56
"twin" with, these instances. It is by Slave-masters in Congress. But I shall not enter upon this catalogue. I content myself with showing the openness with which in debate it has been the "street-fight,"
is
also
constantly adopted or attempted
menaced, and without any call to order. Mr. Foote, the same Slave-master already mentioned, in debate in the Senate, 26th of March, 1850, thus sought to provoke Mr. Benton. I take his words from the Congressional Globe, vol. 21, p.
603
" There are instances in the history of the Senator which might well relieve a yet it of honor from the obligation to recognize him as a fitting antagonist is notwithstanding true, that, if the Senator from Missouri will deign to acknowledge himself responsible to the laics of honor, he shall have a very early opportunity of proving his prowess in contest with one over whom I hold perfect control or, if he feels in the least degree aggrieved at any thing which has fallen from me, he shall, on aemanding it, have full redress accorded to him, according to the said laws of honor. I do not denounce him as a coward such language is unfitted for but if he wishes to patch up his reputation for courage, now greatthis audience ly on the wane, he will certainly have an opportunity of doing so whenever he makes At present he is shielded by his age, his open his desire known in the premises. disavowal of the obligatory laics of honor, and his senatorial privileges."
man
"With such bitter taunts and reiterated provocations to the duel was Mr. Benton pursued but there was no call to order,
nor any action of the Senate on this outrage. Here is another instance. In debate in the Senate on the 27th February, 1852, Mr. Clemens, a Slave-master of Alabama, thus directly attacked Mr. Ehett, for undertaking to settle their differences by argument in the Senate, rather than by the Duel. " No man," said he, " with the feeling of a man in his bosom, would have sought redress here. He would have looked for it He now comes here not to ask redress in the only elsewhere. way he should have sought it." There was no call to order. Here is still another. In the debate of the bill for the improvement of Eivers and Harbors, 29th July, 1854, {Congressional Globe, vol. 29, appendix, page 1163,) the Senator from
Louisiana, [Mr. Benjamin,] who is still a member of this body, ardent for Slavery, while professing to avoid personal alterca-
gentleman who professes the principles of non-resistance, as he understood the Senator from New- York does," proceeded most earnestly to repel an imagined imputation on him by Mr. Seward, and wound up by tion in the Senate, especially " with a
