The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-20
THlRTY-F CONGRESS-,
First Session.
Friday, March IA, 1856.

ana importers OF Boston, New Ork, and Phil
adelphia, asking a revision of the tariff. 7
Mr.. Johnson reported in favor of printing
$1,000 copies of the reports of the majority and
minority of the Committee On Territories in the
Kansas case, being 500 for each member.
Mr.. Trumbull opposed the motion. He
thought the minority report represented the
Slavery question in mastery manner, and its
positions are unanswerable, but it does not en-
ter into details as the majority report does.
Hence, he was unwilling to send out, with the
Senate's endorsement, document containing
so many unwarranted assumptions, erroneous
deductions, and inconsistencies, as the majority
report. He proceeded to reply to some of the
arguments of the latter.
At one o'clock, Mr.. Trumbull was interrupt
ed by Mr.. Weller, who called for the special
order, being the three million bill. Mr. Fes-
sender, who had the floor on the latter, said he
was willing to let the Senator from Illinois
proceed.
A discussion then ensued, as to the courtesy
or propriety of interrupting member while
speaking, in order to make motion to take up
the special order.
Mr.. Weller withdrew his motion.
The Chair announced that in future he should
call up the special order when the hour arrived
without motion.
Mr.. Trumbull resumed his remarks, and pro-
ceeded to defend the Emigrant Aid Society
sustaining the positions of the minority report
generally.
Mr.. Wade asked Mr.. Trumbull to yield the
floor for an adjournment.
Mr.. Douglas. | hope not. The courtesies
of the Senate have been taken advantage of on
account of my known absence, to make an as
sault on me. T
Mr.. Trumbull. No, sir; l knew not whether
you were present or absent; l was comment
ing On the report. did not introduce the sub
ject, nor know that it would come up to-day
Mr.. Douglas. My colleague dares to say, in
face of fact, that he did not know / was absent
He acted with unfairness in attacking the re-
port when | was detained from the Senate by
i'll health. would ask him within what reason
able time will his speech be printed?
Mr. Trumbull. think it will be published
by Monday.
Mr.. Douglas. If / can ask postponement
of the question until Monday, will reply to my
colleagues speech on Tuesday.
Mr.. Seward. Take your own time
Mr.. Douglas, quickly. 1 understand tha'
game" take your own time" The Senate.
from Massachusetts took his own time to writi
and circulate libel on me about the time the
Nebraska bill was reported. / understand my
colleague to say that he came here Democrat
That will be news to the Democracy of Illinois
and is a libel on the Democracy of that State
Mr.. Crittenden here interposed, saying that
the debate was transcending the rules of deco
rum. The Senator had charged libel on Mr..
Trumbull. Sensation.
MIR. Douglas. / should have been better sat
isfed if the Senator from Kentucky had, wher.
the Black Republicans denounced US in coarse
terms, rebuked them for want of courtesy.
Mr.. Crttenden. To what do you allude2
Mr.. Douglas. When they made vulgar, coarse;
partisan assaults on the Democratic side of the
Senate.
Mr.. Crittenden 1t was no more my business
than that of others to call Senators to order fof
personalities. This is not the place for vitu.
peration. 1t should be settled elsewhere.
Mr. Douglas. | do not regard the Senator
as good authority in Illinois politics. l was
speaking of events of which / am better capa-
bic of judging than he.
Further colloquy took place, when the Chair
decided that Mr.. Douglass remarks were not
personal.
Mr.. Douglas said, that so far as he was adj
vised and believed, his colleague was the can
didate of the miserable sect of Abolitionists and
Know Nothings, which are one and the same
thing.
Mr.. Crittenden. / wish the Senator to under
stand that | cooperate with the American
party. . Standing here as a gentleman and SEN
ator, id absolute independence, and claiming
all respect due to honesty, as freeman repel
with scorn every imputation of that kind, as in
tended to embrace me and my political as
sociates.
Mr.. Douglas explained. spoke of what Know
Nothingism is in Illinois, and said it might be
otherwise in the South. Every Know Nothing
lodge in Illinois adopted the Abolition creed,
and that is the miserable faction which sent my
colleague here. The Senator from Kentucky
misunderstood me, else he would not have con-
ceived my remark personal to him.
Mr.. Crittenden. The gentleman did not make
the qualification he now does.
Mr.. Douglas. Every gentleman must have
understood me as making the distinction.
said nothing about Southern Know Nothings.
Mr.. Trumbull. | shall not permit such re-
marks as those from my colleague to pass un-
answered. / shall suffer no man, here or else
where, to state of me things which are absolute
ly, totally unfounded. If be means to say that
/ am or ever have been Know Nothing, or
connected with any secret political organiza-
ton, the charge is basely-I will not violate the
rules of the Senate, but will say-asntrus'
He then proceeded to speak of the politics of
Illinois, claiming that she is and always has
been Democratic State; and in the eighth
Congressional district, which gave Mr.. Pierce
nearly FIVE thousand majority, he (Mr. Trum-
bull,) was elected member of the Honse by
more than $500 majority. He ran as an Anti
Nebraska candidate. How did his colleague
know that he received every Know Nothing and
Abolition vote? He (Mr. Trumbul) did not
know it.
Mr. Douglas. My colleague said the reason
why he did not accept, at Salem, my PROPOSE
ton to resign our seats last year, to test by a
reelection whether he or / represent Illinois
was that Governor Madison would appoint me
and another Democrat to fill the vacancies. /
tell him will sign my resignation now, to take
effect at the next meeting of the Legislature.
Mr.. Brown That's right, Douglas
Mr.. Douglas. III give till Monday morning
to think of it.
Mr.. Weller. That's better.
Mr. Douglas. L said my colleague received
every Abolition and Know Nothing vote in the
Legislature. He did not deny that statement.
Why equivocate?
In his further remarks, Mr.. Douglas said that
Mr.. Trumbull had become the chief of Black
Mr.. Trumbull. ask my colleague to explain.
Mr.. Douglas. Was not the gentleman voted
for by Abolitionists and Know Nothings from all
parts of the State?
Mr.. Trumbull. / tell him no, to his teeth--I
never was candidate of the Abolition or Know
Nothing party, / may have been voted for by