The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-05-03
THE KANSAS DEBATE-MR. BENJAMIN'S SPEECH
ANOTHER BREEZE IN THE SENATE.

ANOTHER BREEZE IN The oENaIE.
The Senate and densely-crowded gallery gave to Mr.
Benjamin An undivided attention for nearly two hours on
yesterday whilst no delivered Of the most powerful
speeches on the Kansas question made in the Senate
by any man on any subject He spoke throughout with
more than his usual earnestness and animation whilst
there frequent bursts Of eoquenee which went to the
hearts well the Judgments of his hearers We hesitate
to attempt even brief of the points of
an argument which be all read to be properly appre
ciated.
Mr. Benjamin alluded in the outset to the fact that
the Union has been in peril three times, and on each
occasion the power Of Congress to legisate on the
subject OF slavery in the Territories was involved lie
thought fatal mistake committed in 1920 when the
South yielded the great principle of the equality OF the
States by accepting the Missouri Compromise His COM
upon the principle Of State equality and his argu
ment to show that this is the pervading spirit which
breathes throughout the constitution from its preamble to
its close could be surpassed either for clearness force
concluveness or eoquence He showed that this same
principle involved in the Kansas question: and
congratulated the country that the issue was to be fully
and finally met and settled. In answer TO one OF Mr..
Stewards positions which justified the interference Of Mas
sachusets in the affairs OF upon the ground that
such interference was not forbidden by the constitution
Mr. Benjamin illustrated the danger Of violating the
spirit Of that instrument whilst the letter OF its
text was observed, in manner overwhelming that
Mr.. Seward himself must have felt Its force Amongst
other illustrations he said that Congress has the express
power to establish post Offices and post roads, TO erect
forts forti6caons and arsenals &c and OF necessity TO
appropriate money for those objects What said be IL
Congress should conne its appropriations for those objects
the northern States and should seek to justify the out
rage upon the ground that the text Of the constitution
horized the appropriations Would any say that the
spirit Of the constitution not violated by such egsla
ton2 Would any deny that such legislation was
grossly voIatve Of the equality Of the States He then
said that Of the abolition had disputed the
position that the Territories the property Of
all the States How then could Congress appropriate this
property portion Of the States without violating the
spirit Of the constitution lie showed that law probib
ting the emigration OF shareholders 10 Kansas was in e
feet appropriation Of that immense domain
ton In exclusion Of the other.
Mr. Benjamin dwelt at considerable length and with
much force upon persistent efforts made by the black
republican leaders fse impressions the north
mind the institution Of slavery. His remarks
this branch Of the subject ought to be carefully studied by
every northern They frank clear and truthful
He exposed with bitter the hypocrisy with which
the aboonss have heretofore covered their
under the pretext Of sympathy for the slave He showed
that this hypocrisy had become transparent that the
leaders themselves have become ashamed OF IL
The answer Of Mr. Benjamin TO the declaration OF ~
Seward in his late speech that slavery is outlaw by the
law Of nations crushing In the extreme He referred
TO ancient and modern authorities on international law
and the decision Of tho United States Supreme Court in
1925 by Chief Justice Marshall and by these uuquesion-
able legal authorities proved not only that slavery
an outlaw by the law Of nations but that the odious
slave-rade itself h such outlaw except by statutes
The remarks of Mr.. Benjamin in explanation sf the
clause in the Kansas law which frequently called the
sqaattesoyeregntyp clause placed that question
light so clear that who shall read his speech win
hereafter have any apology to msrepresen H. He said
that The friends Of the agreed every question in
the bill except TO whether the people of the Territory
could prohibit establish slavery prior TO the time OF
their admission into the Union State Some believed
that Congress possessed such power itself and therefore
could confer such the territorial legislature
Others believed that whilst Congress had no such power
the people have the inherent right exercise such power
Each aide was willing abide by the decision Of the u
preme Court and hence the clause gives all the power 70
the territorial legislature which II could give under the
constitution and provision was made by another clause in
the bill 10 submit the question TO the Supreme Court il
any one chose 70 test it.