Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-03-13
CONGRESSIONAL.

1 -
testing was that he was on the Bench a,
the time he was elected Seaator. The
Senators thought that as there was nothing
in the U. 8. Constitution prohibiting him
to take a ,eat, he was clearly entitled 20
| IL.
Mr.. Butler defended Mr.. Atchisou from,
the alleged interference 10 Kansas affairs
Mr.. Hale replied, drawing q sketch OF
some of the new England politicians, who
seemed 20 think the curse originally pro-
nounced upon the temp,er belonged to them
namely. "upon thy belly shalt thou 90, and
dust shalt ;fou eat" (nughter) thus they
bow down before the slavery power which
dispenses large share OF patronage to tho
county, making great pretens;on. to dcvo-
ton to the Constitution themselves, they ac-
cuse every man of treason who dares as.
sert his manhood and claim the riyh. to
speak and act for himself.
HOUSE. Hickman, from committee
on elections, made report presenting rea.
sons for renewing the demands for authority
to send for persons aud papers in the Kan.
sas contested election case. 1t star,s out
by representing that the legislature which
passed the election law under which Gen.
Whitfield was chosen was imposed upon
the peoples territory by foreign invading
force, who seized upon the Government,
and have exercised it ever snce, aud that
the people there are in a subjugated state.
1t then discusses at length the following
questions.
lst The necessity of having an inve,ti-
CATION Of the fact. in dispute.
I'd. The effect of Governor Reeder, in
issuing certificates ol election to portion
Of the Legislature.
5d. Whether evidence to establish the
facts can be had satisfactorily by deposit
tions.
Upon the first it is urged that the state of
affairs there has excited the fee lings of the
whols people Of the Union; that it is the
themo Of Presidential message and
Proclamation; that the sovereign States
in the different portions Of the. Union
have considered the propriety of interference
by men and arms; that the question to be
settled is, whether a military power has
seized upon the Territory and governs it
by strong hand; and that this question in
wolves the existence Of self-government and
cannot be settled by cropping among as
sertions and denals, but only by proven
facts.
Upon the second roint it contends that
the people of the territory cannot be pre-
judiced by what Gov. Rceder did as Cover
nor, that the people are now contesting the
seat through him and that If it was not SO,
still Congress could and should investigate
il, If a reasonable doubt ex lists as to the
right of Gen. Winfield to 4 seat.
Upon the third point it argues that
commission to take depositons would be
fruitless. That tho President regards the
presence Of arms rs necessary to preserve
peace and the execution of the comm ission
would bring the belligerent parties face 10
lace and incite to hostlities; that it would
be equivaentito an effort TO obtain testimony
on the battle field and that the commits
sioners would be powerless to preserve
peace In the course Of the argument the
Com. alluded to the cact. that ordinarily in
depositions theii subjects enjoy some degree
Of peace and quiet while in Kansas the set
tiers are not only alleged to be reduced to
a sis.a Of vassalage to a foreign power, but
that personal safety is unknown and Murder
and outrage are said to be of almost daily
record.
Its history report is voluminous and ar
gumentative, and is concurred in by Messrs
Watson. Washburn, Spinner, Hickman, Co..
fax and Bingham.
Mr.. Oliver, of Mo addressed the House
at length in opposition to empowering the
committee to senG for persons and papers in
the Kansas case.
He maintained that on the head of Mr.
Recder and others, who had joined in the
extraordinary movement tor getting up
emigrant aid societies and procuring Sharp.s
rifles, rested the responsibility Of all the
strife and bloodshed in Kansas, their sole
object being to defeat what they called 'the
Infamous Ransas-N Nebraska bi.l.' These
things were calculated justly to excite the
indignation of the people OF Missouri and
Kansas Territory.
Mr.. Oliver Indignantly repelled the term
of "border rulfians," as applied to patriots
conscious of their rights and with nerve
enough to maintain thom.
Mr.. Oliver not knov any Mssour ians
who voted in Kansas; he had seen hundreds
Of Eastern men returning from. the Terrific
ry, who said they had .'seen the elephant"
filled their contract to vote, and were going
home. To authorize the com. TO send for
persons and papers would be to give coun-
tenance to revolution and defiance to law,
He trusted tha, the House would refuse
this demand, made at the instance OF Mr..
Reeder, who has smeared his hands with
the blood Of is butchered fellow. citizens
and is the foundation of treason, which
needs but the overt act to justify his being
hanged as nigh as Haman.
Mr.. Cumback Of Ind, admitted, as charg
cd ~ Mr.. Oliver, that the design Of the
emisrant aid society was to mako Kansas
a free State. The doctrine pronounced by
the National Democrats as the objecta of
the Nebreska-Kansas act, was not only to-
mako those territories free, but to estsb lish
a Gordon Of free States to the Pacific. He
never had any desire or intention to go to
Kansas until he saw the effort made to
force slavery. These he submitted to Messrs.
h.Aln ,kA kaI nl Al