that I do
not think this line of argument is open to him, because to-day
once or twice he certainly repeated that this was a race of
radicalism, and he did not intend to be outdone. My remark was
predicated simply on the assumption of the honorable Senator that
he was disposed to enter into the race, and rather in a
disposition to welcome than discourage him.

Mr. COWAN: Mr. President, I agree that if you will allow the
gentleman to put arguments in my mouth, and to furnish me
theories as his fancy paints them, he can demolish them. I will
not agree that he is my master in any particular; but I do agree
that he can take a pair of old pantaloons out in the country and
stuff them, and make a man of straw, and that he can overthrow it
and trample upon it and kick it about with the utmost impunity.
But I do not choose to allow the honorable Senator to make either
my theories or my arguments, nor do I allow him to make
quotations from me unless he does it fairly. I gave utterance to
no such idea as that which he has just attributed to me. I did
not say that in this race of radicalism I was determined to be in
front. I said no such thing. I said that there was an onward
movement, that I yielded to that movement, and that while I
yielded to it against my own better opinion that any change was
impolitic, yet that change was inevitable, I wanted it to be as
perfect as possible, and I wanted it to be made with all the
safeguards possible.

That was my argument. I said so yesterday; I said so to-day; I
say so now; and I appeal to my friends here who have talked about
this onward movement, this progress of things, this inevitable
which was in the future, to stand now upon their theories and
upon their doctrines. That was my ground, ground simply stated,
and for that I am not to be charged here with a desire to
conciliate the honorable gentleman, or his faction, or his party,
or any other party in this country. Mr. President, I am not a
proud man, I hope; not a vain man, I hope; but I would rather be
deprived of the right of suffrage, high punishment as it is, I
would rather suffer all the penalties that would be inflicted
even by the most malignant lawgiver, than to cower or cringe or
yield to anything of mortal mould on this planet, except by