The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-06-26
THIRTY-FOURTH CONGRESS-.
First Session.

| ing from time to time, to suit the convenience
of members desiring to attend the Conventions
of the several political parties. The following
proceedings took place last Saturday:
| Mr. Campbell, of Ohio, from the Committee
| of Ways and Means, submitted report on the
amendments of the Senate to the bill making
| appropriations for the consular and diplomatic
| expenses of the Government for the year end
| ing June 80, 1857, recommending that the
House nonconcur in the amendment increas
ing the salary of the interpreter to the Legation
to China, from $4,000 to $4,000 per annum,
and concur in the other amendments, which,
| Mr.. G. stated, were merely verbal.
| The question was taken, and the amendments
| were disposed of in accordance with the recon-
mendation of the Committee of Ways and
| Means.
| The House went into Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union, (Mr. Letter,
of Ohio, in the chair,) and proceeded to con-
slider the bill making appropriations for the
support of the army for the year ending June
80, 1857.
| Mr.. Colfax, of Indiana, gave notice that at
| the proper time he would move the following
amendment to the bill under consideration:
| "But, Congress hereby disappearing of the
| code Of alleged laws, officially communicated to
1
ed to have been enacted by a body claiming to
be the Territorial Legislature of Kansas, and
also disappearing of the manner in which said
| alleged laws have been enforced by the author
titles OF said Territory, expressly declare that
until these alleged laws shall have been affirm
ed by the Senate and House of Representatives
as having been enacted by legal Legislature,
chosen in conformity with the organic law BY
| the people of Kansas, no part of the military
force of the United States shall be employed in
aid of their enforcement; nor shall any citizen
of Kansas be required under their provisions
to act as part of the posse comitatus of any
officer acting as marshal or sheriff in said Ter
ritory."
MIR. Colfax referred to the laws of the social
ed Legislature of Kansas, which he branded as
code of tyranny and oppression, of outrage
and wrong-a code that would disgrace the
Legislature of any State in the Union, as it dis
| graced the Goths and Vandals, who, invading
! the Territory of Kansas, had thus sought to
| subjugate its citizens. No one could read those
| laws without coming to the conclusion that they
| were enacted by men who were not selected by
| the people of the Territory themselves, but were
| imposed upon them by a superior force.
Condemning the manner in which the laws
| had been administered, he alluded to the nu-
| merous acts of incorporation which had been
| passed by the Legislature, which, he declared
| had shingled over the Territory with chartered
companies. BY this means, large number of
| people were made interested in sustaining the
validity of the Legislature. Even the Chief
Justice of the Territory was interested in some
ofthese corporations, and the peculiar privileges
granted to one in which his name appeared
| were contrasted with those granted to similar
companies.
Mr.. Burlingame rose for the purpose of say
ing a word for old Massachusetts that she
needed it; for in all that constituted true great
ness; in all that gave abiding strength; in the
great qualities of head and heart, in moral
power, in material prosperity, in intellectual re-
sources, and in physical ability, by the general
Judgment of mankind, according to her popu-
lation, she was the first State. He then review
ed the charges that had been urged against
Massachusetts, and denied that she had been
unfaithful to her constitutional obligations. On
the contrary, from the time that this great Gov
eminent came from the brains of her statesmen
and the unconquerable arms of her warriors,
she had proved loyal to it. In conclusion, he
referred to the speech of Mr.. Sumner, and made
remarks highly eulogistic of that Senator. AL
luding to the assault made upon Mr.. Sumner,
he remarked that a member of the House, who
had taken an oath to support the Constitution
oft United States, stole into the Senate Cham
Der, and smote him as Cain smote his brother.
Mr.. Keitt, of South Carolina. That's false.
Mr.. Buringame / shall not handy epithets
with the gentleman. ! am responsible for my
own language; doubtless he is responsible for
his.
Mr.. Keitt. am.
Mr.. Burlingame. shall stand by mine.
MIR. Burlingame denounced the assault in the
name of the Constitution, which it violated !;
in the name of the sovereignty of Massachu-
sets, which was struck down by the blow. lie
| denounced it in the name of humanity; in the
name of civilization, which it outraged in the
name of that fair play which DULLES and prize
fighters respected. What, strike man down
when he could not respond to the blowl Could
that be called chivalry?
God knew his heart. He desired to speak with
kindness, and not in any spirit of revenge. He
did not believe that the member had friend
who must not in his heart of hearts condemn
the act. Even the member, if he had left a
spark of that chivalry and gallantry attributed
to him, in his own heart must loathe and scorn
the act. AS much, however, as he reprobated
the act, much more did he reprobate the con-
duct of those who saw the outrage perpetrated.
If the conflict was to be transferred from a
peaceful, intellectual field, to one where it was
said honors were easy and responsibilities
equal" gentlemen of the North desired to know
it. If the Government was to be taken by force
and held by violence, they also desired to know
it. We shall The said) speak whatever we
chose, wherever we viii, when we WILL and how
we will, daring the consequences. The sons of
Massachusetts were educated at the knees of
their mothers in the doctrines of peace and good
will, and God knew that they desired above all
things to cultivate feelings of kindness toward
all but if they were pushed too long and too
far, there were men FROM the old Commonwealth
OF Massachusetts, who would not shrink from
the defence of the freedom of speech.
Mr. Garlic, of Virginia, addressed the Com
mittee on the subject of the platform recently
adopted by the Cincinnati Convention. lie con:
demned it as flibuateripg, but yet in accord.
ance with tho policy urged by the Ostend Con-
ference, of which Mr.. Buchanan was the lead.
ing man. 1t also contained the principle of
popular or "squatter" sovereignty, which prin-
ciple he showed had ever been repudiated, not
only by the Democracy, but by al other parties
of the State of Virginia. He held that the con-
test would De between Mr.. Fillmore, standing
upon the national platform of the American
party, and Mr.. Buchanan, who had been placed
upon the fhbustering resolutions adopted at
Cincinnati.
Mr.. Washburn, of Maine, urged the necessity
of the union of the opponents OF the Admins
tration, and OF those adverse to the extension
OF Slavery into the Territories. He examined
the platform of the Cincinnati Convention in
connection with the principles and antecedents
of Mr.. Buchanan and with the doctrines of the
Democratic party, and concluded by saying that
it was an inexpressble relief to emerge from
the dark and fetid atmosphere, reeking with
shames and wrongs, into the clear light and
healthful breezes of truth and liberty, He spoke
of Fremont as the standard-bearer of Freedom