The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-03-25
CONGRESSIONAL.
sPEECH or hon. JOHN LETcHER,

VIRGINIA,
On the resolution reported BY the Committee Of Elections
d, isss, = 'A' mouse o. representatives March
Mr. LETCHER said. '"~
Mr. SPEAEEn' do not propose to occupy much time
matter, desire 70 s4te frankly The reasons upon which
mean 10 rest my vote The first question to be looked at
here and 70 b Inquired iaio i the FACT whether Kansas
Territory Is enutled 70 delegate upon shs hoor2
Now sir put il to The chairman Of the Committee Of
Elections TO say wheaher that Territory Is entitled 10
delegate IN this House As he gentleman is silent take
II for granted that be admits the fact II entitled
why 50 entitled Is 1t not by virtue OF the act Of
Congress organizing the Territories Of Kansas and
Nebraska BY which she can undertake to come here
and claim The right for delegate 70 scat amongst
Us There y no other ground by which she can
claim u, rxcept ths action Of the two houses Of
Congress, approved by the President OF the United
States thus gying to that action the sanction and so
emniiy OF Law Then sir If abe s entitled delegate
she II entitled 70 It unar the law Of the land Thai law
Il clear prss and unequvocal in it's terms and il makes
provision for he election OF delegate To Congress only
until such time territorial legslatuGe shall convene
and pass general election law prescribing the and
conditions upon which future elections for delegate ia
Congress and for members 10 the territorial legislature
shall be conducted and decided. Now sir under this
original law this Law Of Congress organizing the Terri
tory an election acas held Kansas and Cen WHITFIELD
came here delegate took his in the tsst Congress
and served out the remainder Of that Congress upon this
hoor, unobjected to by any .. -ra
And this brings to the proposition laid down by the
gentleman from New York lMr. HAEEsASl yesterday to
which desire To call the particular attention Of the House
for moment The gentleman called attention The de-
cslon in 18th Howards Supreme Court reports in regard
the controversy in Rhode Island growing Of the
ton Of Governor Dorr. From the Of Luther
den and others therein reported he read amongst other
passages the following from Chief Justice Taneys opn
ions:
"And when the and representatives Of State are
admitted into the councils OF the Unoa the authority Of the
republican character - recognized y s gropey
anAoy and its decision binding every department Of
the government and could not be questioned in Judicial t
bunal."
This law applicable to States ia also applicable TO Ter
rorie and rely uon for the purpose Of showing that
the action Of this House in receiving General KTETEp
into the last Congress recognized the obligation and bind
ing force Of the organizing The Territory Of Kansas and
e goFernment thereby established Having recognised
hi without objection, by the chairman of this Com
miitec OF Elections Mr. WAsHBURS, who then upon
the fOor member Of the last Tbirtyihrd Congress
and entitled Tase the objection that General WHTFKLD
improperly returned and haring raised objection
then be s precluded from gci ne behind the eecion
inteTrOsing ojerUn the a~ under which be
turned II valid ia m opinion in the last Or Thirty
third congss and sutnit that he cannot question
its binding force in the present Congress
SIR. WAkEHAN linu1apting) | not present
when The delegate from the Territory Of Kansas
il bat an informed that tue genenaA from PenGsyl-
Tauis Mr. GRo- 1t the tirs Gen WHITFIELD approach
cd your desk to hive the oath administered him said he
should raise tie QUESTION Of the right Of the gentleman
from Kansas 70 be in sbsF Of this body aud
10 upon bis dutes such; that woud waive the
eusstpa then brs THAT il Re was u it should be
wcu prejudice to the right TO raiss tie question there
after,
NJ LETCHER The gentleman has started of UPON the
wrOag pGr tallipg aboat the lgsi election Of
General HTFIILD AZ n delegate am taking sbcut the
ErE etci,ou Of HTT sIp ben he frSt here and
when without otjetoo from he served eu the
bslHnes Ihs last TETtIhrd CoBCress the election
which to0k place aDder The act organizing the Territories
Of Kansas aHd Nebraska The Fresdeu therefore urder
the drcision which has been referred TO- right In
recognising tbs territorial goTernmenf Cxstiug IL
Kansas. He ooud recognise no Other Government here
4~sF d Vraglf fRa -Ff A..
matter in that counfren here the governor hen
the first eeccp bed IN Kansas Territorr wear or
ago which sent HHTUlD 10 this Housei This
idsBBcal Andres H. Redcr then acting gov
ernUr Of kansas This governor. Andrew RsedeT
grur tAs cOnaaoa JCHS W. WHTFTELD under hirh be
claimed in and held his seat here IN he fr,f -
1Hce without word OF objection even from The chair
q tie COMMITTEE Of Elections uAo he qsSson
Now, sir II the eleclOn iuproperif IL wHs vi
tatcd in any WAY by egay OF any sor-why aid Reed
give WHITFIELD The certificate under which he came
here and under which he took his seat In hi. House With
out ojecon from any oue number Of the gentlemen
on the other side Of the House here then but never
g.ly elected that he entitled 70 seat as der
sgatt from Of the duy-orgAuizsd Territories. The Law
bad BEEN regularly passedwRs where recognised as
law q the laDd and these Massachusetts, emigsu,s
CLAIMED protection under H. aud demanded that its pro-
visions should be suforced for their benefit
Ii geems to that the which gentlemen have
adopted here cacAied ratber oompCae this matter
than to rtsve it Hon embarrassment What Is The state
Of facial
Territory Of Kansas with the commission from The gov
that Territory 10 al respects In accordance with
the law, aud this Hoase has recognised its Legality and
hdiiy
How comes Nr Rsedsr here He comes here 10 the
character Of a contestant asking Gust Mr. WmrFmLD
from his ssA and claiming that be Il legally entitled 10 IL
Well now sir II the cOuntse had undertaken 10 decide
10 the hrstiastAnce whether Mr. Reeder was eligible 10
this foOr, whether he q party Who could
the p0s ton, and whether be entitled TO the priv
sgrs attaching to q and they had disposed
Of that question would they not have smphed the matter
very much And would they not have relieved Of great
many Of the difficulties which surronnd tg Unqneg-
uonshly they uoud and IL becomes them explain 20
the House vhy they have not adopted this plain and sim
pie course OF action,
Strange ID may appear 10 Of ihs gentlemen The
ether ds Of the IOnss deny thai Mr. Reder Is slgi5ls
seat 10 tbs House delegate from the Territory Of
Kansas and shall endeAvor 70 make that appear When
Mr Esedsr vent To The Territory q Kansas be there
10 the capacity Of it's governor lie there perform
spechc duty b. virtue Of the agency conferred upon
him Who accompanied hin when be went that Terri
tory in the first instance II correctly advised and
If bs history Of the time ia to he relied upon be
oOmpanica By Mr.. Esnnken, who SCI up q candidate
for Congress the freeoii side against The present sitting
member bId lr. Fenniken 90 there 70 become ozsH
Of that Territory On the contrary far from Il
the facts growing out Of bis going that Territory, and
hs returning conclusive evidence that be there
uitb insaton Of beComiug citizen, anesa The peple
pf that Territory should take him up aud better his for
tBDe hy ssBaing him delegate 70 ths body1 So 5000
that election Eas Mr.. fcnuiksn returned she
State of Pennsylvania for the purpose q prosecuting his
profession Hs bad never changed bis domicls Hensvsr
to Kansas with intention Of remaining. That in
tsnlion, ShateTer Il ntention depending upon
, a eonunEeury-Ehether Governor Iacdsr and hmscf by
their joint iuhucnCs could send him to ths House " be
could hs sgccseded IN bis purpose he wogd doabucx
Nawg@ - knrnag IL rsEa-4