The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-05-03
KANSAS IN THE SENATE...SENA
TORS COLLAMER Il DOll:LAS.

The WASHINGTON correspondent Of the ".
y Er,ninq Past writes as follows concerning
Judge CoIiamcrs recent speech in the L. 5.
Senate:
Judge Collamcr's speech, which occupied
two DAYS. was a complete retutation of the
fallaries emplove! nv Mr.. Douglas in his
minority report. to Justify the principles of
thu Nebraska bill and the polrv of the al
ministration in reference to the people of
Kansas Those faIlacics are in MANY cases
patent to the duest comprehension, never
thcless one could not help wondering at the
number and size Of the rents which the zen
vions Cas,a" made in the report cmbodying
them. And the whole thing was done with
such excellent good humor, and the blows
one after another, told so effectively upon
that unfortunate document, that finally Sem
ators were less surprised at its demolition,
than at the fact that so flimsv fabric had ev-
cr been put together.
Judge Collamcr. who, bv the wav, was the
Postmaster General under Ta,lor's admin
istration, is a grev-headed. sleepy, Judicial
looking parsonage, with rather a clumsy de-
livery; but the blunt carelessness of his
phrases in the present instance furnished a
sort of cover and excuse for some of the
hardest hits that have vet been given to Doug
las and his friends. These hits seemed at
first purely accidental, and were taken in
good part by his opponents, but they kept
coming so fast and so pat that BY and by
they produced general flutter on the other
side. Douglas would begin to stir and con-
verse with his friends, and finally interrupt
the speaker. who would always sit down and
listen with the utmost composure 10 the ques-
ton. When this was over he would rise a.
gain, Aninus fashion. and without the least
excitement or apparent intention of hurting
any body, bit his antagonist another still
harder blow. Then he would pause, and
cooking up his eve, which would twinkle and
brighten with suppressed fun, look a: his
friend from Illinois, as if to inquire whether
he wanted more Of the same sort.
That Douglas was conscious of his discom-
future was evident from the nature of his re-
ply. Eluding the discussion Of Judge Col
lamer's main positions, he branched off into
an eIectioneering harangue. charging those
who resisted the doirgs Of the spurious Mis-
souri, legislature Of Kansas with opposing the
laws Of the United States. lie particularly
denounced the BLACK Republicans" who, he
said. had come to Congress with the purpose
Of repeating the Fugitive Slave Law and re-
storing the Missouri Compromise, but who
are now merely insisting on the immediate
admission Of Kansas. Here his remarks be-
came more and more NAL dpropos, unsenato-
rial, more loud voiced :-"Your abolition and
Know-Nothine party, (pointing to the other
side Of the House, are backing down; you
are lowering the black flag, aud | mean to
hold you to it," This sentiment (Which l
give as remember it, was uttered with an
energy that Grew down applause from the gal
leries, for whose benefit it was doubtless in
tended, and thereupon Douglas concluded,
apparently satisfied with the result of bis elo.
quence.