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![handle is hein.slavery/slvyqhccw0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
TI-I] SLAVERY QUESTION.
--
SPEECH
OF
HON. C. C. WASHBURN, OF WISCONSIN.
Delivered in the U. S. House of Representatives, April 26, 1860.
The House befrig in Committee of the Whole Presidency is a prize not to be rashly declined
on the state of the Union- without full and frank conference with friends
Mr. WASHBURN said: on the spot, I do not think that he is liable to
Mr. CHAIRMAN : Soon after the organization censure for leaving his seat here and going to
of the House, I sought the floor for the purpose Charleston. Such was his haste, on coming to
of replying to a speech made by my colleague Washington last December, to define his posi-
[Mr. LARRABEE] during the contest for Speak- tion, and assail a portion of the people of' the
er. I was desirous of correcting some of his State that had honored him with a seat on this
misrepresentations, and satisfying this House floor, that he could not even wait for an organ-
and my constituen ts that I did not hold to one ization of the House. As an excuse for occu-
set of opinions at home and another here, as pying the time of the House, and to that ex-
was intimated by him. When I finally obtained tent at least for delaying its organization, he
the floor, my colleague was absent, stumping sent up and had read from the Clerk's desk the
it through the back towns of Connecticut in fa- proceedings of a German meeting in Milwau-
vor of modern Democracy; and as I did not kee to sympathize with John Brown, and to
care to speak in reply to him in his absence, I protest, in the name and behalf of the great
f ave up my chance to my friend from Illinois, majority of Germans in our Sta, against any
r. KELLOGG,] and with it I gave up my in- allegation that such sympathy was felt by them.
tention of speaking altogether. But as I dis Mr. Chairman, I know not to what extent the
cover that no business is likely to be done until German or any other portion of the people of
after the Charleston Convention is over, awl Wisconsin sympathize with John Brown. That
that if I occupy the floor now for an hour it there is any considerable number or persons in
will in no way retard the business of the coum- the Siate that approve of his raid into Virgiuis,
try, I will claim the attention of the Committee or sympathize with his method of righting what
for a short time. he regarded as a great moral wrong, I do not
I hold in my hand a speech delivered in this believe ; neither will I believe that there was a
House, on the 17th of December last, by my single person within the limits of the entire
colleague from the third district in Wisconsin, Stnte that had any knowledge or suspicion that
[Mr. LARR 1;] ntd as it was devoted some- any such enterprise was in contemplation. I
what to the Republican party of Wisconsin, never heard a Republican, in my State or out
and indirectly to his colleagues, Mr. PoTTEa of it, speak of the transaction without express-
and myself, 1 proposa to make a few running ing the most profound regret. That there is
comments upon it, as I pass along. As he is felt in Wisconsiu more or less of qympathy and
the Representative of a large and intelligent admiration for certain porsunal traits of char-
constituency, I may be pardoned for noticing acter exhibited by John Brown, while in prison
what I should otherwise pass without observa- and on ther seaffjd, it would be folly to deny.
tion. Those traits of character were such as to chal-
I regret that he is not bere ; but when I re- lenze the a imiration of Gufrnmor X\ise him-
fleet bow necessary his presence was at Charles- sel' who prinounced him the bravest man,
ton, in order to the successful management of the most truthful man, and the most sin-
that Convention, and further, that the Vice cere wan, he ever knew. It i6 not strange
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