ty to discuss these questions as much as they choose, and I
will bear my share of the responsibility for entertaining those
opinions. But I now speak to my personal record. . . .

"Again these gentlemen, while publishing in their speeches all over
the country that I am in effect a traitor, etc., by implication,
it is true, disavowing, as I am glad to say each of them have done,
any design to be personally offensive, but in a way which answers
the same purpose; yet when called upon to show proof or specifications,
they fail to do so; and the only act for which I have been arraigned
before the American people is that, in a moment when I was sitting
here, busy at my desk, and one of my friends, and late a Member of
this House, came to me and asked me to sign a paper recommending
the publication of a political tract; that, when I authorized my
name to be put to that recommendation, by that very act I became
a traitor and would place the torch in the hands of the incendiary.
I say this is not fair argument. And I again repeat that if the
Member from Missouri (Mr. Clark) desires to know what my sentiments
are in regard to the extracts read at the clerk's table, the only
portion of the Helper book I have seen or read, I will give them
if he will remove a menace from me. I never did do anything under
menace. I never will. It is not in my blood and these gentlemen
cannot put it there."

Mr. Clark rose to speak, but I continued:

"The gentleman will excuse me, I have, so far as I am concerned in
this contest, been quiet and patient. I desire to see an organization
of the House opposed to the administration. I think it is our
highest duty to investigate, to examine and analyze the mode in
which the executive powers of this government have been administered
for a few years past. That is my desire. Yes sir, I said here,
in the first remark I made, that I did not believe the slavery
question would come up at all during this session. I came here
with the expectation that we would have a business session, that
we would analyze the causes of the increased expenditures of the
government and the proper measures of redress and retrenchment.
I did not believe that the slavery question would come up, and but
for the unfortunate affair of Brown at Harper's Ferry, I did not
believe there would be any feeling on the subject. Northern Members
came here with kindly feelings, no man approving the foray of John
Brown and every man wi