The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-13

You could not meet q politician who defended
tins action in any of the States in which was.
lin my own State and others, anywhere. who
was not not ready to prove to you that Slavery
never could go to Kansas, and that this was a
great measure of Freedom Why sir. I heard
that argued and reargued, just as long as had
the patience to listen to it.
Inc act was passed. 1t was passed on this
showing, and on this pretence; and so far as |
listened to the debates-for happened to be here
during part of them-or as have read them
since, do not remember that a single man upon
the moor OF the Senate uttered different senti-
| ment-
Mr.. SEWARD. hope the honorable Senator
VIII excuse me for saying that certainly did.
Mr.. HALE. If the Senator had waited until
got through with the sentence, he would have
seen that there was necessity for his Interrupt
uon- what meant to state was, that did not
know there was a single man who advocated the
bill who contradicted it-not one.
Mr.. BUTLER. | think the gentleman is in
| error; for General Atchison who had perhaps
more to do with the bill than any other Senator.
openly avowed that he would not vote for it
except on the ground that it would remove the
OBSTACLE which prevented such shareholders to go
| there as chose to do so. You will find that that
was his opinion, and he maintained it,
Ar. HALE. l do not know but that il may
have been so. | am speaking from recollection.
1 have read Mr.. Atchisons remarks as well as |
could, and do not find that he so stated in the
Senate. He was then the Presiding Officer of this
| body; and he did not speak on the bill at length
| he spoke casually once, and | think but once
| though he might have spoken twice; but his re-
| marks were exceedingly brief He has since
| avowed the sentiments alluded to by the Senator
| from South Carolina; but | think it will be found
| by reference to the record, that am correct.
| do not speak unadvisedy on this point for have
Il looked YER he ord lata nd I nj -
will be found that am correct. That the hon
orable Senator from Missouri Mr. Atchison) at
that time entertained such sentiments, will not
undertake to deny. What | am saying is, that,
so far as have learned, and so far have been
able TO find by examination, not solitary man
who advocated the bill in the Senate intimated
different opinion from that which have quoted
from various Senators-that Slavery would not
go to Kansas.
Sir the PRONUNCIATION of those opinions here
furnished an abundant argument for all the lesser
lights of this new order of Democracy, who are
TO be found scattered all over the land. There
hardly a postmaster who was not posted up
in it. There was not a man who held wished
to hold an Office under the General Government,
in the Northern States, who was not ready to ar
que this question, and argue it exactly on this
showing: that it was "a great measure, calculated
TO produce equality among the States but with
out the least possible idea that any practical
consequences regards the extension of Slavery
would result from it. Sir, let me ask you, if
these men, who were not SO well posted up, were
not justified in saying so, when Mr.. Everctt-who
not only knew it himself, but knew that every
body else knew it-declared that Slavery could
never go there?
What was the result of the passage of the
Kansas act? You declared when you passed it,
that it was done with the view of removing the
great restriction imposed by the Missouri Com
Al,
The people of the North took you at your word;
and they went there. How were they met |
do not propose to make any statements here on
my own authority, but to give proof There
much discussion, few days since as to what
General Atchison had done and said and many
concentrations were passed on him. ! have not
a word TO say against it, knew General Atch-
ison for six years, while | served with him in
the Senate, and in personal intercourse / always
found him to be amiable and pleasant gentle
man, and shall let him speak for himself; | will
give my authority. | desire to read an extract
from speech of General Atchison, delivered at
Platte City, Missouri, the 4th of the present
month, which will be found in the New York
Daily Times of the 18th Of the present MONTH
lie says:
The Territory wa. open for settlement every msn
having equal right go from the North South with
their property. The Aboltonsis Of the North failing 10
accomplish their vile purposes by law resolved eject
IN opposition 10 law They organized their Aid Societies.
raised and had THREE thousand and
wer" whistlcd on the and whised OF again Kan
.as GUY and other places, some OF whom had Kansas and
LIbs,:s. oil their hats
The wretches! Only think of It'll But, as if
it were too incredible to be believed, he adds:
IL saw j, with my own eyes. Those men came with
Territory What did | advise you to do, why meet
them al their own game. When the first eiscton
on, ijold you TO go over and vote
Remember, he ia speaking TO his Missouri
friends in Platte county-his own county. lie
continues:
"You did SO, and beat them We our party in Kansas.
nominated General Whitfield. They, the Aboilionists,
nominated Flennken not Flanagan for Flanagan was n
good honest man. but Fit'n'ken Well the next day sf
OF has voters left the Territory and has returned
returned,
well, what next, Why an election for members Of
The Legislature 10 organize the Territory must be- held
VIVA, did advise you TO do then. Why, meet them
their own ground, and beat them their game
again; and, cold ana inclement the weather was,
went over with company of men My object IN going
not TO vote had right TO vote, uness had dis
iraachised myself in Missouri | within
mites OF voting plsee My object in gong was not to
ds.es and the Aboiuoniss o. the North said and pb-
rsroirer ana BY God t,oas did 90 hot
Territory intend 10 thar Territory iLtort
beng prePorsd for az such KIND Of cattle We'll, we beat
them and Governor Reeder certihc majority
of all the members of both Houses; and then they
were organized as everybody will admit they were m.
only competent persons to say who and who
not, members OF the same. Well a code of laws
acted similar those Of Missouri and other States after
which, the Aboitioniss failing in everything, turned
round and repudated these laws, though in their bogus
spurious treaty, which they published they agreed to
submit them. They called Convc ntion, appointed
delegate which delegates appointed without the
knowledge of very large majority of the people if
they had knowledge OF IT, they treated IL with and
conempt. This Convention met at Topeka and framed
what they called Constitution; and they say they
intend apply for admission the Union though
are not than FIVE thousand the Territory
and not more than twenty five thousand thirty thou
m CHI dren No shOuld
Congress admit them, what will you do, I'll tell you
what I'll do. Ii Congress admits them into this Unon
without law precedent, lnodding his head and lifting
high his hand very significantly I'LL RESIST 1T!
He adds, however: "But Congress will do no
such thing"
do not youch for this | only give it as it
comes in the public papers, speech delivered
10y Mr.. Atchison the 4th of February.
Mr.. BUTLER. Is it from an anonymous writer?
Mr.. HALE. 1t Is communication in the New
York Daily Times.
Mr.. BUTLER. Signed Randolph" | suppose
Mr.. HALE. | do not know what the signature
| IS. Ii is the same paper that | handed to the
| honorable Senator from South Carolina a few
moments ago.
Here is another extract from letter signed D.
| X. Atchison, purporting to be from the ATLANTA
| (Georgia) Examiner. l cut it from the New York
Tribune. Whether IL is a correct extract from the
Georgia paper or not, do not know Mr. Atchi-
son says, in this letter to Georgia:
"Let your young men come forth TO Missouri and Kan
sas! Let them come well armed, with money enough 10
support them for twelve months and determined TO see
this thing out One hundred will be an acquis
non. The more the better. | do how we are to
avoid civil war Come ii will Twelve months will not
eispse before war; civil OF the erces kind will be
upon us We are arming and preparing for il; indeed
we OF the border counties prepared. We have
the support of the South We fighting battles of
the South Our institutions stake You far South
ern men of the naive of war; hut ii we
fall il will reach doors, perhaps your hearths
| Inen-arneu