6 Sir, that sentiment was uttered at a time when clergymen confined themselves to the pulpit, and preached against crime and vice; when they did not use the pulpit as a recruiting station to issue Sharpe’s rifles, and to mingle in all >he bitter strife of the forum and the Agora. It was uttered when Boston knew how to respect the feelings of others. I concur in all that is said by Mr. Dexter. I deprecate blood and violence. I will not utter i all that my heart prompts me to say, for fear of ■ encouraging young men; but this I will say, that no son of mine should ever submit to insult without satisfaction. At this point, on a suggestion of Mr. Clay, the honorable Senator yielded the floor, and the Senate adjourned. The day succeeding, Mr. Butler continued: I said yesterday that my friend, my representative, my relative, one. who is associated with me by more ties than either of these—had taken redress in. his own hands—had resorted to his own mode of redress. I said that there were considerations connected with the occasion which, though they could not justify him before a legal tribunal, would excuse any man of his character and position, representing such constituents as he represented, and bound in some measure to sympathize with the opinions of the section with which he is associated. It was impossible that he could separate himself from those conclusions which othersmight notappreciate, and some could ! not understand. But I say that gentleman dare not—I do not say 1 would have advised him—■ but in his estimation he could not go home and face such a constituency without incurring what' is the worst of all judgments—the judgment of the country against a man who is placed as a sentinel to represent it. If, in the course of these proceedings and the events which have grown out of the speech which has been made by the Senator, it shall be said that Massachusetts can be justified by falling back on an opinion which will justify her Senators and Representatives, it is, I must be permitted to say, one of the unfortunate symptoms of the times in regard to which we have no common tribunal to decide between us. Sir, it seems to indicate a crisis when the opinion of the constituency of one portion of the Confederacy ap- . plauds one whilst it is ready to consume and put to the stake another. We have always suppos’ed 1 that public opinion would be right; and sir, I distinguish public opinion very much from popular prejudice. Popular prejudice is that which would consume in ignorance to-day, what it would repent of to-morrow. Public opinion is i the judgment of an intelligent community, not : formed under the excitement of the moment. It : is not the sentiment of an irresponsible multi- 1 tude; it is not the sentiment of an ex parte decision; it is notthe judgment which can find its way into the history of the country, or which posterity will adopt as that which ought to be pronounced on the occasion. Public opinion is the highest, the gravest, the most solemn judgment to which any of us can defer. I would not give one cent for what is called public opinion, if it depended, upon ex parte views of any subject. And I say t that the resolutions which have been sent here sentiment, and it was, that his State and his blood had been insulted. He could not go into the drawing-room, or parlor, or into a reading-room, without the street commentary reproaching him. Wherever he went, the question was asked, “Has the chivalry of South Carolina escaped, and this to be a tame submission ?” What advice I would have given him I do not now undertake to say. But, sir, when this was said to this gentleman ' wherever he went, he felt that if something was J not done he could not face his constituents without losing his usefulness, and without there being । a taint on his honor and on his courage. He may have been mistaken in some respects. His I coming into the Senate house was no option of his. When he formed his determination, as I am informed,—and I have kept aloof from conversation with him,—-I judge from the evidence he had no purpose to profane the Senate house. I say the Senate house had been profaned before. Thad rather to-morrow take, ten blows inflicted on my body, than have the gas of the rhetorician poured out upon my character and State. The Senator from Massachusetts -chose to make his place here one from which to assail the history and reputation of South Carolina, and to assail an absent constituent of the gentleman who has taken redress into his own hands. In such a condition of things who could be placed in a situation more difficult? Surely, Mr. President, something is to be pardoned.to the feelings of a man acting under sensibility, and under the dictates of high honor. If any one was here, placed in a situation to feel the touching appeal made by the ghost to Hamlet, “If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not,” he was the man. Now, I ask the Secretary to read the extract ,winch I have marked in the book which I send to him, and I do not intend to say where it comes from till it is read. The Secretary read as follows: wDo not believe that I am inculcating opinions, tending to disturb the peace of society. On the contrary, they are the principles that can preserve it. It is more dangerous for the laws to give security to a man, disposed to commit outrages on the persons of his fellow-citizens, than to au- thorize those, who must otherwise meet irreparable injury, to defend themselves at every hazard. Men of eminent talents and virtue, on whose exertions, in perilous times, t&e honor and happiness of their country must depend, will always be Hable to be degraded by every daring miscreant, if they cannot defend themselves from personal insult and outrage. Men of this description must always feel, that to submit to degradation and dishonor is impossible. Nor is this feeling confined to men of that eminent grade. We I have thousands in our country who possess this spirit; and without them we should soon deservedly cease to exist as an irSfiependent nation. I respect the laws of my country, and revere the precepts of our holy religion; I should shudder at shedding human blood; I would practice moderation and forbearance, to avoid so terrible a calamity; yet, should I ever be driven to that impassable point, where degradation Md disgrace begin, may this arm shrink palsied from its socket if I fail to defend my own honor 1” Mr. BUTLER. Who uttered that sentiment? It is the sentiment of a gentleman whose speeches have always commended him to me. It is a sentiment worthy of the ancient days of Boston when Dexter spoke. This is a northern man speaking; arid I adopt his language. J say with him that, when things “ tend to that impassable point where degradation and disgrace begin, may my arm shriek palsied from its socket if I fail to defend ■ my own honor! ” I
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=