The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-04-19
Mr.. DOuglas' Speech.

Mr.. ID. commenced his speech by reading
the bill proposed by the committee on terri
tories for admitting Kansas as u state, and
explained in busness.like way, the nature
OF its provisions. lie then attends to the
case OF Judge Trumbull, and in about the
space Of three of our columns, disposes of
his great maiden senatorial effort effect
ualy. Never was speech more complete.
ly cut and riddled-there Is positively no.
thing left Of it. We copy about third Of
Judge d. S reply on this head;
Now, sir, few words in regard to the
speech OF my colleague Mr.. Trumbulll de-
lvered the other day in this body 1t is we'll
known to the Senate that the senator from
Texas Mr.. Ruskl called the attention OF my
colleague to | L tact that was absent at the
time, and for that reason suggested the pro-
piiety VI pOStponencnt vi the discussion
until | could be present | was absent for
the reason that the state Of my health did
not render it prudent for me to be present,
and for the further reason that 1t had
been distinctly understood and unanimously
agreed, after a brief discussion that all fur
ther discussion OF the subject should be
postponed for one week, ana then 10 be re.
sulncd on the bill nOw uuder consideration,
when according to the courtcsius OF the Se-
nate, as well as the rules Of parliamentary
proceedings, ! wouid be entitled to open the
debate a. the author OF the report aud bill,
and the senator from Vermont, Mr.. Cola
mci as the author Oi the minority report
would bc entitled TO fcplyi after which, the
subject would be open Tor ifce discussion by
any senator who might desire to participate
in It. Under these circumstances, | had no
right to expect that my colleague would take
advantage OF my absence, ~ violation VI the
estaO isned usag,s and couitysira oi the Sc.
nate, to open the discussion, aud to make an
assault on inc personally as vel us upon tic
! report OF when ! was the author.
lie commenced hl> remarks tnus:
| Mr.. President, | cannot consent, enter.
tanning the views which hold, that TINS 10.
port shall 90 before the cOuHtry without rX-
pressing my dissent. am aware, slr, that
It /, here accompanied by minority report
winch, III my Judgement, presents tnis Kan
sds question IN mastery manner 1t ut
terry Iciutes the majority report upon tue
great question at Issue, but, having been
. prepared without an opportunity to examine
Wv "''J''''! 'Nf0'I ~ - ''f''''''' '''"' II
/ CouIu meet anu expose all It's uu!Ounied as
,,
49,, 49,, ,.., -. o'"' 80 "''"'' ''"'
,,',. -, ,i s.. I..,', ,'.
aud myself, aud that IN the first paragraph
OF his speech he could not refrain from 4
/ personal assault on myself. Whatever con.
,,,,,. ,,y,i, r,n,n :, i. oe h,. o,,n sab 49,,
rni,ovok.d hv u. lie urd.rtuk.s ~, ,,Ii
,nr S.ro,. a., ,c,.ou b. :. ma, ,.,IIi,',, ,t,,
,n,,,,,,y ,,,,u,, .LopI,I ,,, o,,, T., th..,1,,,
-, ,,,,,.v,o,, ,,i,t tL,. ,,,i,,,,,,,, ,.,,,,, ,i,
IN, I,,,., :. .h,y,n,, I,,n rr.,,,r,d ,,,,hn",
nn opportunity to cxanlino a.. g.. .,or,,v "a.
mort, It was impossible tuat It cou.d nee,
and expose all It's uulounded assumptions. IF
/ How docs my colleague know that the BE.
nator from Vermont prepared tine minority
report without b,Ins allowed ala opportunity
10 examine the maIuuty rrpuItf " hat au.
tuullly has n, I 1 the Iu,luuatlou that ther,
was unialrncss practlsed by the majority tc
the minority oi the committee: " here !,
the authority Tor making the charge or ia
/ thrr the iu,Icudo oi uniaiuesst Every
member vi the committee knows that tn,
majority report Was read TO thc Whole om tbs
MOnuay before itS presentation 10 the Scnatr
or rather tuat about l"U-lIhds OF tue 10
port, containing eveiY part oi 1t when LA
been tue SUBJECT OF criticism by my col
league, Vas read on MouGay. IHe Senator
from Vermont, who wrote the minority re
pUIt, was present. heard every word, anC
took notes at the time oi the point, OF dis
b., .It ,t t,.
pared on Monday night, aud va, read 0,
tuesday to the committee. The minority
report vas never shown to member Of Tia
committee, or produced IN committee, unit
the W ednesday aiteIward. Hence, the Se
nator from Vermont had Two entIre days Il
prepare his dissent to all that part OF tn
majority report which has been assailed b,
my colleague, and one day in regard to th
r,sto IT,
: 1t is proper here to remark that oiicrct
to postpone the time OF making the rcpol
one day ion er, il the Senator from Vernon
desired iuithvr time, but, Oh Wudnesda
, morning, he declined avalIlng himself OF til
5 poslpUnemcnt, upon the ground that he wa
then ready 10 make his report, and accord
ngIy proceeded to read 1t to the commltte,
Then, ON what authority is this lnucndo {
unialrEess made 10y my colleague: a sim
lar charge Of unianncss was made in til
newspapers, oyer anonymous signature
=. nearly Two weeks before the reports wcr
{ prepared, IN order to prejudice the publ
nlnd aud break the luicc OF the facts an
cOnc,usion. OF the report when it should b
s inaie. exposed the fraud then IN opc
, Senate, in the presence OF my colleague an
OF the author OF the minority report. Ir,
peat the question. In the face OF these fact.
. on what authority does my colleague, in III
first paragraph oi ms lr>t speech IN til
I, Senate, IN referring to me, insert an nuend
i containing "a charge 50 uuioundrd and 81 U
4 icns,vc, and winch is known to he unju,
and untrue by every member Of the con
m,,teey
But my colleague says the minority r,
port is mastery" Be 1t so He says til;
It "utte,ly r,iutes the majority report upo
< the great question at issue" The Scnat,
from New York [Alr. Seward endol sed tn
s minority report IN similar terms; and III
=, Al