Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-05-09

seinhlHgCs who say they approve OF tlcm
Certainly not. Now, what meeting was it
which called the constitutional convention :
The meeting at Topeka, or the 10Th Of Sept
ember. The state their purposes, which
have read, The proceedings Of that meeting
when call the convention are not given all in
all the majority report. 1t states that there
was such II meeting. but their proceedings
are not given. The very proceedings which
declared their purposes, and which ! have
set out in the minority report. are not there.
| do not use the word " suppressed
Mr.. DOUGLAS. No because it would
not be true if you did. | will show you that
it is in the report.
Mr.. COLLiMER. | have not seen it.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. If you read the report
you will see it.
Mr.. CoLLAMER. The proceedings of
the meeting of September l9I
Mr.. DOUGLAS. The majority report sets
out in full the preamble to the resolutions of
the meeting. 1t then states that they passed
resolutions calling IA convention to meet a
Topeka. Were YOU speaking of the Law
renee or Topeka meeting.
Mr., COLLAMER. was speaking of the
Topeka meeting Of the 18th of September.
Mr.. DOT GLAS. | have stated what they
did on the 18th of September | have not
put in the report the whole pamphlet.
Mr.. COLLAMER. There is the point.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. On that point | wish to
be distinctly understood. | have not set out
the whole proceedings, or the speeches in
those meetings in full but they are precise
" in this order first, the meeting at Law
renee second, at Big Springs, which in
dorses the Lawrence movement third, the
meeting at Topeka on the 10Th Of september,
called by those two meetings fourth, the
convention at Topeka, which formed the
constitution. | will give the reason why |
. stated them in that order. | met the Sc.
nator from Vermont at his room by
1 agreement, and we there came to an under
l standing that that was the order of proceed
lngs in which the constitutional convention
f was gotten up. If there is a misstatcment
c in the report in regard to them, it is the
Z Senator's fault, because he agreed to that ar
rangement at the time. | have the memOran-
: dun on which it is written taken in his
c room. 1t is his agreement, and never has
been departed from since The facts are dis.
tinctly and truly stated in the report, as
will show when the gentleman z It's through,
Mr.. Collamer. Will the Senator show me
at what page of the report the proceedings
r of the Topeka meeting OF the 10Th of Septem-
e Der are given
Mr.. Douglas. 1t is in the regular order.
Mr.. Culliner. At what page
Mr.. Douglas. At page 81 and 80, where
this statement is to be found
4. "In pursuance of the recommendation Of the mas
meeting held at Lawrence on the 18th of August
and indOrsed by the convention held at the Ri,
1t Spring on the 9TH and 9Th of September, o conven
r, ton was held at Topeka ON the 18th and goth o
September, at which it was determined to hold an
N other convention at the same place on the lth Tues
- day OF October, for the purpose of forming a consti
- tuition and state governments; and to this emf sue
he proceedings were had AS were deemed necessary TO
n giving the notices, conducting the election of dele
e. gates. making the returns, and assembling the con
n. Nputipu. With TCg1ri to tho rpvuia rity of thC~
proceedings, your committee see no necessity f1
further criticism than is to be found in the fac
ly that it was the movement of a political party il
he stead of the whole body Of the people of Kansas, cor
du'tcd without the sanction of law, mud in dcfanc
to Of the constituted authorities, for the ayowcd pur
fl pose Of overthrowius the territorial governmcI
e. established by Congress-
Is, Mr.. Collamer. That is exactly as | under
"s stand it.
Mr.. Douglas. You are very unfortunat
OF in stating how you do understand it.
Is MIR. Collamcr. | said that the proceeding
&, of the meeting at Topeka, Of the 10Th of Ser
TENDER. which called the convention to iori
or the constitution, were not given. say nov
at they are not given. That was the mcetin
ey which called the constitutional convention
he That was the meeting which stated the pui
nd poses Of the movement. | have read to yo
ed their statement of their purposes, whcrci
Ity twice in the resolutions, and twice in Il
- VI III 'bil4flAN''s wy Ftl
re expressly the design WIS to form II %constitl
ny ton, and presenting it for admission into tt
cts United States: four times over that j. stat,
to in those proceedings. Neither one of tho.
statements is given in the report The con
ny mittee state that such Il meeting was hOldt
]rt Mt Topeka, on the 10Th of September, us ca
ng ed by the Lawrence meeting, which the b
IS" Springs convention said they approved. II
I'D report states that such proceedings were ia
lat en- by that meeting in Topeka, Of the 10Th
ce. September, as to call a constitutional conye
ect ton. But what is the, point! 1t is whcth
Tor or not their purposes were revolutionary
'ue whether their object was violence, or the fo
ort nation Of n constitution to he presented
ns Congress for admission. That is the poir
ex- Now, sir, what does this report say T
a persons concerned in the Topeka meeting,
re- September 10th, declared their purpose
nd believe four times, but certainly three, to
rat that, and that only, namely, to form "A cons
Its ton, with II view to present it to Congress I
admission. hat does the report which t
to gentleman has read say If the proceedings
the that meeting'
"a, SIN pursuance of the recommendation Of the mi
ne meeting held at Lawrence on the it'll Of August, a
be indorsed by the convention hcli at the Big Sprir
OBJ on the 18th and 9th of September, a convention v
INV held at Topeka on the 18th and 10Th of Septemb
| i at which it was determined to hold another conv,
~ ton at the SAINT place on the ih Tuesday of Dc
Der, Tor the purpose oil forming "a constitution n
nc state government; and to this end such proceediI
OBJ were had us were deemed necessary for giving
oes notices, conducting the election of delegates, ms
out ing the returns, and assembling the convention
This is all the notice which the rep,
the takes Of that meeting; aud then it goes on
'c'- say, in regard to their purposes
hot "With regard to tho regularity Of these procc,
ings, your committee see no necessity for lurtl
,ra w. criticism than is to be found in the fact that it v
the the movement Of a political party instead of
the whole body of the people of Kansas, conducted wi
re, out the sanction OF law, and in defiance Of the c.
hat stltu ed authorities, for the ayowcd purpose of oy
avs throwing the territorial government established
+, 70 Congress"
,T. This is what is stated to have been t
mo- purposes OF the meeting but what are til
tie when We examine them \ mere call foI
convention to form n constitution for adm
led. sion into the United States Government to
saw presented to Congress. What the Scnat
oil says about the order IN which these were
.nt. come is true; but the difficulty is, that I'll
t of have not come in that is the trouble.
of be sure, it was distinctly understood betw,
ere the Senator and myself, that the order Of I
his proceedings in point of date was, first /
to Lawrence meeting, then the first Iope
hut meeting, and next the Topeka constitution
!, if convention lhdt was the order OF tn
He'd dates.
the Mr., Douglas. | wish to be understood
to tine matter of fact, | stated, that I
nee order agreed upon was, first, the Lawrer
/, to meeting, next, the Big Springs convent,
at which indorSci the Lawrence meeting.
hat stated in the report the fact, which the :,
call ator pointed out to mo, that . resolution
the zig Springs convention Endorsed the La
to renee meeting. lie lointcl out to mc II
a to the Big Springs meeting was the second st,
ook Mr.. Collalncr. Second IN point OF tinlo
t is MIR. Douglas, That was the second strp
the the movement ior a state government. |
lich third was the meeting at Topeka of Septe
and Der 10Th, 1t was in the second meeting
nr Tine nnn at Biz Snrimns-thut tLnv nvnu