PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I delivered before this body what were my deliberate views of the state of the country. I said nothing in that speech that I would take back-not a sentence-not a syllable of a sentence. That speech, or the substance of it, will be published. I am willing-my record shall go out-I am willing to abide by what I have said. After I had closed my remarks (it seems they had raised something of a flutter on the other side)quite a number of Republicans came round me here asking me various questions. I replied, that in my speech I had expressed my sentiments, and if they could find anything wrong in that, they could take it and make the most it. I made no other answer to the questions propounded to me. I only said I regard coercion as civil war, and compromise and conciliation as the only means of obviating the ruin of this divided country; and that so long as I had power to raise my arm, I would stand up and oppose any and every effort for coercion, because I believed it would be destructive of our entire country. Now, sir, I see, in the Indianapolis Journal of this morning, a squib fired at me, purporting to come from a member of this House. I will send it up to be read.
The clerk read the following:
ONE OF THEM CORNERED.
February 1,1860.ED. JOURNAL-To-day, after the Hon. Mr. Packard had finished his speech in the House of Representatives, I went to him and propounded the following question: " If war will and must come, between the North and the South, on which side will you be found?" After some hesitation he answered: "On the side of the South!" The answer was given in the presence of several gentlemen.
[-The above statement comes to us authorized by the name of a good and true man, and a member of the House. It is unquestionably true, and shows that we said no more than facts will prove when we declared that " all the traitors were not in the Gulf States." Such a man has no business in the Legislature of a State he avows his readiness to oppose by force.-Ed. Journal.]
Mr. PACKARD. I would just say, Mr.Speaker-
The SPEAKER. The Chair is unable to see exactly a question of privilege in that.
Mr. PACKARD. It is an attack on me.
Mr. FEAGLER. Mr. Speaker, I say to the gentleman, I am the man responsible for ' that.
Mr. PACKARD. I say I never answered a question-none that were asked me. And I now denounce the author of that statement as a black-hearted liar, infamous scoundrel a coward.
The SPEAKER appealed to the House to preserve order.
Mr. FEAGLER (amidst various calls to order.) That matter I can call testimony to prove, sir. I went round and put the question to you, and you stated, after hesitation, If war come you would be on the side of the South.
The SPEAKER. The House will come to order!
Mr. FEAGLER. I hurl the lie back, and I say to the gentleman-
The SPEAKER. Gentlemen, the Chair expects the House to preserve order. If this is to be made an arena for the settlement of private quarrels and resentments of member against member, the sooner we go home the better. I appeal to the House, and I hope the House will manifest a sufficient sense of itg dignity to censure members guilty of such violation of the rules. Since the announcement of yesterday, members coming in and indulging in such gross contempt of the House, should be punished by the House.
Mr. EDSON. When a member is grossly misrepresented and insulted in a newspaper has he not a right to take notice of it in his place ?
The SPEAKER. The proper course is to go to the editor, demand the author, and settle all private quarrels outside of the House.
Mr. BUNDY (by unanimous consent) submitted a preamble and resolution, which was adopted, viz :
WHEREAS, by the Constitution of the State of Indiana, it is declared that any person who shall give or accept a challenge to fight a duel shall be ineligible to any office of honor or trust; and whereas, the practice of duelling is a barbarism, and abhorrent to the moral sense of the age; therefore-
Resolved, That any member of this House who shall give or accept a challenge to fight a duel ought to be expelled therefrom.
Mr. WOODHULL desired to understand the point of privilege decided-
The SPEAKER. Anything occurring within the bar is a question of privilege. Anything transpiring without the bar, like that submitted by the gentleman from Marshall and Starke, is as much beyond the jurisdiction of the Chair as though it was in the streets of the city.
