The true Democrat., 1856-12-30
From washineton.

VOSHtHGO72, OeC. lO.
 SENATE-Mr Clay introduced bill supple. mentary to the act of August, 1854, to gradu ate and reduce the price of public lands to ac- tual settlers and culivators.
 THE SLAVERY QUESTION
 MT. Bigler replied briefly to the remarks oI MT. Trumbull delivered the other day, rea. tive to his construction of Mr. Dunn's bill that It established slavery. He contended that his construction was correct, and sus talned himself by the report of Mr. Doug. las.
 MT. Trumbull rejoined, denying that Mr Douglas report represented the bill fairly, and thus that the Senator from Peunsylvania de- rived no support from that report. He thought tlmposslble, If person would read Mr. Dunn's olii iairly and lmpartially, to torture It into such construction Mir. Bger and Mir. Doug las had given. He was unwilling to rob an honest shareholder of his property, and those who went into Kansas under the false assurance of the constituted authorities that slavery was legal they ought to have reasonable time to remove their slaves. That was the object of inserting this provision in Mr. Dunn's bill, of which so much complaint had been made. It came with all ill grace from these gentlemen to call their opponents aboIitionists in one breath, and in the next charge them with voting to es- tablish and extend slavery
 MIR. PUGH's SPEECH.
 Mir. Pugh remarked while he should have considered the election of Col Fremont to the Presidency as the greatest calamity which could have beiallen the American people. he had no reproaches 10 cast upon those honest and patriotic, but. as he believed, misguided citizens, ~ho voted for hm-nor had the Pre- sident done so, as had been charged bv Sena- tors. The paragraph in the message upon which his colleague (Wade) and others had founded ther aecusatlons could not apply to the members of the republican party, ii It were true, as had been repeatedly asserted on the floor Of the Senate, they did hot aim at any legislation on the subject of slavery within the States. The rebuke was directed bv the President against those who hold that doctrine. IL related to men whom the Senator flom Maine (Fessenden) and the Senator from Mas saehusetts, tWIlsoul had themselves denounced n the Senate. The Senator from New Hampshire (liale) had gone so far as to say he had never seen man holding such views Nith what propnety then could they accuse the President Of applying his remarks to their party, when, according to their own statement they do not belong to the class of people of whom the President was speaking The Pre- sident. however, did speak of another class of his felowctizeus-of the class to which these gentlemen say they belong He had not ap- piled .lDellous language to them He consi- dered them honest and patriotic at heart, but that they had suffered themselves to be mis. guided by the arts and artifices of misguided leaders.
 Objection had been made by the Senator from New York (Seward) that the discussion of such tomcs Ill the message unprecedented. - MT. Pugh thought that the Senator seemed to be as little acquainted with the language of Washington, As he was imbued with his spri!. Mrch stress had been laid on the assertOn that the election of Mr. Buchanan was not to b. regarded as an endorsement by the people of the country of the principles and policy of the present administration. This was d most re- markable statement, in viewof the fact that the leaders of the republican party had declared, in all imaginable forms, during the recent cam pagn, that the election of Mr. Buchanan would be continuation of the policy of this administration. What they then asserted with all possible emphasis, they now deny in terms equally strong. It was, in early times, favo- rite maxim with the democratic party that their President should be elected for a single term and that rule has been violated only on special occasions-as in the case of General acLson Mir. Pugh then further replied to the arguments of the opposition Senators.
 MIR WILSON AND MIR. CAss GOING TO SPEAK.
 Mr. Wilson remarked that he desired to speak on this subject, but yielded the floor to Mr Cass.
 Mr. Cass said he proposed to allude to a few points which had been raised in the course of tnnI It so tomorrow.
 Adjourned.
 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 SPEECH OF MIR. wAsHBURN
 Mr. Washburn (Me.) was not inclined to ia : vor the motion pending, to print an unusual number of copies of the Presidents Message for the reason that 1t was full of calumnious representations on that great and growing and soon to be the dominant party of tEe republic; and contanei statements which, in his udg- ment, were devoid of truth, and full of sophis- try. More particularly was he opposed to tue motion, because the message contained doc trlnes which are at war with the genius of our institutions and spirit of the republican system. It was plainly seen that the President, in sweep ing terms, alludes to the republican party. charging them with nothing more nor less than having disunion designs, while protesting mere ly to prevent the extension of slavery to ter rtories now free. Not only were these charges not true, but the negative proposition was sus- ceptbe ot the strongest proof. It was by the Cincinnati platform that the designs and purpo- ses of the democratic party were judged, and why should not those of the republican party be judged by their own platform, framed by pure and patriotic delegates from twenty States
 50 far from revolution, they distinctly de- cared that the Constitution and union of the States must and shall be preserved" The President undertook to know better than they what are their principles and designs, and made these sweeping charges in the face of the so- lemn declarations of the party which he has maligned. They advocate nothing which was not consistent with and deducible from the declaration of American Independence In further review Of the Presidents message, he asked where and how the republican party has acted with view to emancipation in the south Perhaps there were not thousand voters in the free States who have such design. So far as he knew they have never sent petition to Congress asking emancipation, yet the Presi dent undertook to convey the impression to the country that the republicans look to this con- summation, and conduct their plans according ly. Mr. Washburn denounced the assertion, saying it would appear that the love of liberty and hatred of slavery was the unparionable sin.
 Mir. Smith, (Val inquired whether MT. Washburn would, by his vote, admit new State into the Union with the liberty of forming its own institutions, according to the character ofthe people?
 NIT. Washburn replied, when that question shall be presented he would be prepared to act upon 1t. He would not shirk the issue His vote would depend on circumstances, but it should be m accordance with the principles of the republican party. He would ask the gen. tenan from Virginia whether if Utah present. ed herself for admission, with a constitution recognizing polygamy, he would vote for it, (4aughter)
 Mir. Smith--The gentleman is playing Yan- kee on me, completely. Qaughter.) Before l ...-....= =.