The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-08-21
WASHINGTON, d. C..
The Army Of the United States not to be Employed
as q Police to Enforce the Laws Of the Con-
ouerors Of Kansas.
SPEECH OF WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
On the Army Bill,
II THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
AUGUST 7, 1856.

AUGUST I, 1856.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: This is q bill appropriating
about twelve millions of dollars, to defray the
expenses of the military establishment Of the
United States for the ensuing fiscal year. Its
form and effect are those which distinguish a
general appropriation bill for the support of the
army, such as is annually passed by Con-
gress Only one exception to it, as it came to
the Senate from the House of Representatives
has been taken here. 1t contains what is prac-
tically an inhibition of the employment of the
army of the United States, by the President, to
enforce the so-called laws of the alleged Legis-
lature of the Territory Of Kansas. The Senate
regards that Inhibition an obnoxious feature,
and has by what is called amendment, pro-
posed to strike II from the bill everything therein
my vote; and the Senate now proposes to pass
the bin thus altered here and to remit 1t to the
House Of Representatives for concurrence in the
alteration. In the hope that that House will insist
on the prohibition which has been disspproved
here and that the Senate will, in case Of conflict,
ultimately recede, l shall vote against the pas
cage of the bill in its present shape.
In submitting my reasons for this course,
have little need TO tread in the several courses
of argument which have been opened by dis
tinguished Senators, who have gone before me
10 this debate. Certainly, however, l shall at
Senators from Virginia and South Carolina
[Mr. HUNTER and Mr.. BUTLER, by avoiding re-
marks in any degree personal, because, on an
occasion of such grave Importance, although
may not be able TO act with wisdom am sure
j can so far practice self-control as to debate
with decency, and deport myself with dignity.
] shall neither defend nor arrsign any political
party. because I should vote on this occasion
Just as / am now going TO vote, IL not merely
one of the parties, but all of the parties in the
country, stood arrayed against me.
shall not reply 10 any of the criticisms which
have been bestowed upon the inhibition pro-
posed by the House of Representatives, nor shall
/ attempt to reconcile that inhibition with other
bills, which have been passed by the House
of Representatives, and sent to this House for
concurrence. / shall not even stop to indicate
my own consistency of action, in regard to the
Territory of Kansas; because, first, | am not
TO assume that what now seems opening
disagreement between the Senate and the House
of Representatives, will rpen into of decided
conflict and because secondly if it shall so ripen,
then there will be time for argument at every
stage of the disagreement; while its entire
progress and consummation will necessarily be
searchingly reviewed, throughout the length and
breadth OF the country, and the conflict itself,
will thereafter stand landmark for all time in
the history of the Republic. l shall endeavor to
confine myself closely TO the questions which
are Immediately involved, at this hour, in q de-
bate which, in the event which has been appre-
hended will survive all existing interests and all
living statesmen.
The prohibition of the employment of the army,
10 enforce alleged statutes in Kansas, which the
House of Representatives proposes, and which
the Senate disapproves, grows out of the conflict
of opinion which divides the Senate unequally,
which divides the House of Representatives itself
nearly equally, and which, if the prohibition
itself expresses the opinion of O majority Of that
House. separates it from the Senate, and from the
President of the United States. 1t is manifestly
a conflict which divides the country by parallel
oflatitude. In this conflict, one party maintains,
as do, that the legislation and the Territorial
Legislature ITSELF of Kansas, are absolutely void.
The other party, the contrary, insists that the
legislation and Legislature of the Territory OF
Kansas are valid, and must remain so until they
shall be oonstitutonally superseded or abrogated.
The Senator from Virginia Mr. HUNTER argues
that the act of the House of Representatives, in
inserting the prohibition In this bill, is revou-
tionary, and that persistence in it would effect a
change of the Constitution of the Government.
/ refrain from arguing that question deliberately
now, because while am satisfied from my knowl-
edge of the temper and habit of the Senate that ii
is likely enough to adhere to the course which il
has indicated, | am at the same time by no means
so certain that the House of Representatives will
not ultimately recede from the ground which, by
the act of bare majority, at all times unreliable
during the present session, it has assumed
speak with the utmost respect towards the House
of Representatives, and with entire confidence in
the patriotic motives of all its members but,
must confess that, in all questions concerning
Freedom and Slavery in the United States, have
seen Houses of Representatives, when brough,
into conflict with the Senate of the United States
recede too often and retreat too far to allow me
TO assume that in this case the present House Of
Representatives will maintain the high position
Ii has assumed with frmness and perseverance
TO the end. saw House of Representatives
in 1880, which was delegated and practically
pledged to prohibit the extension of SLAYER,
within the unorganized Territories of the United
States, then newly acquired from Mexico, refuse Il
perform that great duty, and enter into a compro
mise, which, however intended, practically led t.
the abandonment of all those Territories to uni
rersal desecraton by Slavery. l saw House o
Representatives, in 1884, forget the sacred rever
ence for Freedom of those by whom it was consti
tuted, and abrogate the time-honored law undo
which the Territories of Kansas and Nebtask
had until that time remained safe. amid tn
wreck which followed the unfortunate compro
mise of 1850, and thus prepare the way for tina
invasion by Slavery of all that yet remained 70
the sway Of Freedom in the ancient domain o
Louisiana, which has since taken place in Kansas
of opposing the spread of Slavery in the train q
our national banner, consecrated to equal and uni
Yersal Freedom, my hopes have been fixed, not o
existing Presidents, Senates or Houses Of Repre-
sentatives, but on future Presidents and futur
Congresses-and my hopes and faith gro1
stronger and stronger, as each succeeding Presi
dent, Senate, and House of Representatives, fail
10 adopt and establish that policy, SO eminent
constitutional and conservative My hopes an
my faith thus grow on disappointment, because
see that by degrees, which are marked, althoug
the progress seems slow, my countrymen, VIII
alone create Presidents and Congresses, are com
ing to apprehend the wisdom and justice Of ths
benehcent policy, and to accept it. The short
comings of the present House of Representative
do not discourage me. do not even hold this
body responsible. know how, in the very mid:
Of the canvass In which its members wer
elected the public mind was mised, and diverte
10 the discussion of false and fraudulent issue
concerning the principles and policy of th
Church of Rome, and the temper, disposition
and conduct, of aliens incorporated into th
Republic But although | hold the preser
House of Representatives excusable, | mus
nevertheless, in assigning its true character, b
allowed TO say of il, that it is like the moor
which presents broad surface, all smooth an
luminous when seen at a distance, but covere
with rough and dark mountains when brougl
near to the eye by the telescope. L shall vot
therefore, on this occasion with the House
Representatives,, against majority of the Senat
careless whether that House itself shall, ik
other Houses of Representatives which hay
gone before it, renounce and repudiate its ow
decision which thus sustain, and complaSantl
range itself with the Senate and the President
the United States, against myself and those Ser
ators who shall have gone with me to its supper
Mr.. President, the subject under considerable
is legitimately within the jurisdiction of Cor
gress, and consequently within the jurisdictio
of the House of Representatives. There mu
o,sbo~,<r sou,ouhara "a dacide vhafhar III