Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-03-21
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

In the Senate, yesterday, after we went to
press, Mr.. Douglas delivered an elaborate
speech upon his bill to admit Kansas as
State into the Union whenever it should have
90, 900 inhabitants, and shall have adopted a
republican State constitution. In opening
his speech he complained of what he desig-
mated as breach of parliamentary usage and
etiquette on the part of his colleague, Mr.
Trumbull, in having, several days ago, at
tackled and controverted the majority report
Of the Committee on Territories with respect
to Kansas, in the absence of the chairman of
the committee, (Mr. Douglas,) and without
having given him any notice that such dis
cussion would be raised. The speaker then
proceeded briefly to analyze the provisions of
the bill providing for the future formation of
State constitution in the Territory of Kan
sas, and, having stated its most important fea.
lures, entered into the general subject of the
political condition and complication Of Kan.
sas affairs. He admitted that it was in evil
dence before the Committee on Territories
that there had been fraudulent voting in
seven out of the eighteen election districts
into which Kansas Territory was divided, but
maintained that, since no charge had been
substantiated against the validity of the cleo.
tions held in the remaining eleven districts
a majority of the whole, 1t followed that the
legal character Of the Kansas Legislature
could not be impeaohed because Of fraudu-
lent practices alleged at the time to have oh.
tanned only in a minority Of the districts
Mr.. Douglas then passed in review the ac-
ton Of the Free State men" in Kansas Ter
ritory, and combated with much warmth the
assertion of the minority report that they had
been merely concerning measures Of redress
and providing for appeal Ito Congress. He
quoted FROM their proceedings in successive
conventions to show that they mad determined
to array themselves in direct hostility to the
Territorial government organized under the
act Of Congress, and, if need be, against the
Federal Government of the Union itself. This
unfortunate state of affairs, he commended, was
not the legitimate result of the Kansas Ne
braska bill. with its accompanying repeal of
the Missouri Compromise, but had its origin
in the Ofheious intermeddling Of tho Nassa-
chusetts " Emigrant Aid Societies, - who, by
their Intervention in the internal concerns Of
Kansas Territory, had stimulated the citizens
of the South, and particularly Of Missouri, as
most Immediately interested in the question.
to ADOPT fs.a!:ato-y measures to prevent the
Territory of Kansas from being thus unfairly
seized upon for sectional ends. Had it been
left to be settled by the natural influx Of emf.
grams fro.2 ell portions, there would have
been no antagonist, he thought, among the
inhabitants of the Territory, and the Kansas
Nebraska act would have borne the benefcent
fruits contemplated by its friends.
Mr.. Douglas stigmatised the present con.
duct of the "Free-State party" in Kansas as
tending towards treason against the United
States, and if persisted it would enforce upon
the Government the dire necessity of visiting
upon the enemies Of Law end ordet In that
Territory the extreme penalty denounced
against that crime. He hoped and believed,
however, that the Government, which in re-
peated wars had show itself powerful enough
to cope with foreign enemies, would have no
occasion to indicate its power to punish its in.
ternal foes by infiicting upon them the doom
awarded .t9 traitors The Senator, after
speaking for nearly three hours to a very at
tentive auditory both In the Senate and the
galleries, resumed his seat.
Mr.. Trumbull next exculpated himself from
the imputation Of having committed any par.
liamentary improperly or discourtesy on the
occasion which be lately took for delivering
his views on the majority report of the Com
mittee On Territories. That report had been
publlshsd to the world before 1t came up in
the Senate for review, and the opportunity
which he took for amimadvsrtipe upon Il
arose In the legitimate order of business in the
Senate. Mr.. Trumbull then proceeded to re
assert and defend certain arguments he had
before advanced, and which he declared his
colleague had failed to meet.
Mr.. Seward presented q substitute for the
oiii under consideration, which was ordered
TO lie on the table and to be printed.
Ire consideration Of the said bill was then
postponed until Thursday next and the Sem.
alto adjourned over until Monday. =
In the House, Mr.. Brenton concluded hi
speech in Committee Of the Whole On the
Presidents Message. 80.
MIR. Warner nsyt obtaining the floor the
COMMITTEES rose, and tbs House adjourned
over until Monday. u-jl dsi -