New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-12
FROM WASHINGTON.
THE KANSAS DEBATE ON MONDAY.

Editorial Correspondence Of the ~ r. Trbnns.
WASHINGTON, Mondiy, March 10, 1856.
OF the first three speeches ON the Kansas Contest
TODAY in the House, viii only say here that Mr..
CRswFoRps was r well.reasoned, compact, legal
argument en- the wrong side; Mr. J. II. CAN'T
rELL's sound, logical temperate plea for fall in
yesiigsiiop but sadly marred in Its effect by inds-
tinctness of delivery; Mr.. WM. X. SMITHS re-
statement of the objections to, or rather grounds OF
demurrer sgainst, the Investigation required; while
Mr. KuNKEL closed the days discussion with the
most brilliant and effective appeal that has beea
heard in the House this Session. Mr. Kunkel is g
young lawyer-not more than thirty years old
resident Of Harrisburg, Pa, and think born in
that immediate vicinity. / do not remember that
he had spoken in the House till to-day, and l an
sure there has seldom been debut so admired and
triumphant as his. On every point Of legality.
regularity snd precedent raised by the supporters
of Whitfield and Kansas subjugation, he met them
gslluntly, msnfully, gloriOusly. He showed, inde-
6snce of all cavils, that this was real,
substantial contest - that the allegations Of
Reeder were broad enough to put Whit
field on bis defense before the House-that,
the pretended Legislature Of Kansas were imposed
On the people of that Territory by nonresident in
vason, usurpation and fraud then its acts were
necessarily invalid, and the election Of Whitfield
under them a nulliy and q sham-that COngress
rad the right and was in duty bound to inquire into
this matttr--and that if Whitfield were thus elect
ed, his seat should be vacated, no matter whether
Reeder should prove himself legally elected or not
1t was not for the House now to judge that Reeder
could or could not prove all he alleged in his memo
rial but simply that his allegations, II sustained by
proof, did or did not impugn the right Of Whitfield
to sit as Delegate for Kansas He averred that the
House had never till now hestated to grant the re-
quest of one of its leading Committees for power to
send for persons and papers, and contrasted the
course taken in the New-Jersey case, when the
Members who presented the regular certificates.
authenticated by the Broad Seal of the State, were
denied voice in the organization and kept out OF
their seats until an investigation was had by COM
mittee and their cases were duly adjudcsted by the
House. In short, this single speech was moro
than sufficient answer to the FIVE or six that hayo
been made on the side of Whitfield and the Border
Rufians
Major OLIVER, who had for some time sat IN
easily, was at length goaded into nterrupting Mr..
Kunkel, who had observed that he understood
Major O. to admit that crowds Of Mssourians
voted at the Kansas Legislative election. Il GER
tainly understood him to make this admission, not
in express terms, but in efect.) He now explained
that he had admitted that many Missourians rent
orsr to Kansas on the day of election, but not to
roe--of course not only to that the bullying
Yankee interlopers who had been sent ont by the
Emigrant Aid Societies should not overbear and
abuse the meek children Of the Border He (O.)
didn't knop Of o single case Of Missourian's yot-
ing in Kansas But the insults and wrongs heaped
upon them by the Emigrant Aid Societies, in seek
ing to pack the Territory with Free-State men had
caused much irritation in Missouri, aud the
| triumph Of those Societies would not be tamely
submitted to. Mr.. X. rejoned with spirit but
| in lower key than the occasion demanded.
He firmly asserted the right of his constituents TO
60 TO Kansas with their families and their rifles,
| and try to make her Free State; but he did not
affrm-as be should have done-tbe perfect right
of the citizens of any Free State to 90 thther in
such numbers and under such regulations they
might see fit to adopt, and to form Societies in
their Eastern homes expressly 10 Iacilitate mo
transportation thither, and compact, cOmmodious
settlement Of their friends and neighbors if they
choose Twas sorry for this falling of at the close.
but Mr.. Kunkel's speech was nevertheless power
full and telling and raised the spirits of friends
very percephbly. 1 see Messrs. GALLOWAY Of
Ohio and KELSEY of New-YOrk getting ready to
speak, and, though STEPHENS is to lead 1 antiei-
pate another good day tomorrow. H.G.