Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-24

he there the head Of the armies of the United
States would be excluded from the same right He puts
himself before the American people upon ground like
that Sir the Senator did not read the whole the clause
to which he referred Where does he find in this bill any
exclusion of the right Of Gen. Winfield Scott any other
American citizen whether he belongs to the army or not
to vote in the Territories Is it in the concluding clause
OF the proviso He left out six words at the
end of it: ~
ProUided further, That officer soldier seaman or ma
rne or other person in the army navy of United
states or attached troops in the service Of the United
oes shall be allowed hold Office in said Terrific
~ cy redso" J being on scrriee therein"
Mnst Is the meaning of this clause? Simply that the
act Oh an oncer or soldier being stationed there under
.ne command OF the Government shall not be construed
INTO legal residence such will entite him to exercise
;ns rgns 2. Suffrage But sir supposshe be resident
thing in the bill to exclude him Not one SYLLABLE The
Senator therefore, has wandered from the amendment
which the Senator from Maryland and has
eo question . enureiy distinct 1t is to that amend
men ana tAat Alone that now proceed TO address nv
SELF What Is the section proposed to be amended =,
"Sec. And be further enacted That eyerv f,es white
male nhabitant above the age twenty one wears who
be actual resident Of said Territory and who shall
the qualifications hereinafter prescribed shall he enJ 70
vote at the first election and shall be eligible to anv once
within the said Terrtoy but the qualifications Of voters and
holding ONCE at all subsequent elections shall be sucb s
shall be prescribed by the Legislative Assembly Proria
That the right Of suffrage and Of holding Office shall be eyer
clsed only by citizens Of the United States and those who
shall have declared oath their intention to become SUCH
and shall have taken oath support the Constitution Of
the United States and the provisions of this act"
There is the whole scope of the provision We pro-
pose 70 organize these Territories We propose to or
ganze them upon the principle of self government but
in order to do this must allow the people first to meet
together We must, in the origin prescribe some form
and some mode by which the system Of sefgovernment
IS 70 oe putin operation leaving to the people afterwards,
under the provisions of the BILL continue the form Of
government in such manner to them shall seem best
adapted to their own interest The whole scope of the
provision is that as soon the bill passes upon the
and ar1u ~.
Assembly has acted upon the subject any may vote
for members of that Legislative Assembly provided he
is resident Of the Territory has declared his intention
to become citizen of the United States and is sworn IN
support the Constitution of the United States and the
provisions of this act free confess that even in
this shape the principle Of the provision does not recon-
Gle itself to my judgments and, before observed if
could, the Senator from Virginia Mr. HuNrER has
said exercise my individual Judgment and draft the
provisions OF bill to suit myself alone and as an auto
cra impose that bill upon the Senate should certain
~ exclude from the right of suffrage all but citizens of
the United States; but inasmuch as we are bound to
consult the opinions of ALL las something must be given
as well as taken; as of can expect the bill to
be perfect according to his own judgment in all of its
parts, for one, will cheerfuy make sacrifice Of this
amendment for the purpose of maintaining the three
great principles to which have alluded.
Mr.. President, have said than intended to say
upon this subject merely desired to explain the APP
parent inconsistency Of my votes And yet sir hope
shall not be considered acting improperly if VEN
ture to appeal to my Wing brethren from the North not
all that has been said this day. and would
include in this appeal the Senator from Ohio, Mr.
WADE whom do not now see in his seat but for whom
feel sincere regard and respeca regard and respect
which have been elected by his bearing this very de-
bate. admire that bearing Bold, manly, decided and
fearless Of consequences he has stated his sentiments
and given utterance to them with that vgor of
sion which belongs to actuated by perfect sincer
ty therefore include him in the appeal He has spoken
OF the last bond being broken which united together that
Wing party to which have been attached from nv bow
hood have stood by it through good and through evil
report as he has DONE have shared with him its hours
OF danger, of darkness, and distress and have no
doubt that my voice has gone up with his in the
exultant shout in the moments Of victory. Why then
sir has he given uterance to such feelings upon SUBJ
ject like this May not say that he has looked at the
provisions of the bill with jaundced eye? Who can
and upon Its face that empire is open the invasion
Of slavery! Sir it does not provide expressly for the
admission of slavery He pretend that slaves
to be carried there under the behess of this enact
ment The bill merely declares that that Territory is to
open and Free that every citizen of the country may 20
there's and when he goes there that may heard
in establishing the institutions that are to govern him.
That is the whole of the bill 1t grasses this geo.
graphical sectional line which he says is abhorent to his
feelings for he declares that he desires no
phical parties. Why, then, upon bill like this and un.
der circumstances like these should such fears and en-
citement De created why may we not act brothers
upon this subject? Cannot still hold together and
cannot we Danish this matter forever from the halls of
Congress? Cannot confne ourselves exclusively to
those subjects of interest which regard not alone
alone the East, and
not alone the West but which embrace within their COM
prehensve scheme every interest every citizen of this
great Republic? If we do this Mr. President with what
delight may we look upon the happy vista in the future
that would be open before u.s. Then, indeed will our
future be that which the benign and significant finger of
Providence seems to have pointed to u.s. Then in
teed shall we be the peaceful but most efficient nstr
ments of the political regeneration Of mankind Then
may hope, by example, ensure the steady pro-
the earth of the principles of selfgovernment
Ind the blessings of free institutions Sir the Senator
from Ohio has said that shall this day be visited by an
eclipse OF the and has declared that the gloom Of such
day is the fit season for such work Of darkness as he
deems the passage of this bill to be. 1t is true sir that
here is to be eclipse but the same science which fore
es it also tells us that it will pass away And when it
shall have done 30, the glorious orb of day will again
,hed its radiant light upon this earth with the same
pendor, will again vvify it with the same warmth and
will again fructify it with the fertzing influence
1t did before transient shadow had its beams
Mr. BELL do not wish to tax the patience of the
Senate, but desire to say word have listened with
great pleasure to the beautiful eloquent and concatory
remarks OF the Senator from Louisiana and rise merely
% correct what consider unnentona misrepresen-
alton OF my whole by the honorable Senator He
me as being in state Of doubt the last mo-
nent whether would not support the great principles
which ne thinks are involved in the bill only want to
Jay that e honorable Senator has totally
me- My hesitation as to the which should take
regard to the bill in Difference to the opinions of
Southern gentlemenin Difference to what seemed to be
he general voice of Southern Senators and Represents
ives in Congress upon this question The honorable Sc
ator has witnessed enough to-day know what mean
W hesitation arose from my repugnance to separation
rom my Southern friends and from any consdera-
ion Of the principles which the honorable Senator seems
think can be established by this BILL Sir, If could
supposed that one fourth prt of tho visions