The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-21
CON CIR RESSIONAL.
speech OF HON. Nj. MACDONALD,

Of The Union
Mr. MACDONALD said.
Mr. CHAIRMAN /: propose TO speak upon the Nebraska
question and in attempting 10 address the comnitiee upon
that subject do not expect that shall say anything ne~
for this country of universal oratorc amblng and es-
rca in this House. where the general rule is to speak
and the exception to keep silence this were not possible
for any one much less for myself And to say od things
well IL measure OF success when lalls 70 ew, ana
their immortal
Mr. Chairman my object this occasion win be TO make
suggestions rather than to define my position In reference
to this question. Sir, my position is known
stand before this House upon its records voting
against the motion to refer this bill to the Committee Of
the Whole on the state OF the Union ! siana Young Young
with only three others in this House east OF the hudson
with me- 80
This vote is significant for while many voted in favor
Of the reference known to be in favor Of the pr
cpe Of the b voted against the reference VINO IS
understood TO be against the blll
When gaye this vote resolutions had been passed py
the legislature of Maine in reference TO this ol holu
copy Of them in my hand They do notpropose 10 instruct
me make very modest request as to my action upon
this subject They have already been presented 70 his
House but will again read them
Resolred That the senator's in Congress from Name pe
instructed and the Representatives sqaeSsd TO opRnse IN
every practicable the passage OF the Nebraska Dill 80
called long shall contain any provision repeating aD
rogating resembling or in nyaidatpg
Of the Of Congress approved March ., isZo cooh!
called the Missouri Compromise.
Resored That the governor be requested to forward
the above resolution to each OF our senators anu rep
resentatiyes at Washington
Sir propose particularly to discuss that provision OF
this bill which declares the eighth section OF the act OF
1920 prohibiting slavery north OF the line OF 30 80 IN
operative -
But before going into that discussion, the committee will
pardon for looking moment to the Maine legislature
TO inquire what s their right where IS their 1ushhcaon
for making their request? Generally, should bow with
great Difference TO body OF men respectable as the egs
iaure of my own Sate generally should consen, TO
comply with any request that they might make II their
request was against my Judgment in common case
should feel that at fault should feel that my ludg-
ment might be in error, and would review my opinion
But confess you Mr. Chairman; publish to this com
mee yea more; will tell the country ut large that
while this should be the of my respect for such
request there many some OF which Will gvel
why shall disregard the wishes OF the legislature oi
Maine
How was that legislature elected What the issue
What has been its action since il metz They talk to me
about representing the public opinions of the people OF
Maine Why sir the people Of that State gave at the last
September election about hiry-eght thousand votes for
Hon Albert Pilsbury, q candidate for governor On
n debate when the merits of the candidates were ul
understood the people met in town meeting, and there
pressed their preference while around them flowed their
rights Of original sovereignty like the common mir they
breathed.
As have already remarked about thrty-eight thou
sand votes were poed for Hon. Mr. Pilsbury. AT the
time, they gave from twentysix to twenty-eght
thousand votes for the whig candidate, the Hon VIII
liam G. Crosby. There outside interest in Maine,
known as the Maine-law party, concentration OF
isns. which gave for Mr.. Morr some ten thousand
votes or more There election ~ the people.
Under the constitution the election was to be made by the
legislature and what have they donef Why, the house
which passed the resolutions Of request indicating pub
lie opinion in that State-ihs house anxious that
should respond public sentiment
this expression OF preference for Mr. Psbury by the free
Of Maine and refused TO send his name to the
senate a candidate for governor. They sent up the
Of Crosby and Morrill, the former having ten
thousand and the latter nearly thirty thousand votes less
than Pilsbury. These gentlemen undertake 70 put
themselves forward the guardians Of the public opinion
Of Maine-they who In of their first acts In organ
ng the government Of State disregarded the Of
eemen and gave the preference TO faction They talk 10
nc Submit the question to-day 10 the people OF the hrst
congressional district the which have the honor 70
represent on this hoor-snbmit the Of Pilsbury
Crosby and Morril TO the yeomanry and honest men o
that dsrctI state here, upon my character as man.
state II from my knowledge Of the people OF whom speak
that MI. Pisbury would receive large and controlling
majority
But this contempt Of the people does not stop here
Ths the only instance in which this legislature has
dsregarded the public sentiment of the State Of Maine
In the counties Of Oxford and Waldo have notes be-
fore me- speaking only from memory as 70 the his
tory OF filing vacanees-the democratic candidates io
senator's least past Of them needed but few yo,e
TO their election And what did this legislature do
What did these guardians Unpopular viii do They ignored
the wishes Of both Of those senatorial districts viii no
occupy the time Of the committee to give the reasons io
this course am simply dealing with facts and say (
the legislature Of Maine when you ask others 10 regard CHI
public opinion the State be careful that you have beer
obedsnt TO Il yourselves do here and VOLUNTEER
adyioe 10 about obedience 10 tho popular w when from
the very hrEt moment you met together you have set a.
naugh the public opinion Of Maine and oisted upon he
minority candidate in the high places Of trust and power
suppose sir, this legislature would have request
q me to haye voted for the present governor suppos
they would have requested 20 have voted for thi
present speaker Of the house of representatives Of Maine
No doubt they would have asked 10 do it but mus
have bowed my bead and declined. Why2 Because
for wings unless "as choice of evils sup
pose this legislature would have asked to vote for tn
present clerk Of the house Of representatives Of Maine
mus, also have bowed my head and declined TO do that
Why Because never vote for abotonisis freesoil
factonsts. have cOnCealment this subject
70 with the democratic party, and stand by is organ
zstion. This has been my from the beginning 0
my public life IL now, and ever shnll he suppose thi
legislature would have asked 10 for my friend Mr.
FrssRsDEs the senator from Maine last elected esteem
him a man; he Is Of talent and man Of worth
but should have declined vote for him. because from
my first entrance into political life to the present time,
have been found In opposition to him ! remember yerl
we that the occasion Of my first election Il
This House that gentleman running candidate II
the adjoining distrctthe Cumberland dstrictand tha
the democratic candidate IN that district had meet
did myself coalition between northern whggery and po
lcal abolitionism
Sir, win occupy no more time with this matter But
win say again the legislature uf Maine that shall dis
regard their request and appeal from them 70 the people
will add that should be guilty Of msrepresentng lh
viii Of my constituents In signal and papable man
ner the majority Of the Maine legislature have the vii
Of the people Of the State viii pronounce my own an
athena and scom the man who would show me pity, as
should only deserve contempt
Sir wish TO alude TO what seems TO be assumed Il
many quarters In the Of this debate that there Is
natural hostility between different sections Of the coun
uy-that there feeling OF hatred and Jealousy bctwecr
tne people Of the North and the South.
IN my own judgment such assumption y perfectly
Fr0undtss Why should there be hostility between III
uncfent sections Of the country7 The memorials Of th
past tne blessings Of the present and the hopes Of the fu
~ eonspre prevent hostility and to create the larges