"
Whatever the issue of the Cuban contest might be, he could lay his hand
upon his heart, and say with the Mantuan bard, "_Homo sum_." or, in the
language of our own Shakespeare, that which we call a rose by any other
name would smell as sweet. These were all the sentiments he could find
in his library which bore directly upon this subject.
Senator SUMNER then introduced a bill to provide for the resumption of
specie payments. The bill sets forth that it shall hereafter be a felony
for any person to make tender of any thing other than gold and silver to
any person of African descent, in any of the States lately in rebellion.
In moving the bill, the senator said that its passage was imperatively
demanded by several negroes whom he knew, and that he would not consent
to deliver these helpless persons into the hands of their late masters
without some such guarantee as this bill furnished. He quoted from
ARISTOTLE, LOCKE, and BURKE to prove that classes liable to oppression
were apt to be oppressed.
Senator TRUMBULL wished to know what that had to do with the resumption
of specie payments.
Senator SUMNER considered the inquiry impertinent. The great principles
of justice were always in order.
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