New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-10
THE LAWS OF KANSAS.
SPEECH OF SCHUYLER eOtfAx,

M INDIANA.


T. as House Of Rtprssesss''se'' June a. 1900
-. u.n.. HANG in Committee OF the Whole on
g.. ~ the Union On the Army AppropriSaoo
~, Mr.. CoifaI said; .,,u
hen we reach the third clau.e OF the Pendog
s,mv bid, the following amendment; ana feaa
hecause the remarks .hsll make to-day are
1es;rped to show its necessity: <.u,
ScS.s hsssy q se 5, The ol
.s,eh are rel 70 have been enseea oy
manner IN said alleged i,ws have been eaoieod
~ ,bs sahqies Of s4S Territory sS he senate sod
R:.. Of Representatives having been ed oy 's g.
Is.a,sIe in eofoI nifty Win ,ne ,es &c ~. UsS
k:s sSs Be- aid 2, hs a;, n.i on se
citizen q be IF sy cer sns
:. y: N n The ,.d r.; s:fa sis'9
Nv esp. csl oe ct to day is to speak relative to this
code of lave, now in ny hand, which has eminited
from 20 called Legislative Assembly Of 1lsa' ana
a, The making Of which your constituents in common
with mine, have paid their proportlon-tne wnoie
having been paid for out of the Treasury the United
States. In speaking of the provisions emood'ed ~
Mia voluminous document, and Of the manner IN
vheh these " laws" have been enforced may feel II
nv duty TO use plain and direct language; and mo
nv .xempar, as well as my justification for IT. IN tne
unlimited free dom Of debate which, from the hrst Gay
of the Session. has been enjoyed and exercised oy gen.
tlemep of the other eide of the House. And, recog
rizinp the freedom of debate as we have TO the fu
est extent subject only TO the rules OF the House, we
intend 10 exercise il this side, when we may see nj
10 do 80 in the same ample manner. Hence, wheh
We have been so frequently called " fanatics, and
sther ephets Of denuDcston no one, on these seats
he's even called gentlemen on the other side to ORDER
When it has pleased them to denounce US as Black
Republicans or colored Republicans, we have taken
- exception TO the attack, for we regard freedom OF
spsech as one of the pillars of free institutions.
when, not content with this, they have charged US
with implied perjury, in being hostile to the Constu'
ios, and unfathu to the Union, we have been con.
tsnt to leave the world to judge between US and our
accusers-a scrutiny in which principles will have
more weight than denuncaton. In spite of al these
attacks we have not been moved to any attempt to
restrict the perfect and most unlimited freedom OF
speech on the part of denouncers for We acknoSl
edged the truth Of Jefersons sentiment, that Error
to be dangerous when Reason is lett free TO
"cOnbat it,"
II that constitutional safeguard Of our rights aud
nbertes, free speech in debate is to be Recognized
snywhere it should certainly be recognized, hforced,
and protected in this House. Every Representa-
of free constituency, il worthy of that responsible
position, should speak here at all times, not with
"bsted breath" but openly and feares'y the senti-
ents of that con tituehcy; for Sir it s not alone the
two hundred and thirty four members of this House
who miDgle in this arena Of debate; but here, within
ths bar, are the teeming millions OF American free
men, not individually participating, az in Athens IN the
eden time, in the enactment Of laws and the discus
sion and settlement Of the foreign and domestic policy
Of the pation but STILL Sir participating in the per
sons Of their representatives, whom they have co u
mssioped to speak for them, in the important ques-
tons which presented for consideration. Here,
IN this august presence, before the whole American
people, thus represented stand and must ever stand,
States and stat. smen, legislators and Ists parties
and principles, to be subject to the scrutiny
and the most searching review. Here Alaoan,
anaigls Massachusetts,, as she has done througi the
mouth of of her Representatives but few weeks
SINCE ana here Massachusetts, has equally the right TO
aTaign any other State of the C0Dfederacy. And
vhils the Republic stands that freedom of debate,
guaranteed and protected by the Constitution must
go will Be sustained and lniorced on this floor.
Mr. Cha rman, l feel compelled, on this occasion,
there fore, by TRUTH and by conscientious conviction
Of what know 10 be the elings OF my constituents
for whom rpeak much as do for myself-to de-
nounce, as do this day, the code" Of the so-called
Legislature Of Kansas as a code Of tyranny and op-
preston, q code of outrage and of wrong which
would disgrace the Legislature of any State OF the
Union, as It dsgraces the GOtbs and Vandale, who,
after invading and conquerDg the Territory, thus a.,
tempted to play the despot over its people, and to
make the white citizens Of X .nsas greater slaves than
the blacks of Missouri. No man can examine the de-
crees of Louis Napoleon, matter how ignorant be
may have been Of the procession of events in France
for the past six years. without having the conviction
forced upon his mind that they emanated from usr
per and despot The very enactments embodied IN
tbese DEGREES bear testimony against him. The mi-
tatOns on the right of the subject the mockery of the
pretended freedom of elections which he has vouch-
satd to the people; the rigid censorship Of the press;
The shscks upon the freedom of speech; all combine
to prove that they emaDate from an autocrat, who,
however men may differ as to the wisdom of hs
craftsmanship, undoubtedly governs France with
strol arm and iron rule. And so, Sir, NJ unpre-
indeed man can rice from candid perussl of this code
without being thoroughly convinced thai 1t never
emsnated from Legislature voluntarily chosen oy
the people whom It processes to govern, put that
Vas dictated ard enacted by usurpers aud tyrants,
whose leading object to crush out some sentiment
predominant among that people, bot distGsteful and
oft nsive to these usurpog legislators know this
Is a strong assertion but In the hour OF your time
which shall occupy, shall pr0re this assertion from
the intrinsic evidence of the code itself.
Before proceed to make analysis of these laws,
which hold were never legally enacted, were never
1T to be made, fit 10 be ooeyed by free people,
let me cay few words in regard 10 tue manner 10
which they have been administered and enforced. We
have heard of murder after murder in Kans 4s-mur-
ders Of for the singular crime Of preferng Free
dom 10 Slavery but you have not head OF one single
attempt by any Court in that Territory TO indct any
one " those murderers. The bodies of Jones' Of
Dow, Of Barber and Others murdered in cold blood,
are molderDg away and joining the silent DUST while
Of the murdereis this very d,y holds Territorial
Office in Kansas and another OF them holes Office
of influence and rank under authority of the Gen.
eral Government, while neither the Territorial nor the
General Government inquire INTO the crimes they have
committed the justc for their brothers blood
that stains their hands.
NJ. PHELrs-I desire 10 ssk the gentleman
question.
Mr.. CoLfAx-Certainly.
Mr.. PHkLPs-The gentleman from Indiana Is i
Understood him. ted that be has not beard of any
attempt nade TO ihdct those persons in 4nsas, men,
bers Of the Pro-Slavery party who are charged with
the murders he aludes TO. l ask the gentleman