The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-15

IN,
this occupied the remainder of the session with.
out decision.
Saturday, May 10, 1856.
HOUSE
Mr.. Fuller, of Pennsylvania, obtained the con.
sent of the House to make personal expIana.
ton.
After having reviewed and reiterated his no.
litical position as defined during the contest for
the Speakership, he proceeded to notice the
charge made against him by portions Of the pub
lie press, and by letters which Congressional
gentlemen had addressed to their constituents.
that on the 18th of August, l849, he addressed
letter to one B. f. Ssxton, soliciting personal
nomination, and declaring himselfto be Will
mot proviso man up to the hub, and utterly op-
posed to the extension of Slavery. He would here
pronounce that letter forgery.
He then referred to the charge that on the
10th December, l849, in speech delivered in
the city OF Allegheny, he had declared it to be
the duty of Northern men to insist upon the
earliest practicable abolition of Slavery. He
denied the utterance of any such sentiment re-
marking that, so far from advising Northern in.
reference for the purpose of securing abolition,
he had always counselled the cultivation of kind.
y relations and friendly feelings towards all Sec
tons of the Confederacy.
Mr.. f. then referred to the history of the va
rious prominent members ofthe Democratic par
ty of Pennsylvania including the Hon. James
Buchanan, for the purpose of showing that they
had entertained extreme Anti-Slavery opinions |;
and the exhibition which he thus made of the
inconsistency between the opinions on that sub.
Ject now held by the gentlemen named, and
those entertained by them in former times, was
the cause of much merriment in the House.
MIR. Jones, of Pennsylvania, gave notice that
he should embrace an early occasion to reply to
his colleagues remarks.
Messrs. Todd of Pennsylvania, and Jones
OF Tennessee, then replied to portion of the
remarks of MIR. Fuller, when the regular order
of business was insisted upon.
The House accordingly resumed the consid-
Grafton of the resolution allowing the parties to
the contested election case from New Mexico to
appear before the House to defend their respect.
i've claims, the question being on the motion of
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, to reconsider the vote
rejecting the same.
On motion of Mr.. Garlic, of Virginia. the mo-
ton to reconsider was laid on the table-yeas "A.
nays 48.
And then at three o'clock, the House adj
journed.
esS" Of the proceedings Monday, we find SO
satisfactory synopsis in the National Intcl1i-
gencer, that we transfer it to our colmuns.-Ed.
Era.
Monday May 70, 1856.
SENATE.
The President of the Senate laid before the
body communication from the Secretary of
War, made in compliance with a resolution of
the 2lst ultimo, calling for all correspondence
respecting Indian difficulties in the Territories
of Washington and Oregon not before commu-
nicated. The Secretary sends communications
from the Governors of Oregon and Washington
Territories, and from Major General Wool,
commanding the Pacific division.
On motion by Mr.. Seward, it was referred to
the Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered
10 be printed.
motion was made by Mr.. Crittenden, TO
reconsider the bill passed on Friday, granting
alternate sections of land to aid in the construc-
ton of certain railroads in the State OF Iowa.
A memorial was read from Mr.. Schenck, of
Ohio setting forth that injustice was done by
that bill to another railroad contemplated in
the State of Iowa, and for the construction of
which initiatory steps had been already taken
under law of its Legislature. A short debate
arose on this proposition, when the subject was
postponed until to-day
Mr.. Cess then commenced the delivery of his
Territory of Kansas, and on the constitutional
relations of the Territories to the Federal Gov.
eminent.
"Squatter Sovereignty" as he defined it, was
nothing more and nothing less than the inhe-
rent right of any people to provide for their self
government and their selfdefence, of which an
illustration has been afforded in the case Of Cal
ifornia, who, being left to herself by the Fede-
raj Government, had organized civil Consti.
tuition by virtue of the principle of popular SOW
ereignty. His creed was that the People had
rights independent of the public land upon
which they settled, and independent of Con-
gress-rights which authorized them to provide
for their civil constitution and social well-be-
ing. He disclaimed, however, the epithet of
sovereignty" as being applicable to the Ter
rltories 1t was word not recognised by the
Constitution with regard to them.
But, he inquired, have the people in Terri.
tory no rights at all? Has Congress the power
of unlimited legislation over them? Or, if not,
what are the limits? Recurring, therefore, to
the question, what rights have the people In a
Territory independent of Congress? he answer
ed, In the words of Lord Chatham, as applied
to the condition of the American Colonies,
They have all the rights written in the great
code of human nature" In his inquiry into the
power of Congress over the Territories, he de-
olared that the word Territory" as employed
by the Constitution, designated merely land,
and not the people settled upon it and that
hence Congress was authorized to make need
full rules and regulations" respecting the Ter
rltories only as property, and not as civil COM
munities.
The distinguished Senator then entered into
an elaborate analysis of the various clauses or
provisions of the Constitution which were sew
orally relied upon to vindicate the power of
Congress over the Territories as civil commu-
mites. These clauses or provisions were stated
to be fifteen, which he enumerated and consid-
cred, combining himself specially, however, to a
criticism of the position assumed on this sub
ject by the chairman Mr.. Douglas of the
Committee on Territories, who in his Kansas
report, relies upon the power Of Congress to
admit new States, as involving the power Of
Congress to legislate in the previous stages Of
moulding and forming" such States. This
doctrine was pronounced 70 b9 wholly mad
missible, as being al once erroneous in theory