Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-04-19


customary forms Of popular elections which
were open 10 all the inhabitants of the terrific.
ry qualified to vote by the organic law. and 10
no others and they have 10 no case come INTO
conflict, nor does the new state now act or as
sumo to engage ia conflict with either the ter.
riiorial authorities or the government Of The
Union. Thirdly. There can be no ifregular-
,y where there is no law prescribing what shall
be regular. Congress has passed no aw es-
tabshing regulations for the organization or
admission Of new states. Preceden,s in sueh
cases, being without foundation in law, are
without authority. This is country whose
government is regulated, not by precedenis, but
BY consiilutons. But if precedents wete nee
esssry, they are found in the cases Of Texas
and California, each Of which was organized
and admitted, subject 10 the same alleged irrcs-
uariiies.
The majority Of the committee on territories,
in behalf Of the president, inierpose one for.
iher objection. by tracing this new state organ
zaiion TO the influence of a secret, armed, po-
liiical society. Secrecy and combination, with
extra Judicial oaihs and armed power, were the
enginery Of the Missouri borderers ia efFecting
tho subjugaiion Of the people of Kansas, as
that machinery is always employed in the com
mission Of political crimes How far il was
lawful or morally right for the people Of Kan
sas 10 employ the same agencies for the defence
of their lives and liberties, may be question
for casuisls, but certainly is not one for me. |
can freely confess, however, my deep regret
that secret societies for any purpose whatsoever
have obtained place anong political organz.
aiions within the republic; and 1t is my hope
that the experience which we have now so dis
,inciy had, that they can be bot too easily
adapted to unlawful, sediiious, and dangerous
enterprises, while they bring down suspicion
and censure on high and noble causes when
identified with them, may be sufficient to induce
general diseoniinuance Of them.
Will the Senate hesitate for an hour between
the alternatives before theml The passions Of
the American people find heallhful exercise n
peaceful colonizaiions, and the construction Of
railroads, and the building up and multiplying
Of republican institutions. The territory OF
Kansas lies across the path through which rail-
roads must be built, and along which such in
stituions must be founded, without delay, in
order 10 preserve The integrity of our empire
Shall we suppress enterprises so benevolent,
and so healthful and infame our country with
that fever Of intestine war which exhausis and
consumes not more the wealth and strength than
the virtue and freedom Of nation Shall we
confess that the proclamation Of popular soveT-
eighty within the territory Of Kansas was not
merely failure. but pfelense and fraud
Or will senator's now contend that the people
of Kansas, destitute as they are Of legisa-
ture Of their own, Of executive authorities Of
their own, of Judicial authorities Of their own,
Of militia Of their own, Of revenues Of their
own, subject to disposal by themselves. pracii-
cally deprived as they are OF the rights Of vot-
ing, serving as jurors, and OF writing printing,
and speaking, their own opinions, arc neverthe-
less in the enjoymen, and exercise Of popular
sovereignty Shall we confess before the
world, aneg so brief trial. that this great po-
liiical system of ours is inadequate either to
enable the majority TO control through the ope-
ration Of opinion, without force, or TO give Sc
curly TO the citizen against tyranny and domes-
tic violence Are we prepared SO soon to re-
linquish our simple and beautiful systems Of re-
I publican government, and to substitute n their
/ place the machinery Of usurpa,ion and despot-
ism'
The Congress Of the United States can re-
fuse admission 10 Kansas only on the ground
that il will not relinqnish the hope of carrying
African slavery into that new territory. Ii you
are prepared 10 assume that ground, why not
do it nanfully and consistently, and establish
slavery theie by direct and explici, act Of
Congress But have we come 10 that stage of
Generalization and degenerscy so soon We,
who commenced our political existence and
gained the sympaihies of the world by pro-
claiming 10 other nations that We held ''thess
truths 10 be selfevident That all men are
born equal, and have certain inalienabe rights !;
and that among these rights are life. liberty,
and the pursuit Of happiness y we, who in the
spirit Of that declaration have assumed to teach
and TO illustrate, for the benefit of mankind, a
higher and better civilization than they have
hitherto known If the Congress of the Unit
ed States shall persist in this attempt, then
they shall at least allow me 10 predict its re-
suits. Either you will not establish African
slavery in Kansas, or you will do il at the cost
OF the sacrifice Of all the existing liberties Of
the American people. Even il slavery were,
what it is not, boon to the people of Kansas,
ceptance by federal guns. The attempt is in
conflict with all the tendencies of The age
African slavery has, for the last fifty years,
been giving way, as well in this country as 10
the islands. aud on the main land throughout
this hemisphere. The political power and pres
tige Of slavery in the United States are passing
away. The slave states practically governed
the Union directly for ify years. They gov
eru it now, only Indirectly, through the agency
Of northern hands, temporarily enlisted in their
support. So much, owing to the decline Of
their power, they have already conceded to the
free states. The next step, il they persis. in
their present course will be the resumption and
exercise by the free states of the control of the
government, wilhou. such concessions as they
have hitherto made to obtain IT, Throughout
period OF nearly twenty years, the defenders
of slavery screened il from discussion in the
national councils. Now, they practically con.