The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-12
THE LAST HOPE OF THE DISTINGUISHES.

THE LAST HOPE OF THE DISTINGUISHES.
The last hope of the dsunion leaders upon the
defeat of the Senate pacfeation bill in the House of
Representatives Their opposition to this measure fully
unmasks and exposes the hypocrisy and treason OF their
Kansas policy. They have asserted again and again,
that their friends in actual majority in the
Territory Of ten one but that the Mssourans had vio-
enuy and rauduleny taken possession of the ballot
boxes and placed the legislative power in the hands of the
pro-slavery minority This has been their standing apo
ogy for their rebeous resistance of the laws Of the Terri
tory Upon this assumption they have insisted upon the
validity of the awess and revolutionary proceedings
which adopted the Topeka constitution. Mr. Toombs came
forward and said Now gentlemen, you claim that your
friends largely in the majority in Kansas and that
their voice is smothered by the illegal interference of
the Mssourians at the baot-box. ! don't believe a
word of all this but want to test your sincerity
offer you bill which will decide this question pro-
pose that vote be taken the 4h day of November and
that every actual settler in the Territory the 4h of
july and every one who has been actual settler since
the organization Of the Territory and who has left on ac-
count of the disturbances there may return by the LIST
of October shall for delegates to form constitution
If the majority is as you assert in favor Of free State
will admit 1t such If you have been mistaken let kar-
sas come the majority shall determine. have pro-
vded the most stringent regulations Of which am capa-
Bile for securing fair expression Of the popular will,
and to make it doubly sure, have provided for the
employment Of the military force to guard the purity
Of the elective franchise; but tell you in all frank
ness that If you devise stringent and efecual
regulations, will adopt them cheerfully But, gentle
men, you have made loud complaints against the ty-
ranny of certain laws in Kansas which abridge the
freedom of speech and Of the press and which apply
certain test oaths which odious TO you propose to
abrogae all these black laws which you have erpend
ed of indignant eoquence to every obsta
Gle to the full and free discussion of every question that
your friends may wish to debate" The to these
just and liberal propositions leaves the champions Of dis
unionism without apology. Every preext which they
had relied thus swept away and yet instead Of COM
ing forward like honest and showing their sincerity
by accepting the offer of pacifCaton they concede that
the terms fair enough their face but they fear the
result would be that Kansas might be slave State "our
friends" say they, shave been imprisoned, are in
the ais have left for parts unknown, and we APP
prehend there is majority Of proslayery men in
the Territory" Mr. Douglas replies "If your friends
are all in jail what they there for2 Has any
Of them, have all Of them, been incarcerated for
violating the "odious black laws" which you have
denounced II so, this bill operates general Jail
delivery-it unlocks their prison doors and allows
them to 20 free But you know that has been
imprisoned for violating these awSthose of your friends
in Jail there for murders robberes larcenes
aud such crimes punishable by all civilized
mites Do you want us to turn those criminals out and
make legal voters of themH Your friends who have He'd
fba and SkuIk oh tba
northern States missionaries of your cause fed
from indictments for crimes Of the greatest enormity These
can return whenever they ready to answer TO the
charges As for those who have fed from fright the
bill invites them back and tenders to them the whole
military power OF the government guarantee Of their
safety In their persons and their rghtsn How do they
meet those positions "our friends will not return" say
they, abecsuss they have confidence in President
Pierce under his policy they have been frightened off
and are willing TO risk their safety when the officers
are appointed by him" General Cass replies Don't be
alarmed on this subject gentlemen, know that the
commissioners to execute this law will be good men
the parties will be fairly represented and the nominees
who are to be confirmed by tho Senate win be men Of
known characters for honesty, intelligence and fairness
we will not do your friends in the House did we will
not send board composed Of two democrats to repub
can but the parties will be equally represented
practicable But this was not satisfactory. Kansas
was too fruitful theme for sectional agitation to be given
up The bill stil opposed, and every republican
ted against II.
Let be remembered what the measure Is that has
been thus unressonably and factously resisted The
pubcans have voted against fair ascsrtainsnt Of The pop
ular viii IN Kansa, By Of fair election therefore
hey do not pan he vii Of the majority 10 rule They have
voted against the repeal Of he Kansas law Which abdges
the freedom Of speech and Of ne prc', therefore, they do
not Vam the people Of Kaasd, 10 enjoy hs freedom
Of speech and Of the press. They have voted against
he repeal Of The test oaths Whieh abridged the free
dom Of eonscenes therefore, they do not wGn The peo-
pie Of Kansas to eoy freedom Of COINCIDENCE From these
conclusions there ia no escape They cannot deny that
TIE bill is fair and just and liberal in all its proys
ons and that liz faithful execution guarded In every
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