The daily union., 1856-04-01


delivered in the United States Senate Thursday, March
90 1866. Nv. lt, ....., .
TIL. senate as in committee of the whole having taken
81, r consideration the bill 10 authorize the people OF the
rsrrtory of Kansas form constitution and State gov
,rnmeut preparatory to their admission into the Union
when they have the requisite population--
Mr. PnssrprSr: will ask tho indulgence of the Senate
for such length OF time the may require provided
INV strength do not fail me- while submit some views
In yindcstiou of the majority report and In answer TO
that Of the minority Of the COMMITTEES on Territories upon
In The 6rst place however as we have taken up for
sderaton the bill reported by the Committee on Ierro-
res authorize the people OF that Territory 70 iorm
constitution and State gosernmeal , pshan
give brief exposition OF the provisions ana pfnepes
the bill ~ &a.,%. " @1f y ~"
The first section provides that whenever the Territory Of
Kansas shalt contain Inhabitants TO be ascertan.d
by census taken in conformity with law, that being the
present ratio for member OF Congress- convention
may be called by the legislature of the Territory TO form
constitution and State government preparatory to its ad-
mission into the Union as State aA~. @ts.a1 W II
The second section provides that the convention shall
be composed of twice the number Of delegates which each
district in the proposed State has Representatives 10 the
toa legislature At the election OF those delegates II
is proposed that a white male Inhabitants who shall have
resded six months in the Territory and three onhs In
the district may vote provided .hey possess the quaea
required by the organic act o the Territory BY
animation OF the preccdents find that il has been usual
TO prescribe the qualifications Of the voters in tile acts OF
Congress authorizing the people Of the Territories hold
conventions and form constitutions preparatory to their
admission into the Union. X. r,.,.nl .. ..ss . VIA
The several acts Of Congress preparatory to the admis
sion Of the following States prescribed residence varying
from three to twelve months as condition Of voting as
Ohio twelve months Mississippi, twelve months; Mis-
souri, three mouths; Louisiana twelve months; Alabama
three months Most Of the other States formed their
ture without the preliminary action Of Congress In pre-
pairing this bill have adopted the medium according
the preceden running through whole territorial hi
months residence n the Territory and thre.
months 10 the district In which the vote may be given.
The third and only remaining section of the bill pro-
vdes the usual grants Of land to be made to the State
OF Kansas the upon which they have been
made to most of the other new States.
If there IL anything objectionable In the details Of the
BILL they viii be open to amendment and shall be
ready to accept any amendment Of which my judgmsn.
Now, sir, few words in regard to the speech of
my colleague [Mr. TRussuLL] delivered the other day
in this body l. y well known 70 the Senate that
the senator from Texas RUsk called the attention Of
my colleague TO the fact that was absent at the time and
for that reason suggested the propety of postponemen
Of the discussion until could be present was absent
for the that the state Of my health did render 1t
prudent for TO be present. and for the further
that bad been distinctly understood and unanimously
agreed after brief discussion that all further discussion
Of the subject should be postponed for week. and then
to be resumed the bill under confederation when,
according 10 the conrteses of the Senate well ns the
rules Of parliamentary proceedings would be entitled to
open the debate author Of the report and bill and
tbe senator from Vermont Mr. CoLLAxsRl the author
Of the minority report, would be entitled to reply; after
which the subject would be open for free discussion by
any senator who might desire to participate in it Under
these circumstances had right expect that my COL
league would take advantage of my absence in violation
of the established usages and coureses Of the Senate
open the discussion and to make person.
ally s well upon the report of which was the author
He commenced his remarks thus:
"Mr President consent, entertaining the view,
which hold, that this report shall go The country
without i Ia
here accompanied b minority report which, 10 my judg
II utterly refutes the majority report upon the great ques-
on at issue but having been prepared without
sst ooad ms., S sed ssoo.s sfPg e. .a w impossible
tions." .s.a
wish the Senate bear in mind that this is the FIRST
discussion which has taken place in the Senate between
colleague and myself and that In the frat paragraph his
first speech be could not refrain from personal
myself Whatever controversy, therefore, has grown out
oft or may result from IL Is Of his seeking uupro-
voked by He undertakes to tell the Senate u rea-
son why he Is not willing the majority report should 70
out TO the country In connexion with the minority report
that the latter Shaving been prepared without opporu
nifty 10 examine the majority report IL impossible that
it could meet and expose all its unfounded assumptions
How does my colleague know that the from Yer.
mont prepared the minority report without being allowed
an opportunity 20 examine the majority report? What
authority he for the insinuatou that there was unfair
ness praciised by the majority the minority Of the
mttee Where the authority for making the charge
rather the innnendo OF unarnessf Every member OF the
committee knows that the majority report was read
the whole the Monday before its presentation to the
Senate rather that about twothrds of the report
inng every part ofit which hes been the subject Of cr
cism By my colleague, read Monday. The
from Vermont who wrote the minority report pres
en heard every word and took notes the time of the
points Of dissent The residue OF the report prepared
on Monday night and read Tuesday to the com
mttee. The minority report shown TO
Ter Of the committee produced in committee until h,
Wedn,sdI aferward. Hence, the from Vermont
had enre days to prepare his dissent TO all that part
OF the majority report which has been assaed by my col
league, and one day In regard 10 the rest Off
proper here 70 remark that offered TO postpone the
time q making the report day longer II the senator
morning. he declined avaing himself Of thcpostponement
upon the ground that be tben ready make bis re-
port and accordingly proceeded TO read II 10 the commit
tee Then what authority b this nnuendo Of unfairncs
made BY my colleague similar charge OF unfairnes,
was maue IN the ne.spapers over anonymous signatures
nearly two weeks before the reports prepared In order
70 prejudice the public mind, and break the force Of h,
cs and conclusions Of the report when should be made
hposed the fraud then In open Senate In the presence
co,asue and OF the author Of the minority report
repeat Tue question 10 the face OF these facts on what
auhory docs my colleague In the first paragraph of hi;
h speech in The Senae In reerriog 10 me iussr an nnn
enuo containing charge unfounded and so offensive
her OF the commttec' '''
my colleague says the minority report "maserly'
BeUso ne says that utterly refues the minority re-
port upon the great question at ssue The senator from
New York MI. SEWARD endorsed the minority reuort In
similar terms; aud the senator from INr
SUHsER returned his thanks lie author in like mannsr
The whole that side Of the chamber Including ali tbe
members OF that party called anti Nebraska mon %
rpublicans endorse the opinion Of my colleague Ibst ,bs
minority report is mastery production Then why NO,
allow the reports 70 10 the country together ana
permit the discussion proceed In the usual mode which
the practice Of this body quires II the minority report