The daily union., 1856-04-04
KANSAS DEBATE IN THE SENATE CONTINUED.

The Kansas discussion resumed yesterday by Mr.
Coamer who occupied the floor for nearly two and half
hours without concluding his remarks His speech was
free from the coarse violence Of Of his abolition asso-
cates and in all respects courteous and respectful to his
opponents but these accounts not the less character
Ied by extreme federal and abolition dosrines In gene
raj he was dgned and earnest but under his purtanica
exterior evident that there s lurking natural pro-
cvity humor which exhibited isef occasional face
tiousness for which looking. He commenced
by quizzcal alluson q Virginia book entitled "New
Views of the Constitution which turned afterwards
to have good deal of significance He manifested deci-
ded ayeraion TO new views Of the constitution showing
very clearly that he belongs the class Of old gs who
believe that nothing worthy of adoption that be
tested by the rule which decides the quality Of good wine
Mr. Colamer has great reliance the concusveness of
contemporaneous constructions Of tho constitution and on
this point he exhausted much Of his time and strength He
thought the shareholders ought TO cherish this doctripe
since is upon it that they enabled sustain the
gay Of their property in slaves In this position he fell
into the slight mistake common 70 derals Of sspposng
that southern claim their title slaves uadeF the fed
sral instead Of the State constitutions and laws He
rred TO the federal constitution show that sldrss BY
that name were In any of its clauses and la
bored earnestly show that the language used in the
constitution was made applicable 10 slaves only by
temporaneous construction Without questioning the value
of this mode of asceraning the meaning of the constu
ton in OF doubt must say that thought Mr.
Coamer resored to the doctriue In In which the
language Of The constitution clear to require Its
application
Having settled these preliminary positions Mr. Collaer
proceeded to lay down. the result Of his examination Of
the contsmporaneous history and legislation Of the
try two rules as to slavery in Territories First in oil To-
cates in which slavery did not exist Congress has pro-
hbicd it in giving territorial goveruments second in all
localities where did exist 70 any considerable extent
Congress has recognised Its continuance in giving terrific
rial governments Assuming these propositions to be
tabsbed by and subsequent eonstrue
ton Of the constitution he concluded that Congress has the
power to regulate by which be means de6nsd by him.
to prohbi, or to establish slavery in the Territories We
do not understand that the truth Of history bears him ou
in the facts on which hJ theory Is based We think the
fact really that until the rst departurein s2o Congress
has followed the indications Of the laws ofnaure Of climate
and Of recognising the state Of things existing
in the Territories the times when territorial governments
were provided Practically, the very principle which 10
lecaaed n the KansasSebraska bill has controlled in
firing the domestic Institutions Of every Territory until
1920 and Congress iu giving them governments prepare
tory to their admission States bas not undertaken to
interfere with the will Of the inbabtants The positions
which be lays down deductions from oonemporaneOus
construction of the constitution and subsequent legislation
were the legitimate results of the great principle Of pop
ular sovereignty which had become operative before gov
ernments were given TO the Tsrrores and which Con-
rress recognised as the true principle
We had good deal Of curiosity TO hear what answer
Mr. Coamer had make to the position Of Judge Doug
las in regard the derivation Of the power 10 establish ter
roria from the express power TO admit
States into the Union His chief objection 10 The position
was that Il was np Is hardly necessary to say tina,
such an answer only betsys the inability Of Mr. Colsmer
to meet the argument BY reasoning By this kind Of
swer be would deny that threesoore years Of examination
and discussion hare thrown light upon many df
cult questions that have arisen. He objected
also to Judge Douglass position because he sai IL was
TOO narrow This was as unsatisfactory the objection
that 10
Having passed from these points Mr. COamer sdranced
To the internal affairs Of Kansas for the purpose Of
verug the legality Of the Kansas legislature He was
engaged on this branch Of his argument when his strength
failed him, and the Senate adjourned over.