Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-12-25

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Congress, this was the only point involved in
the contest. By law of Maryland, Baltimore
city and county was made one Congressional
district, entitled to two members /; and the law
further required that one should be resident
of the city and the other of the county The
two candidates having the highest number OF
votes both lived in the county Barney living
in the city, contested McCreerys seat, on the
ground that both members could not, under
the law of Maryland, reside in the county. The
House decided, by a vote of SO to Is, that
McCreery was entitled to his seat, and that
the Constitution of the United States having
fixed the qualifications of members no dddi-
tiOnat qualifications can rightfuly be required
by the State /; thus setting aside law of a
sovereign State The twelfth section of the
election law of Kansas requires as qualifca-
ton for Delegate that he shall possess the
qualifications prescribed for voters Those
qualifications are inhabtancy, payment of a
Territorial tax, and oath to support the Fugi-
tive Slave Law, and never having been fined
under the Fugitive Slave Act, in any court of
any State or Territory This law permits In
dtanS who are not citizens to vote, but prevents
tehite men. if they have ever been convicted of
any violation of the Fugitive Slave Law,
whether such conviction were by criminal
proceeding or cira action for the recovery of
any penalty prescribed by said act" Any
person that has been at any time so convicted
cannot vote in Kansas to-day, and is under her
laws ineligible as a Representative in Con
greSs.
The Senator from Delaware, Mr. CLAYTON
whose bier has just passed to the church-yard,
in speaking of this law in the Senate Chamber,
with almost his dying breath, said =
" | denounce this as an unjust and cruel law
against one section of the Union, and an in
suit to honorable men who differ totally with
me on great questions of politics, and yet are
as honest as | am, or any man on this floor
- | hold this injustice to be uIi-
exampled Sir, it is thing un-
heard of in the history of the country, that
in the introduction of Territory into the
Union as a State, or in the formation of a
Territorial Government, you should require
men in the Territory to swear to support your
acts of Congress"
Take. then, the law of Kansas, the certificate
of election of this Delegate and the Consttu-
ton of the United States, and put them side
by side, and they fail to make out pripta ia
cie case for they show that the election itself
was invalid there being no valid law under
which it could be held
But, sir, in addition to the invalidity and
uncOnstitutiOnalitv of the legislation of Kansas,
there is still another reason why this House
should not recognize it, for it would be giving
support and cOuntenanCe to a most odious des-
potiSm on American soil Both branches of
Congress at its last session, refused TO appro-
pirate any money for its support, for the dou-
ble reason that 1t was uSurpatiOn aud deS-
potism combined-a despOtiSm that we are
asked TO recognize after the recorded opinions
of its character, not only in the official acts Of
both branches of Congress- but also by such
men as General CaSs, Clayton, Bayard Crit
tenden, Weller, and other Senators, who will
not be regarded, | trust, as fanatics General
CasS, on the I'd of July last, said, on the floor
There is no doubt that some of the stat
uteS passed by the Legislature of Kansas are
a disgrace TO tic age and The country | re-
peat the streng expression-' disgrace to
the age and the country Such is my firm
conviction. Heavy penalties are imposed, to
prevent the people from arguing what is al
most question of abstract right Now,
ask you, how have the people Of Kansas full
liberty to pass laws establishing their domes-
tic relations for themselves if they are not al
lowed to discuss them ? 1t is inconsistent
with the organic act"
| refer to the opinions of Senators Bayard
of Delaware, and Crittenden of Kentucky /:
and certainly they will not be charged with
special fanaticiSn coming as they do from slave
States, where this kind of fanaticism, for Free
dom and Free Territory, of which gentlemen
affect to be so much afraid, does not prevail
| summon them to the stand, therefore, as cool
and dispaSSioGate witnesses. In speaking of
these laws. Mr.. Bayard says:
There are certain of the laws of Kansas
which are unqueStionably, in themselves, shock
ing to the moral sense There are certain of
the laws Of Kansas that invade natural rights =
-CoHgressionai Globe crtra sessicH, Thirty
fourth Congress, p. 50.
Mr.. Crittenden says:
q But, sir, YOU promised, in the organic law
that these people should be left perfectly free
10 vote. and decide bv their votes this uueS-
tion which YOU have submitted to them and
vet you say you will not repeal that encum-
brance on the right OF suffrage, which actual
II prOStrateS it, aud renders it useless 10 Oh
honest and conscientious man. For instance
'yon impose an oath. as a condition prelimina
~ TO their voting, that they shall swear TO
support this or that law
Speaking of these laws, Mr. Weller, of Cali
fornia, used this language :
I" They are so infamous in their character
that am unwilling they should stand upou
the statute book of any Of the Territories of
this Union. believe they violate not only
the organic law. but the Constitution of the
United States"
The Senate regarded those acts passed by
'the Legislative Council of Kansas Territory
as not only unjust in their character, and OPP
preSsive upon the people, but in derogatioa
of the organic law, and in violation of the
Constitution Of the United States Some Of
thaSa acts reynIrinnr tn n.ar.- f,aL;..a- -