The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-10
THIRTY-F0URTH CONGRESS-.
First Session.
Friday april 4, 1856.
SENATE.

4
| SENATE.
| Mr.. Sebastian, from the Committee on Indian
| Affairs, to which was referred the bill from the
House of Representatives making appropria-
! tons for maintaining and preserving peace
among the Indian tribes on the Pacific, and for
other purposes, reported back the same without
amendment, and asked that it might be imme-
diately considered; which was agreed to, and
the bill was read third time, and finally passed.
Mr.. Yulee moved to reconsider the vote of
Yesterday, passing the joint resolution changing
the location of the District Armory from the
Mall to the Judiciary Square, in the city of
Washington. He did not perceive the chair.
man of the Committee on the District of Column
bia in his seat and therefore would content
himself with simply placing the motion to re-
consider the vote on record.
| Mr. Foot explained with great clearness and
fullness the nature of the claim of Mr.. Marsh
| Qate minister of the United States to the Sub
lime Porte) for compensation on account of
certain extra services performed by that gen.
| tleman in Greece, by order of our Government
| The validity of the claim was shown by recital
| of the events and labors connected with Mr.
Marsh's mission to Greece, and precedents were
| quoted to prove that the demand was in ac-
cordance with the uniform procedure of Con-
gress.
Mr.. Collamer, of Vermont, next rose to con-
clude the speech which he had commenced on
the preceding day, with regard to Kansas Ter
ritory. His remarks, as on the day before,
were characterized by close logic and calmness
of expression. Resuming his speech where he
had before broken off, he proceeded to adduce
other evidence that the invasion " of the
citizens of Missouri had extended to more than
seven districts, and had reached at least hun
red miles into the interior. From a comparison
| of the votes first polled in Kansas with those
cast at the last Congressional elections, Mr.. c.
inferred that nearly five thousand citizens of
Missouri had interfered in the first election held
in that Territory. He next proceeded to ex-
anime the acts of the Kansas Legislature, and
commented first upon that which inhibts from
the right of suffrage those who will not swear
to support the Fugitive Slave Law" which he
termed an act of unconstitutional disfranchise-
ment, since it added penalties to the violation
of that law beyond those enacted by Congress,
and established political test to limit the right
| of voting. Mr.. G. suggested that the next step
| might be TO restrict the right of suffrage to
those who should be willing to swear allegiance
to a particular party platform. He next ana
lyzed the act which renders it penal offence
to declare that Slavery may not constitution
| ally exist in Kansas without an act of its Legs-
lature, and declared that such law, by pro-
hibiting the discussion of Slavery in the Terri
the organic act of Congress- which processes TO
leave the people free to choose Slavery or not,
as they may decide for themselves. The right
of suffrage, as granted by the Kansas Legisla
ture was also represented as being inadequate
to prevent fraudulent voting, if it was not de-
signed to encourage it. From consideration
of these laws, and the disabilities they impose
On those who are in favor of making Kansas
free State, Mr.. c. held it just to say that the
inhabitants of that Territory were "subjugated
people," Mr.. G. next reviewed the measures
of relief" which the people of Kansas had
sought to devise in their independent capacity.
He showed that many Territories had proceeded
| to form State Constitution without waiting for
| an enabling act of Congress, and argued that
the admission of Kansas at once a free
State seemed the best solution of the present
difficulty. Mr.. G. then criticised various por-
tons of the majority report of the Committee
on Territories, and defended that of the minori-
ty. He concluded by an impressive allusion
to the political exacerbation which had been
created by the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise; which repeal, he said, had sunk like
iron into the soul of Northern conservatives,
who had before implicitly trusted in what they
regarded as the "plighted faith" of their South
ern brethren.
Mr.. Douglas replied to Mr.. Collamer, defend
ing the majority report against the criticisms
of Mr.. c., and especially against the charge of
supervising portions of the proceedings in
Kansas, and retorting the charge upon the mi
nority. He also argued to show that the pro-
ceedings at one of the meetings of the " free
State party" in Kansas avowed purposes of de.
fance and resistance TO the laws of the Terri
tory, if they should fail in the Courts and before
Congress. Mr.. d. extended his remarks to a
much greater length than the space at our
command will enable us to notice in this days
paper. Nat. Int.
Mr.. D. spoke until FIVE, p. NJ. A portion of
his remarks drew applause from the galleries
Mr.. Stuart lin the chair) observed that
though temporarily in the chair, he felt it his
duty to rebuke such scenes, and to declare that
if there was any repetition ofapplause, he should
feel it his imperative duty to order the galleries
to be cleared.
Mr.. Douglas bowed, and said he would retire
from the debate
Mr. Geyer then obtained the floor, and, OBJ
serving that the hour was too late't proceed,
said he would therefore move that the further
consideration be postponed to Monday next
which was agreed to, and Mr.. G. will taen &C.
cupY the aoo7.
The Senate adjourned.
| HOUSE.
The following bill was introduced in pursu-
ance Of notice, read twice, and appropriately
referred:
BY Mr.. Evans, of Texas: T. bill 70 authorize
and facilitate the construction of Northern,
Southern, and Central Pacific railroad, and a
magnetic telegraph, through the Territories of
the United States.
On motion of Mr.. Phelps. of Missouri, the
House then went into Committee of the Whole
an the state of the Union, Mr.. Mace, Of Indi-
ana, in the chair,) and resumed the considera-
ton of the bill to supply deficiencies in the ap-
preparations for the service Of the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1856, the question being on
the amendments of the Senate thereto.
MIR. Smith, of Tennessee, awaiting himself of
the practice of the Ccmnaistee, made a speech
o. an hours length on subjects not connected
with the bill. He believed that it was important
to the existence of the Union that as many
slave States should be added to it Go was prac
| ticable under the Constitution, and it was in
that point of view alone that he looked upon
the creation of Kansas into a slave State as
| important TO any portion of the Union or to the
| Union itself. The record of the past showed
that the Southern States had ever composed
the conservative section of the Union, in saying
which, however, he did not wish to be under
stood as disparaging those Northern men who
had stood by the South in her efforts to maintain
the integrity of the Union. In political point
of view it was therefore important that the power
and influence of the Southern States shoald be
maintained both here and IN the other wing of
the Capitol, and hence it was that he looked
| upon the accession of slave States as important
to the preservation of the Union.
He then reviewed the present condition of tie
parties into which the county is divided, and
| in the course OF his remarks attributed the
| election of Mr.. Banks to the Speakership to
| members who had been elected as Americans