Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-12-25

dhuef FdHu anu JuSC law.
1t is the duty of Congress to see that the
rights of people under its exclusive iurisdic-
ton are protected, and especially that all the
guarantees of its Own law are secured to those
relying on its faith and authority and if the
Executive neglectS his duty as the present one
has, the people have no other mode of redress
than to appeal to you TO shield them against
wrong perpetrated upon them by his negligence
or acquiescence. And, sir, so far as my action
is concerned, | never will uphold or counte-
hatIce despotism anywhere on American coil.
Nor by any act of mine will directly or indi-
rectly give aid and support to a usurpation
anywhere on the rights and liberties of Amer-
can freemen.
Now, sir, | summon Mr. Clayton to the stand
who served the Republic, in its high posts of
honor, through long life, and, though dead,
still lives in the hearts of his countrymen
read from his almost dying declaration, utter
ed IN the Council Chamber of the Republic
| call the attention of the House and the
country to bis declaration as to the character
of the laws and Government of Kansas, which
We are now called on to recognize by our ac-
ton At the last session of Congress. when
Mr.. Whitfield was admitted to seat as Dele.
gate from the Territory of Kansas, the House
|
acter Of the Government of that Territory. or
as to the mode aud manner of its formation.
1t is true, we had what was considered, and
as it was finally proven to be, authentic infor
nation but gentlemen thought they were not
justified, in the absence of official evidence, in
refusing TO allow the usual oath of Office to be
administered. But now, with official informa-
ton of the fraud and violence of the elections
that secured the legislation, We are asked to
re- ognize this Government, which has been
thus characterized by some of the ablest men
of the Republic. Mr. Clayton, in speaking of
these laws says:
" Now, sir, let me allude TO that subject
which is the great cause of all this discord
between the two Houses The unjust, I'M
qaitoRs. oPPressire, and infamous hrs enacted
by the Kansas Legislature, as it is called,
ought to be repealed before We adjourn.
What are these laws? One of them sends
man TO hard laber for not less than two wears
for daring TO discuss the question whether
Slavery exists, or does not exist in Kansas ::
not less than two years-it may be fifty and
if a man could live as old as MethusaIeh. it
might be over nine hundred years. That act
| prohibits all freedom of discussion in Kansas
on the great subject directly referred to the
exclusive decision Of the people in that Terri
tory strikes down the liberty of the press,
too and is an act cgrcgiousy tyrannical as
ever was attempted by any of the Stuarts,
TudorS Plantagenets, of England, and this
Senate persists in declaring that we are not
| to repeal that
Sir, let Us tender to the House of Repre-
sentatives the repeal of that and all other
Objectionable and infamous laws that were
| passed by that Legislature. include in this
denunciaton, without any hesitation, those
| acts which prescribe that man shall not even
practice law in the Territory, unless he swears
to support the Fugitive Slave Law that he
shall not vote at any election or be member
| of the Legislature unless he swearS to support
| the Fug tive Slave Law that he Shall not
| hold any Office of honor or trust there unless
he Swears to support the Fugitive Slave Law;
and YOU may as we'll impose just such test
| oath for any other and every other law.
81 will not 90 through the whole catalogue
of the oppressive laws Of this Territory. |
have done that before to-day There are
others as bad as these to which have now
| referred / will not, on the other
hand, ever degrade myself by standing for an
instant by those abomiRa5te and Infamous
laws which denounced here this morning
t. What desire now is that the Senate of the
| United States shall wash its hands of all par
| tcipatiOn in these iniquities, by repeating
those laws
| Such was the almost dying declaration, in
reference to the laws OF Kansas, of one of the
abIest and purest statesmen of the Republic
Let US heed his admonition, and w7h our
hands Of al Pqrficipofion IL these iniqpitics
What are the laws denounced in such strong
| terms by these veteran statesmen and Ne>tors
| of the Senate The very election law under
which this certificate is given is one of them.
| and the principal one. though there are other
| sections of this code included rhe following
| among the number
| If any person shall knowingly aid in bring
| ing into, printing, publishing. or circulating,
within this Territory, any book, paper. pamph-
= let, magazine, handbiIl, or circular, contain
ing any statements, arguments, opinions, sen
! timents doctrine advice. or inuendo. calcu-
! lated to produce diSafection among the slaves
| in this Territory, or to induce such slaves to
| escape from the service of their masters, he
| shall be guilty Of felony, and I've punished by
Imprisonment and hard labor for term Of
not less than five years
'i If any free person. by speaking or by wri-
! ting, assert or maintain that persons have not
! 'the fight TO hold slaves I'm this Territorv. or
shall introduce into this Territory, print. pub
lish, write, circulate, or cause TO he introduced
into this Territory written. printed, publish
| ed, or circulated, in this Territory. auy book.
| paper, pamphlet, magazine, or circular, con
tanning any denial of the right of persons to
hold slaves in this Territory, such person shall
be deemed guilty of felony, and punished. by
imprisonment at hard labor for term of not
less than two years" -
What is the kind of punishment at hard la
Dor provided By this code =?
SEC. Of o4opter %, page l4I, of Kansas
| Laws. prOyides that l1