethren, reflected that
there are Black Republicans who raise Morgan horses,
and Durham cattle, and Southdown sheep, and Alder-neys.
and thai occasionally a Black Republican invents
a plow, and that these things lessen the burden or en-hance
the profits of agricultural labor : and in singular
contrast to the rest of their conduct, in a lucid Interval,
they actually voted down the proviso;
But the Senate having at this point made themselves,
as the Frenchman would say, suspected, in spite of their
earnest ami disinterested guardianship of southern in-stitutions,
even at the expense of making themselves
ridiculous, the House ot Delegates next assumed the
guardianship of the Representatives upon this floor.—
They had passed a resolution, prior to the election ot
Speaker, which was intended to condemn beforehand
any vote which should not be for some one of the hon-orable
gentlemen from the Democratic party. I knew
it was aimed at me : lor they knew that, highly as I
respected those gentlemen: eminently fit by knowledge
and experience for that position as I know many ol
them to be; entire as is my confidence in their person
al honor, lo the extent of trusting my fortune, my life,
and my honor in I heir hands, yet I did not consider
them safe depositors for any of the political powers ol
this Government, and that all they could do would not
make me waver one hairs breadth from what ihey
knew was my firm resolve.
But it is unfortunate that the gentlemen upon thai
side of the legislative body are more devoted to study
the Cincinnati platform than Blair's Rhetoric or Whaie-ley'sRulesof
Logic, ami they became afflicted with
that entire incapacity of saying anything which has not
two meanings which so singularly characterizes the
authors of that remarkable platform. They moved a
resolution in such ambiguous terms, that my honoihle
friends in the Maryland Legislature thought it was a
condemnation of the gentlemen on the Administration
side of the House for not having elected ihe gentleman
from North Carolina, for whom I cast my vole so perse-veringly
and so fruitlessly. I had intended to waive
the benefit of the ambiguity. I intended to have re-sponded
to them in the sense of the gentleman who
moved lliem. bui events were so rapid, that before 1
could have an opportunity to express my opinion of
them. I was overruled and oppressed by another. The
elevation of the gentleman from New Jersey to the
Speaker's chair instantly revived all their earnestness
for the protection of southern rights.
My vote recalled lo them that they were committed
by what they h.-.d said before, to follow it up with an
explicit condemnation of the act which had now been
perpetrated. And thereupon, the honorable the House
of Delegates of Maryland thus resolved:
••Resolved. % the General Attembty of Maryland.
That Henry Winter Davis, acting in Congress as one
ol the Representatives of this State"—
Sir. it is greatly to be regretted thai those gentlemen
do not art in the Legislature of Maryland as represen-tatives
of Mary land—
••by his vote for Mr. Penninglon"—
They did not know his Christian name—
••the candidate of the Black Republican parly"—
Think of il. Mr. Chairman! spread upon the statute
book of Maryland forever : "of the Black Republican
party"—
•• for the Speakership of the House of Representatives,
has misrepresented the sentiment of all parts of this
Stale, and thereby forfeited the confidence of her peo-ple."
I respectfully tell ihe gentlemen who voted for that
resolution to take back their message to their masters,
and say that I speak to their masters face lo face, and
not through them. Sir. it has always been the Striking
and marked peculiarity of that party which now acci-dentally,
and temporarily, predominates in the councils
of Maryland, that they will allow no opportunity 10 pass
of. what they call, ••indicating their entire fealty to the
South:" ami that. sir. always consists in exciting sec-tional
strife, in mooting matters which men ought not
to argue, in libeling their neighbors, in endeavoring to
make them hateful and disgusting to their fellow-citi-zens,
in giving an advertisement to the whole country
that everybody who is not a Democrat is an Abolitionist: I
and that if any fanatics shall see fit at any time to
come within the limits of a southern Stale for the pur- j
pose of shaking and unsettling the solid foundations of
society, there would be found men who. if they feared
to join them, would yet sympathise with them. Their
whole policy is to poison the minds of our people against
every man not a Democrat in the free States, to inspire
them with distrust, apprehension, and terror, to teach
them to look on the accession to power of any one call-ed
by the name of Republican as not merely a change
of power ft one to another political party, differing
in principle and policy, but equally loyal to the United
States, bill as not far removed from such oppression
and danger as to furnish just cause of seeking revolu-tionary
remedies. Their hope seems to be to retain
power by the fears of one half the people for the exist-ence
of slavery, and of the other half for the existence
of Ihe Union. Agitation, clamor, vituperation, auda-cious
and pertinacious, are their weapons of warfare.—
Of this spirit the Legislature of Maryland, as now con-stituted,
is the incarnation. It stands the embodiment
of that terrific vision of the Portress of Hell gate, who, ]
to the eye of M-lton, 6
" Seemed woman to the waist, and fair,
But ended foul in many a scaly fold
Y'oluminous and vast—a serpent armed
With mortal sting: about her middle round
rung
A cry of hell-bounds never ceasing barked
Wu'-j Wide ('erberean mouths full loud, and i„.,
a hideous peal: yet when they list would creep,
It aught disturbed their noise, into her womb
And kennel there, yet there still barked and howled
Within unseen."
11 »nd lhey' a? faUe ,0 ,heir mission as the Portress of
Hell to hers stand ready, for the purpose of retaining
their hold of power, to let loose on this blessed land the
oatun of demoniacal passion.
And then, sir, in the midst of these more noisy, bois-terous
and disturbing elements, there is a certain num-ber
of small, shriveled, restless beings, incapable of
wielding the arms of logic or of reason, yet skilful to
scratch with poisoned weapons. Of such are the hon-orable
gentlemen who contrived the resolution.
They supposed that I was so weak before my friends
in Maryland that they could take from me the confi-dence
of that constituency which has stood by me
through good report and through evil report, while
it blew a storm as well as when it was calm. Sir, I
REPRESENT MY constituents ; and I know the people of
Maryland even beyond the limits of my constituents
better than those dabblers in eternal agitation: and I
say that, right or wrong, wise or unwise, honest in its
motives or unfaithful in Its motives, that vote of mine
is. to-day, not only approved, but honored and applaud-ed
by every man whose opinion I regard. [Applause in
the galleries.] I say that now, this day. I am stronger
in my district and in the State of Maryland, in any ap-peal
I may see fit to make to the people, on my vote for
Speaker, thai, all Hie banded body of the Legislature
bound into one man. And, sir, unless I am greatly
deceived by the press of the southern Opposition, the
American members of the Legislature are as litile in
sympathy with their political friends in the South as
they are with 1 lie people of Maryland.
Why, sir. what are the circumstances of that election?
I. sir, have no lpologies to make. I have no excuses
to render. What I did. I did on my own judgment, and
did not look across my shoulder .0 see what my constit-uents
would think. I told my constituents that I would
come here a free man. or not at all : and they sent me
here on that condition. I told them that if they want-ed
a slave to represent them, they could gel "plenty:
but I was not one. I told them that 1 had already
passed through more than one difficult, complex, dan-gerous,
session of Congress : that Iliad been obliged,
again and again, to do that which is least grateful to
my feelings, to stand not merely opposed to my honora-ble
political opponents, but lo stand alone among my
political friends without the strength and support which
a public man receives from being buoyed up breast-high
by men of like sentiments, elected on like princi-ples,
and who. if there be error, would stand as a shield
and bulwark between him and bis responsibility. I
foresaw then, exactly as il resulted, that the lime would
come when 1 would be obliged again to lake thai stand:
and I wanted my people to know il, so lhal if they chose
io have another, one who would go contrary to his
judgment, and bend like a willow when the storm came,
they might pick him out. and choose the material for
their work.
Mr. Chairman, they sent me here, anil I have done
what 1 jiiiow was my duty. Sr. it is my proud satiar
faction at this moment that, having given no side-wind
reasons, having made no apolbgetie statement, spon-taneously,
without asking. I k-iow this day that my
constituents approve what 1 have done: 11ndthal.il
not 1 lie fit reason for my doing so. is at least a consola-tion
after doing it. .
The honorable gentlemen of the Legislature presume
to know better what my constituents think than 1 do.
They possibly will find out that they do not know so
much about the honorable gentleman who occupies the
Speaker's chair as my consul lien's know. The objec-tion
made to me in the Maryland Legislature by the
mover of one of the resolutions was, that 1 had not vot-ed
for my friend from North Carolinw. The rapidity
of the transit ofinfbrmation from Washington to Anna
polis is apparent to any one. The diligence with
which these self-constituted judges of my conduct make
themselves acquainted with il. adds greatly to ihe
weight of their condemnation. The care with which
they studied the code before its passage, leads me to
fear thai they learn our proceedings chiefly from ex-purgateJ
editions in their country newspapers, via* Al-leghany
and St. Mary's. Not only no Democrat, hul
no American, could, or ventured, or cared, to correct
the blunder.
Thus ignorant of cotemporary events, it were nnrea
sonable to expect them to knew events twenty years
old—to them a period beyond the memory of man 01
newspaper—the subject of tradition, merely.
Il is not lo tie supposed lln t they could identify tin
honorable gentleman who so ,v -rthily fills the Speaker's
chair, with that Whig Govern] ir of New Jersey whose
broad seal was discarded I y the Democrats of this
House when they wished to Usurp the Speakership of
the House, and had not the votes to do it without reject-ing
the votes of the New .l.r-ey members. They did
not. but my constituents do know that fact : and ihey
think that his election is a righteous rebuke, after long
delay, for thai usurpation. TKey know—though it can-not
be supposed the Legislature do—that the Governor
of New Jersey, of that day. 1 : s a Whig in ihe day ol
Whig greatness. The gentlemen of the Legislature
cannot be expected to know, but my constituents know,
that General Taylor appointed to a high office, in hi.-
gift. ihat same distinguished gentleman, and that,
though the Senate of the United States unanimously
Confirmed him. he declined the honor. The gentlemen
of this Legislature cannot be expected lo know that
Millard Fillmoie. whose name il ihisday. in Maryland,
stands second only to that id" the immortal Clay, ap-pointed
him likewise to another high and responsible
office, which he declined to accept Perhaps his con-tempt
for office excites the 1 indignation. They, of
course, cannot he expected lo know Ihat Ihe distinguish-ed
gentleman to whom 1 refer is a Whig in his politics,
now rallied a Republican, in favor of the enforcement
of every law that any southern State has any interest
in. and of that one in which Maryland, more than any
other, ha- a direct and practical, not a political and
party interest. The geutlem•■• of the Legislature could
not be expected to know—bit toy constituents know—
that this honorable gentleman is sound on all those
more practical questions tow ; ing the protection ot
American industry and river an 1 harbor improvements,
ii: which thev have so direct Hid deep an interest.—
Thev know full well that it is 1 v the votes of such men
we must secure the inauguraHon of that policy, so es-sential
to the industrial interests of Maryland.
The gentlemen of the Legislature may nol know—
but my constitiunts know—thai above and beyond all
other "things, the gentleman whom I aided in elevating
to the chair is ii moderate i ii MS, ill favor of silence on
ihe -lavery question, of pulti'ij an end to the interne-cine
-trite of sections that hits raged for years; mid.
therefore, of all men the man to sit in that chair—at
once the symbol and the pled; r to the country of the
peace that'is before us, if we will only not repel it. Il
i- becauae my constituents know and approve these
things, thai thev approve my v >te.
I supposed ilnt there would he clamor over that vote.
I did not intend to trouble mv - If about it. 1 knew the
quarter from which it was likely to come. I knew that
the majority of ihe gentlemen -■'■' the Legislature would
adopt some such resolution. I confess myself surpris-ed
that my own friends. cxcc]p tig four of them, voted
for it. 1 tear that in an evil In. ir some of them allowed
themselves to be frightened. 1 suspect some of them
were afraid ihat ihey should b called "Abolitionists."
Subjected to the torture of voting against a resolution
which was supposed to be in ii, or of southern rights,
or of deserting a friend, they c uM not be expected lo
regard justice to me rather than safety to themselves.
So every man look care of him 'If. Some voted for the
resolutions who went through their election on my
shoulders. They did not kt:. w that when they saw
away the hough between thenuti lves and the tree they
uiust fali. [Laughter.] But. sir. it wa- . curious
scene, that vote. The clerk ailed the name of an
American in the Legislature 0111 . and there was a pause;
twice, and there was a sliufflin : thrice, and there was
a hesitating response. Then •here was a period of
blessed repose, when certain
called and were responded to «
which Democrats always resp
nt a political adversary. Then
icans were called upon to vote
first on one leg. and then on Ii
which lo rest : gentlemen looked over their shoulders
to see if there were not some d -t of a coming reprieve:
some rushed to inquire of frien-: - whether they ought or
ought not to vote for the resolution :—while there sat
their inexorable and determine- opponents, wiih their
eves glaring upon them and th- r mouths open, sure of
their prey after the fluttering Vas over: and in they
went. [Laughter] The seen; I am surc'l should nev-
-mocraiic names were
h that earne-tiiess with
I when aiming a blow
ome unfortunate Amer
The gentlemen stood
1 other, in sad doubt on
er have been able to describe had it not heeh for the
tfirtue and agony which certain honorable gentlemen
upon the other side of the House suffered when called
upon to cast a patriotic vote for my friend fr North
Carolina. [Renewed laughter.] Sir, I admire the
audacity of the Maryland Democrat as much as I de-plore
the weakness of the Maryland American.
Mr. Chairman. 1 know ihat 1 have to meet—and I
■hall meet with all equanimity—all the obloquy that is
attached to the course that I have felt it to be my duty
to pursue; and 1 know thai so far as I am worth pur
Buing—a gentleman in the Legislature had difficulties
about passing the resolution for fear it should give mc
too much importance^—so far as 1 am worth pursuing.
I do not doubt that I shall be well hounded. 1 remem-ber
that a great many years ago. not ibis Hall, but the
old Hall of Representatives, was the scene of a grea
struggle, which excited the country al that da v as mm 1,
as the one through which we have just passed excited
us in our day: and I remember, sir. that there was an
illustrious individual who there found himself hound b\
his duty to the country i0 depart from his personal pre
ferences. and. to some extent, from bis politic al friends.
and to cast a decisive vote for John Ouincy Adams, ol
Massachusetts, for President. And from that day to
the day of his death, there was no lime that the bowl
of "bargain and corruption" did not pursue him to his
grave. Sir. I have sat al his feet and learned my polit-ical
principles. I can tread bis path of political mar-tyrdom.
Before any cry of Legists ture* or people I
will not yield: they may pass over my prostrate body
or my ruined reputation: but step aside I will not to
avoid either fate, i rare not. sir. whether it be in one
shape or another that ihe danger may come. I am a
ware thai we will this day regard the negro question as
that which is decisive, important, and controlling.—
There have been ot hers at other times equally impor
tanl, equally exciting, equally controlling. There have
been Legislatures that have been anxious to strike
down a political opponent. There have been timid con
stituencies who have deserted their Representatives foi
serving them too faithfully. There have been stormy
constituencies which demanded humiliating things ol
their Representatives. The special trial of our day
comes inmi the feverish excitement on the slavery ques
tion ; and the despotic intolerance of any deviation from
the extremes! views jf either side. For myself, sir. on
every question I mean to assert nay independence, awed
by 110 authority into acts which I disapprove.
•• Non civium ardor//roi-ajubenlium.
Mente .plant solida—neaut 'tuttir"—
No. sir; nol even the antta irind. Whether it relates lo
a matter of financial policy, or to a matter of sectional
strife, no man is fit for this place who is not willing to
take his political life in his hand. and. without looking
back, go forward on the line of what he regards as right;
and. sir. whether it relates lo the material interests nl
my constituents, or lo those great political' interests
which are supposed to tie bound up with the existence
of slavery in ihe -lave Slates. I (nut 1 shall never allon
myself, by any clamor, or by any -torni. however loud,
or however fierce, for an instant to be made to veer from
that course which strikes me to be right. I am not
here merely as a member from the fourth congressional
district of Maryland. I am not here merely te repre
sent the residue of Ihe State of Maryland. I am noi
entitled tocon-iilt their prejudices as only worthy of re-gard.
I am bound lo look fo a wider constituency, to
a higher duty. If my duty to thai wider Constituency
can be made to promote the interests of mj local con-stituency,
then my duty to the two coincides. Bui.
sir. in the great necessities of public life, there have
been heretofore, and there may lie again, occa-sions on
which I may be called upon, as other public men have
heretofore been, to make the painful decision that tin
interest of ihe mil ion requires that I shall disregard
opinions, unanimous, firm, repeatedly expressed, of in\
Constituency. I humbly pray Ihat that may not occur.
but that, it it do. I shall have strength equal to ihe oc-casion;
al least such now is my resolution.
Mr. Chairman. I had intended, but I have nol lime,
to speak to one or two other points. [Cries of ••(;..
on !"] I think ihat the spirit which lies at the bottom
of the resolutions which ihe lower House of the l.egi-latureof
Maryland in an evil hour has odopted, is ol
sinister import to ih people of this country. I wish,
sir, 1 had time lo develop how sinister it i>.
They were extraordinary eircumati aces under whir!
the election of Speaker took place, which is suuunarih
condemned by thai Legislature. We had met. and been
struggling for eight weeks. I think. At the meeting ol
this session ofCongress.au explosion of passion of rev
olutionary intensity—beyond anything il has been mj
fortune to see hire or lo read of oiitsi le of the revolu-tionary
assemblies of Paris—greeted us upon our ad
vent. One greai body of gentlemen, evidently deep!*
in earliest, however much 1 may deplore that carne-l-ne-
s. and however much I may think them in error ii
Uieir estimate of the causes of their indignation, mani
lestly fell themselves to be upon the brink ot great, d.
cisivc, and revolt.i ...nary events. One poili-.n of thi
House, day alter day. branded ihe Representative! ••
the great majority of the people ol Ihe free Slate-a
traitors to the country, instigators of aaaasaination, beni
upon breaking up and destroying slavery in the Stiiie-carrj
ing into Ihe midst of our families Ihe lurch and lln
knite of ihe assassin and incendiary, Great Slates
moved from their propriety, passed b ryond what hiih
erio ihey had done, and adopted resolutions which
however moderate in their tone, looked revolutionary in
their asjH-ct. and must, in llieir execution, have beet
revolutionary. For ihe first lime. 1 believe, in ihe his-tory
of the Government, a great and patriotic State was
so deeply moved as to be forgetful of that clause of the
Constitution which forbids the entering of ..lie Stale in
to compacts or argreements with another, and to send
one ol her justly distinguished citizens to the capital ot
Yirginia for the purpose of arranging a common consul.
tation among the southern Slates—not une oftfaoM eon
ventions which Iroiu time lo time have met under the
usurped authority of a Governor: not one <>f those com-mercial
Conventions which from lime to time have been
Ihe result of 11 movement M the part of a ci rtain portion
of the southern people—but a mission assuming all the
solemn forms of an embassy, speaking the tones of the
last hour before the revolution breaks out, appealing to
the people of Yirginia, in their sovereign capacity a-represented
in their Legislature, by reason of a melan-choly
event which had just transpired, lo -end delegates
hi/ law 10 a convention of States which, if it did any-thing,
must :is-ume thi' form and functions of thai great
revolutionary Congress which took the e-niier -n-ps te
break the bonds thai I nd OUT fathers to lie- lln 1
Great Britian.
I do not agree wtlh those gentlemen a- to the cin-i ■
of thai excitement. I profoundly regret th" steps that
those various Legislatures thought fit to take, a- much
as I deplore the intense agitation of the popular mind
which tolerated or favored llieir adoption. But. sir. I
stand here aworn to support the Constitution of //,...
United BtateS not of any other confederacy which a
future sun may rise upon—to support the Constitution
of these United State-: and. under these ciicuiii-ianre-.
was it to be expected, or did :ho people of Maryland,
expect, that their Representative aero should, when hi-vote
would elevate to the 8peaker*I chair a gentleman,
personally and politically, in every way. M tar as I am
acquainted whh bis character and previous conduct, a
symbol of peace---of peace lo those very Slate- rhnl were
so excited and revolutionary in llieir measure-—that 1
should ailow the opportunity lo pass of placing that ol-ive
branch where men all over this wide land couM lee
it ? Or. sir. to lake another alternative, if the dire day
must come that peaceful secession shall be attempted,
and it shall be found ihat peaceful ecceosion means ihe
aireeBf the United Stales marshal in the execution of
his office, the driving of the United State- judge from
ihe -eat of justice; ihe taking posses-ion of the Cal
lorn houses of Ihe United Stales : the BI reeling the ex-ecution
of all the laws of the United Slat.-: -ir. was it
in accordance with my dutj here to allow this Govern
ment to be caught in circumstances so grave, in a erhni
so imminent, without a House of Representatives eon
peteut to sanction measures which then might be neeoe-sary
'.' Was il nol a still higher duly to avert the very
possibility of Collisions to disastrous, by removing ihe j
appiehen-ioiis which might prccipilaic them? And
how could that be so well accomplished as by the elc- I
Vatlon lo the contested chair "fa gentleman who-e pre- I
viou- political relations, whose known character for ;
moderation, who-e opinion- on the most vexed and deli- |
cate questions of an administrative character touching
the sensitive interests of the slave States, who-e ami
hairs, crowning a long life i<f honor, all ga\e assurance
to those who looked with undefined apprehension to *
different result of ihe contest Cor Speaker,thai under his
auspices there might be psnCOi tlint at lea-t there is
time for reflection : that at lea-: there is nn hour before !
strife, when men may pause and become cool?
The honorable the House of Delegates thought olh- \
erwise. Such considerations were wholly beneath
Iheir view, that anarchy had better ri ign than that any
one called by the name of Republican should he elee- !
ted Speaker: than thai the people of Maryland should
see the sad example of the whole body of the Repnbli- |
can Represeiitati.es uniting to elect a gentleman known
and formally declaredj in their hearing, to favor ' •
enforcement of every law", and the protection of ev t <
kstrist
•d J
10 tnvusion of Y'irginia at all ; slill less an
i.i-
Virginia by or from a free Stale. It »|*
icy to tree negroes ; arrested in the atie.a | ;
interest they are represented to be bent on deatroytag ;
nay, for the overthrow and ruin of which their itft
party is pronounced a conspiracy.
Sir, there is no act of my life I lees regret run;-
more defensible on high and tlalesmaulike teas* 1
none where the event has more promptly indicated
wisdom. Even now it - fruits are, if 1 mistake not,
ible. The people are relapsing into repose m t
•ountry. Cnafed passions explode less violently ia iC
House.
1 1 rust that now the calmer judgment of the other
aide of the House will modify their views heretofore c \-
pressed. and limit and soften the sweeping judgan ■
A-I.ieh impeached a whole | "lilies", party of conspira y
10 promote sirvile insurrection.
1 think ihey will be inclined lo take a somewhat dif-erent
view of the origin. Ike character, and the ■
of John Brown's crime.
Ii was no invasion vasion of Vi
a conspiracy
defended with arms ; stained with murder, and puiiiH
ed with death. It was a crime to be dealt «i;!i
judge and jury and sheriff.
The utmost vigilance of iwo governments haa fsil
to trace a single connection with any body of men f
any State. Two of Browu's confederates were artJ
ted in Pennsylvania without warrant and carried wi<
-ait a guard to jail in Yirginia. His arsenal conlaii .1
'wo hundred Sharpe's rifles and something over a th u-sand
pikes: bis army consisted of about twenty
and though rumor promised him succor, no one ever
-aw a body of men or a siugle man marching IS
him or lo rescue him Not a slave joined him td 1 D
larily : not one lifted his hand against his ina-ter ,11
were anxious to return to the bosom of their mat - I
lamilirs.
Atrocious as was the crime, and great as is thecau e,
I have to deplore some of ihe best blood abed, tAi'.
1 i 1 e has revealed a state of fart and of feeling. I * Ii
among our own population and that of ihe tree S;nt|-.
on which our eyes oughl to rest with satisfacli"
view of the future.
It negatives the existence of any conspiracy agai|
our peace in ihe free Slates of the" Confederacy. S
erlhe plan nor the execution rrvaled any higher ini
genie or greater power behind the crazy enthu-i ".
who acted in the tragedy. To lay this blood at ilia
door of a grent political party of our fellow-ci 1 i z. 1.-.
who now control the government of every free Sit
Sept two. in spite of the indignant denial of all 'heir
Itepresentatives here, and without a particle of prt*il in
act. i- nol reasonable. It is to call Dirk liallei. s ■>
defense, in his lair, an invasion of Scotland! ll li 10
lay the bloody deeds of Ralfour of Burleigh on; Ihe
whole body of the Protestants in Scotland!
Bui the keenness with which gentlemen feel |this
crime against the peace of a slave Slate may wrll 'lia-ble
them to appreciate how the more aggravated cents
in Kansas inflamed the minds ofineii in ihe free Si des,
and fired ihe fanaticism of Brown lo point of bloodv re- .
venge.
'Inat men and women of like mind, iu whom, on o.ie.
subject, the ideas of right anil wrong are sadly d.-
tiered sympathised with the convicts: that some
pers applauded his deed, and some pulpits echoed h -
logy, are certainly symptoms of no sound state of m\
els in the asters; but they are of no political Srgtj
cestBSln the populous North. On this floor they |"
unrepresentative That bloody type of fanaticism ,t
of ali things, mosl rare among Ihe Abolitionist": lad
ihey are a body of enthusiasts who biive never, to niy
knowledge, had ten Representatives in this Hall. ! tit
to sympathize with a criminal, to pity a convict, to con-sldei
the conviction and expiation, and the exriii.i .1 a
martyrdom, is too common at this day to exeile -in-prise
in any case. Even wilh ihe ii.ini-ters of religion.
■he ascent to the scaffold is Jacob's ladder the gallows'.
is the very gate of Heaven: and the old foimiili of
pat et miiericonlia is changed for one in Ihe spiri . if
not in the words, of Edgeworth, "Son of St- Louis, aa-cend
lo Heaven !"
I dwell on these matters the more, because they liars
been made ihe occasion of exaggerated inferences a^td
ihe proofs of unfounded fears, which a more tbocuuMl
.1 at oiler contemplation of the manifest ai ioi;s oil hoi,At
ind feeling in our our free American Bseietl »ili ll-
|K1 I seek for signs of peace. I will explore 1 -. -J.
region for ground of returning confluence. I th .-,
then is no ground for the excitement which has pr#<
railed. I think the longer gentlemen look al the IH
ihey will the more surely see that 1 heir teelings U
1 hem to extremes which they will roi It-inclined to 1
pent.
in this spirit. I feel aurc ihey will be ineiin-d to ar-"
epl the formal declaration of the gciitlcniM: from Ol 10
who was lite first candidate il the Noltitel'-t 'Ipposii.oli
mi- Speaker, al its .nil vahiea nd scope :
-•I s.iy now. that there is not a single MMOtisSI SRi-
1 a ling iho public; mind; noi a single topic on uhli
iln i- 1.111 be sectional jealousy or sectional contra 1
u.-.-It -s g. til lent.'it on ihe other sitl e < I I '.•■ House llit'i-
-o a. subjects 011 us. I rep. at. nol a singb quest I
He so spoke while a camlidaie ; and h.'rl he said |x*
actly ihe apposite, there is not a gentleman on the
iniiiistralioii side of ihe House who would not have
it in Ihe car- .-I his eoiisliioci.i s a- lit.- ui.'Itori/ed aul
lormal avowal of nil his eiu inn s impute I 1 his nsstj *
iiul Icing a declaration of pea"e. instead, ol "in
war. shall we Impeach il- faiih iln.t 1 11, I. an may
subside .' or ought we not rather te read 'hi- teal—ai .
linn italively spoken in the presence of the gentium^
whose candidate he was. and who mneti d il by lln' ■
continued support lor nearly Iwo nioutl - ufteiwar.l- --
by ihe light ol that magnificent era I ion ot his distirgu lb-edeoUeague,
[Mr. Conwis,] which won theheert of
even hearer by He general and enmptvheaalve spirit,
and inaugurated in this Hall, after the -ileiu-e ol ye in,
the example of great parliamentary sloqueSWef
These declarations are reiiireraicd aSBSVSStasS I at
there is no intention of invading the right! or qiiie of
any slavcholding State ; that there is in. design 01
-in- to tamper wilh or trouble slavery where il exi s:
that Ihey are willing to let the -object alone, if oil 1,
are willing to let things stand as they are.
Are declarations like these lo be 1 ucouiilered n-l
outweighed by the irresponsible clamors ol wall, tjl
new*] tpera, by trumpery resekathmi al excited 1 •'»»
1 tings, or by the ambiguous, contradictory, and , I
ting piatforaU hastily ennlrived for an emergency. Ul
than forgotten! Ii wa- ssa ol Mr. Ralboua'aprofo-n]
and -ague-ions remarks, that there wa- a strong tin }
cv In confound ihe machinery of pa. lie- wilh loin,
bodies known to the law : and to isam the Utter li
the former. The debates of thi- scs-o.n have been o
perpetual illustration of ils truth. They have rrpe.it
bete the discussion- of ihe hustings, dealt here with ''
I contriviinces of parly warefare and Invoked such pr . 1 •
(0 repeal and annul I he formal representation* of Ihe
Constitutional Representative* of the | pie. louch't.g
their purpeess.
I invoke gentlemen toneeept the declaration of the! le-gal
Representative, touching lb* purpose* of the has
pie who -eiil him here 10 repre*enl lliem In thai it-ry
thing. Men may clamor, partisan* may propose, Jpa
pet- may print a thousand things, and 110 one can to
1
explain or contradict them : for no one in reapoii- bio
lorlln-iii. Silence is no eon*ent : il i-mere indiflei. ice
or contempt, it is the conduct af tne Bepveasmtatrt to
which the people look, when ihey noii.d know if t ey
were truly represented : and it i* lo that Reprene: la-livewe
-hould look when we wish to know ihe *| "it
and policy hi* const ituenis contemplate.
There will always be more or le*s il lhal vague di* •!'-
tation on impractical theories : such n* the po--ii ly
of property in man. or whether slavi ry be batefi. 10
God, end the like: and these views will Hway* In •,
as ihey have heretofore had. their light or ten Ri 1
-eniaiivesi.il the floor: but snrrly we can afloid te-le.
1.. -inh di--i-nmions unanswered ; and vIlauMM i;
aii-aer they will soon die "ill. Politically, the* ai ■!
no deehnvs impsrtonos. and involve no -neb enagscnaj
to keep gentlemen ulwayson ibeali'it with a re*q.« J-.
Bill the records display the ptirpon* ol parties in lb.-'
Go\eminent : and if we there investigate the *'n
of the lime*, we will find. I think, that from ItHlfl ; u
lime, there has been no single bill pr-ponsd ronlrni. la-ling
a change in the condition of afii.ii- touching alat ry .
existed before the repeal of the Missouri line.j I
bed meant re develop that ana word el |ence: bm I
have 1.ot time. The fi-l SSUtieaSlsy ": the Tbii y-
FSurth (1 egress related to the) seal ..1 1! s Delegates ft n>
Kami*. Thctm bin wan to repeal the lesss M 1
sns passed by the Legislature whose legality was
te-ted The next was Mr. Dunn's stalesmanliki
te reooganite the Tei rltori sf Kansas. The third
to admit Kansas under the Topek* uuustiimssn.
fourth was to abolish the existing law-, and to rel 1 -
ganize the Teiritorv ol Kan»a*. without one wuril i-f
slavery on one side or the other; and you know view
well, gentlemen, that al the b.*l Congress no prop"
wns entertained, excepting the question, which vou'ir-gued
and which we aigued. whether we b:.d a righ '.-.
remit to ihe people the Lecouiplou constitution, to Ifj
in-n-ill
as
he