The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-07-12
CON CIR ESSI0N AL.
SPEECH OF HON. ). p. BENJAMIN,

SPEECH OF HON. J. II. BENJAMIN,
OF LOUISIANA,
On the Nebraska and Kansas bill delivered in the Senate
of the United States May rs, 1854.
The Senate having under consideration the bin to es-
tablish territorial governments for Nebraska and Kansas
Mr. President: The amendment before the Senate
offered BY the from Maryland commends itself
my deliberate judgment ivo:sd for it. before and shall
the necessity Of making explanation of the apparent
Inconsistency Of my votes desire to say put very few
words to the Senate.
Senators will bear me witness that when this bill was
first brought before the Senate remained very attentive
listener 70 the debates took no part in the discussion
myself II had entgined desire to do the sig
nal ability with which the bill discussed the deep his
torca research evncd by those who spoke both for and
against it. and the massive force of argument by which
sound constitutional principles vindicated by the ad
yocates Of the bill this hoor such would have
made shrink from entering into such arena with my
feeble lance But sir my silence has been sconsrued in
certain quarters and although have not the poor
Of necessity for defining my position to induce me
speak at this moment nasmuch upon the measure
which is involved in the bill feel certain that my vote
will be the true exponent of the sentiments Of my cons
uency, almost to man, yet have the misfortune to
differ in that vote from the only delegate from my State in
the other branch of Congress- who belongs to the political
party which have always adhered with unfaltering
constsncy feel it due to myself and the people Of my
State to declare here the grounds very briefly upon which
my vote viii be gven both upon the bill and upon the
Mr. President what is the present position of the ques
except the senator who has Just addressed the
Senate Mr.. BRowX bill for the organization Of these
Territories passed the Senate and went to the House
went there with an amendment which has been called the
Clayton amendment and which restricted the right of suf
frae persons who citizens of the United States
well residents Of the Territories That BILL sir has not
been acted upon by the House. The bill before us
comes here original bill from the House and
such amended by us goes back to that body and sub
ect to ts entire control The proposition now pending
to engrat upon that bill the same amendment which
before placed upon by the Senate after full discussion
The objection made 10 that is that tho friends of the bill
in the other branch of Congress inform us and believe
truly that IL goes back to the other branch with
amendment ii win pass neither with this amend
ment nor with any other And why will it not pass
1t will pass because members of the other branch
tigued with the discussion which the bill hns excited 1t
will not pass because already very large portion OF the
session, which ought to have been devoted to other lcgs
atye measures has been consumed with it. IT will not
pass because fresh discussions will arsc fresh exciting
scenes will be provoked and in order to avoid them some
gentlemen who have voted for the bill will join with its
opponents in laying it the table Such understand
from quarters which believe to be well informed upon the
subject and to whose representations attach implicit be-
lief is the state of feeling in the other House.
state these acts because the from North Caro-
lima yesterday and the senator from Mississippi moment
ago. declared that there is evidence before the Senate
show that the bill cannot be passed in the other House
with the amendment attached TO it.
never felt any inclination to enter into statement
discussion Of the reasons on which my vote was based
til yesterday morning. listened to the honorable
from Tennessee Mr. BELL with deep grief and pain You
have heard the discussion which has taken place to-day
and which cannot have faled to excite the most un-
pleasant sensations in your mind sir, well in
that Of every senator this foor The senator from
Tennessee told u.s. according to his statement OF
the fact, that almost up to the moment at which he
delivered bis speech against the bill his mind in
doubt that he had not determined whether he would
support oppose it; that it with the greatest possible
reluctance he Withdrew himself from that band of southern
brethren with whom he Ind fought SO long and noby.
Now, Mr. President after the uterancc of sentiments
liks those and after having accomplished duty which,
according to his representation, painful to
n nat
been satisfied with the opposition he had already
made to the bill but when yesterday morning he
in his place and taunted the advocates of the BILL
and, with air of sneerng and triumph, called upon
us to declare upon what ground we supporting the
bill and what great principle we saw in it upon which
could base votes in opposition to amendment which
we had before sustained, must confess listened to him
with deep pain The senator seemed to subject every ad
yocae Of the bill to separate special nterogaory lie
called first upon senator then upon another and then
upon third, to disclose to the Senate the grounds upon
which he going to vote against this amendment and the
great constitutional principle which he found in the BILL
which to be carried forward and carried through
the sacrifice OF every other principle 1t is not at all to be
wondered at sir that in the hurry of the moment and the
excitement caused by nterogatOries of thai kind the
sponsc to the from Tennessee may not have been
full satisfactory the friends of the bill would de-
sire and is because the response quite full
to satisfy mind that desire to say what the prn
cipes which ], with my feeble intellect, and junior
member of this Senate have been able to eviscerae from
the bill aud which seemed to have escaped the prac
sed acutcnes and superior ability Of the senator from
Tennessee. 4
Now Mr. President when look at this bill for the pur-
pose of eyiseratng its principles find them standing out
In such bold relief that he who desires cannot avoid
percciving them. find, FIRST the oberaton of geo.
graphical line by which the two sections Of the coneder
acy have for upwards of thirty years. been separated from
each other That line purely arbitrary No des
erts intervene no mountains their rocky crests
deep and broad streams separate u.s. but arbitrary
ideal line has been drawn and the South has been told by
the North ths far shalt thou CO. and no further; thus
far will the different sections Of this confederacy blend to-
gehor and no further they blend 1t is ideal line,
sir 1t is one was going to say Of prncipe but there
s no principle in it. 1t is such line eloqnently
alluded 70 by the senator from Virginia the other dayn
line which, though IDEAL ccctually separates the
tons of the confederacy If II wall of adamant
When gentlemen from the South approach their friends from
the North reaching this line they repulsed When they
cndcavo to mite with thernortern brethren in those bonds
Of fratcrna affection and cordial sentiment which ought
to actuae every member Of the conedeacy it is as though
wall of ice was interposed between them to chill their
warmest and most brohery emotions Sir this geograph
warned by the Father of Country when he made his
Farewell Address to the people of the United States and
tired TO those shades from which he again emerged
into public life His warning voice his counrymen
against all who by word deed should advocate cstab
nsh or maintain thing like geographical divisions Of
me secuons OF the contclcracy. Divide upon anything
esc lake any principle You please take lax strict
consruction or the constitution take internal improve
nen be Tor them against them take protective tariffs
advocate or oppose them but geographical neseschew
the man who supports them traitor the inter-
ess of his country. That understand IT. was the
warning voice OF the Father OF his Country in his Farewell
Address Here then, find great principle which of
itself would recommend this bin my warpcst support
at all times and upon all occasions
3Again sir; When we look back the compromiscs
upon which the constitution of this country wns formed
what do we find there? We find but two points upon
Il. n. Al I. IL.