The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-12-29
In CONGRESS OF THE U. STATES
y Thirty- Fourth Congress First session.
-l-~~----------r-
FRIDAY, DECEMBER "a, 1855.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.

left perfectly free 70 regulate their own nrsto pocy and
differences e opinion on other questions should Be postponed
without Compromise concession the 0f member
Resoirsd That WILLIAM A. RicmAaDsox be chosen Speak
er OF the ouse Of Representatives for the
Congress. s a . a 81 ts. se84
ir Is raa 6 Suts = and r 81
purpose Of relieving members of the American party from
what they consider an insult in regard to their peculiar
position collateral Issues outside of the doctrine Of the
Nebraska lie thought that II conscr
yaiiye men were in the majority they ought % elect
Speaker that the American party which claimed TO be
national agreed with the democratic party the prnc
pie OF nonntervention they could for his resolution
was an irreconcabs diference between the American
party and the democratic party far as other issues were
concerned but they could postpone those iss4s and unite
upon the great principle that the people in the Territories
be left free to establish their own domestic institutions In
their own way tt
Mr.. IT, MARSHALL wanted to know whether the gentle
from Georgia when he said that the people OF the
Territories should be left to settle their domestic ns
tuons, assumed the responsibility Of declaring that the
people of the Territory in their territorial legislature may
said that in regard to legal questions ne did
not think they proper to be considered ia this House
that the business of the courts to decide whether he
principle OF squater sovereignty was recognised IN the Me-
act and ALSO whether that act was consttu
tiona 1t the business of Congress TO make
unconstitutional they would decide they would oil
the complicated questions arising out OF It,
Mr. CLlNGMAN asked tho gentleman to modify his res-
oution by adding after the words that the people in the
Territories oe left free to settle their own domestic instit-
tions in their way the words subject 10 the coisti-
! tuition Of the United States tssg n 3.sss
Mr. SEW ARD accepted the modification.
Mr. CLINGMAN asked leave of the gentleman to ask .
question Of the gentleman from Kentucky Mr. MARSHALL
He understood that gentleman approved the Kansas ana
Nebraska act and would have voted for it. He wanted TO
know how he construed that whether he believed the
people had that right or not?
| Mr. HUMPHREY MARSHALL, with the permission
fhofn
He had ndsposiion to state his position on that qes
tion that it might be read Of all knowing as he did
that would read the way North as it would South
He did not believe that the Congress OF the United Saes
possessed the constitutional power to egsate SO AZ TO
prohibit slavery in the Territories and he did not believe
that the people of the Territories possessed the power 70
lgslae pending The territorial government 30 as to pro-
hbit slavery in the Territories He believed that the peo
pie Of the Territories under their territorial government
all the power they exercised Congress could exercise and
that they could not exercise power than Congress
chooses 10 es,ow upon then fsr the simple reason that
the rise higher than the fountain. In
concluson lie desired the gentleman from North Carolna
MI CLlNGMAN would do so with great pleasure He
understood the gentleman hold that the people Of Ter
ritory could not cgsate either afrmatvey negatively
the slavery question under the Nebraska Kansas act
Mr. MARSHALL replied that the friends of the bill had
not been able to settle that question yet among Them
selves. ~ sfAe 3s48
Mr. SEWARD had not yielded the floor entirely, and
sorry that be could not indulge the gentlemen further
He modified his resolution by striking Of the first
ton of the resolution the words ha the people of the
Territories shall he left perfectly free to regulate their own
domestic policy" in order to provide for the difficulty
which gentlemen were attempting throw in It's way in
regard to the construction OF the act
That any sensible man must know that variety OF opin-
ions would exist to the construction OF any law passed
by Congress and when gentlemen up here and seek
to ask of members their particular opinions 10 the effect
of particular laws it evident that as long as that policy
pursued they could not harmonize He therefore,
withdrew that part OF the resolution which asserted the
principle of leaving the question IN re-
gard 10 the Of the people Of the Territories TO gs
late prohibit slavery in the Territories entirely out Of
the ISSUE to be settled hereafter and at different tribunal
where properly belonged He thought 1t was the duty
of those who opposed TO the further agitation OF the
slavery question: who desired it to be taken out Of Con-
gres in other words who wanted the government to
its hands of that question: up and say BY
voting for the resolution he had submitted The dcmo-
cratic party did desire further agitation upon the sub
jec and invited all who opposed to it and who were
desrous that the Union Of these States should be pere
ated to meet them upon common PLATFORM and declare
that the question should bo taken of the halls of the
national legislature. 89 8nil#4eA fsfF
Mr. BOYCE approved of the spirit Of the resolution,
though he thought tha judicons words might have
been used in the expression Of it. lie said that nearly
month had been spent in vain struggles to elect Speaker
and at tho present time they did not appear 70 be nearer
conclusion than they at tho beginnings 1T seemed
to him. then that they ought to begin to take the latitude
and longitude and whore the land lay. Was there
any probability Of an organization Of The House upon
conservative basis? In his remarks he did not wish to be
considered as compromising the democratic party at all
because he did not consider that he beongcdo use thai
term IN tS tecuntcAi SenSe-tO accu
when he approved its course but otherwise did not He
longed the Calhoun wing of the democratic party and
did consider himself bound by the action of the demo-
cratic caucus the resolution adopted in that
but he approved Of the candidate of that party and IL he
had had his choice of all the members Of the House, the
honorable gentleman from Illinois Mr. RICHARDSON would
have been his first choice for the honorable position Of
/ Speaker
Mr. B. then proceeded to inquire into the difficulties in
the way of organizations What is it, he asked that
prevents organization of the House? The existence OF
three parties in midst neither of whom have majority
Of the whole number Of The party which supported
Mr. BASR If he understood it correctly represented the
ansavcry feeling of the North the party which
supported Mr. RcHARnsoN the principles of the Nebraska
Kansas act and Mr. FULLRR had declared himself 10 he In
favor of abiding by existing legislation the subject OF
slavery and opposing the further agitation of that 1ues
Mr. TcAnpsoS and Mr. FULLER occupied the position
aud between that position and the position of Mr. BANKS
there inpassabIe gulf II followed, then that If
those who voted for Mr. cHAnpsoN and Mr. FUrrR were
in earnest u their opposition to the further agitation Of
the slavery question: and he presumed they and
half Of the scattering votes the same Mr. BASKs could
lie elected majority Of the fIose being against him.
and that this majority of the conservative could
ganze the House they voted together IT, them they had
the power il their duty TO do Il and TO sacrifice party
if it necessary, for that purpose He advised that
those parties meet together separately and withdraw their
candidates. and allow their members be At liberty to
for any they pleased He thought Ia that way
they could effect organization conservative
platform. y. ~ n sts
Mr.. II. MARSHALL opposed the resolution. lie said
and the American party large majority and thai
II fhe of II bau in he