The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-08-29
Speech Of Hon. w. P. Fessenden.
N THE TOO MBS BILL
In the Senate, July, 1885.
TCONCLUDEp.l

SONCLUDkD.J
Mr.. Fessendsn-The Senator says h
doubtsit and l believe him, because
have the utmost respect for him, and fet
satisfied that he would not say what he di
not think; but II is strange to me that h
can doubt. 1t only shows to me that tn
fairest and most honorable mind may b
perverted by its wishes and its prejudiccs
l take the testimony to be irresistible wit
regard to tho fact, that there has not been nj
election held in the territory of Kansas whicl
has not been controlled entirely by foreigl
votes or by fraud.
The Senator from Illinois asks, why d.
we complain Of this Legislature? w., *
we say that tho people Of the territory .&s'
not bound by it? Because 1t was usufpa
tion. The Senator will not say that l hay,
taken any part in tho dcbatson this subject,
because have not been in condition tt
s. ak upon 1t, and have not desired, or do
signed, to do 30. must assert, however
that I have not heard any one say, that he
counselled violence, that he counsellcd re.
sistance, that no, couhscllcd bloodshed, tina,
he cOunsdled rapins ID crime in that ter.
ritory. When tho Senator from Illinois
makes this charge, he issaying moro, l think,
than he can prove'by any reported speeches
which have boon made by any Senator on
this side Of tho Chamber. What we said OF
intimated, and what now say, is that the
people Of Kansas would be justified in resist
ing laws thus forced upon them. | think
that II the people of Virginia should invade
the State Of Maryland, and by force elect q
legislature, and pass laws, and seek to en-
force them upon the people Of that State,
the people of Maryland would be justified
on every principle, human and divine, in re-
sisting the execution of those laws. No
body, II seems to me, can doubt the correct
ness of this proposition, as a general princi-
pie.
What has been the result? The charac.
ter of the laws has been spoken of. Gen.
tlemcn in the Senate have defended them.
| have not yet heard the first voice raised
from Southern State which seriously re-
buked the proceedings in Kansas, or serious
y rebukcd, or even lamented, the consc-
lucnces which have followed, so far as suf-
Faring has been inflicted upon the Free State
men have not, until recently heard the
irst Southern man object to these laws
IN the contrary, the Senator from Tenncs-
zee, (Mr. Jones) defended them in all their
niquity and believe tho Senator from
Georgia, (Mr. Toombs) endorsed them.-
No southern Senator raised his voice against
them until the honorable Senator from Del
aware, (Mr. Clayton) ayerrcd and proved,
hat they wero an outrage upon human
rights and upon humanity, and at last the
presiding officer ofthis body (Mr.
Bright,) appealed to tho Senate, by its rc-
,ard for the Democratic party, and especial
" for those members of it who lived in the
North, to obliterate those laws, and not per-
nit their friends to defend them or rest un-
der the imputations arising from their con-
tinual existence. Was it not 30, sir? And
vet the Senator from Illinois says that we
are counselling bloodshcd, violence and 'ra
pine, because We state here what is unques-
tionably true, that the laws were an Out
rage in tho manner in which they were
forced upon the people, and in their charac-
ter still greater rage. The latter part of
the proposition has been admitted by the
Senate, because it has, by its own recorded
vote show that 1t so regarded them.
Well, sir, what have we seen? A Lcgis-
turc was forced on the Territory, and it at
tempted to pass and enforce laws. The pco'
ple did not resist. There has been no oc.
casion when an overt act Of resistence took
place but because person who was ille'
rally arrested on a peace warrant was res
cued by few of his neighbors away from
the city of Lawrence, miles out Of it, thcs'
Missouri rulers undertook and threatened
to burn up that city and destroy the pco
pie.
Is there the slightest proof that the city
of Lawrence, or the people of Lawrence hat
anything to do with the act? 1t is disprov
ed IN the very report to which I have allud
ed. They were free from all guilt, If gull
there was. Still an army was at onc'
raised, or attempted to bc raised, withou
any reason, which threatened and endeav
ored to destroy the city and murder the pco
pie. That is allnded to to-day, by th'
honorable Senator from Illinois, as proc
that the people there were resisting tn
laws, and that, when We speak of the nc
as an outrage, we are counselling murder
and wickedness Of all descriptions Ant
he tells US to be careful lest VIC imputc mo
tives to them. because they may make u
uncomfortable by throwing these acts bacl
upon US. Sir, such an arrow falls harm
less from my shield, and must nccessaril
80 fall from the shield Of every man who
clad in the armor Of truth.
What has taken place since? Il 1t nc
q fact, that Free State men have been dri'
en- out Of the Territory? Is it not q fac
that the Territory is ut this moment ove'
run by thousands Of invaders except 30 fa
as they are controlled by United Stat
troops there? Is 1t not q fact, that all Il
roads in the Territory arc guarded? Ia
not fact, that these men have establish'
themselves on the Missouri river, and In
red all access to the Territory for FREQ Sta
men Sir, these facts cannot DO denied
They arc proved by what Is transPirir
every day. Can II be pretended that If