Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-12-18
CONGRESSIONAL.

resolution was passed inviting tho cletgymen Of the
District ooiae erStuitousy as chaplans OF the Sem
Mr. Gwinn utyt notice Of his intention to introduce
bin for the construction of Northern, Southern and
Central Pacific Railroad; also bill to organize the Ter
MIR DOUGLAS SPEECH.
The rdion to print the Presidents Message and ac-
comrsuying documents. with hnecn thousand copies
rs, was then taken up. Mr.. Douglas said-
Mu ParsfpENr When Yesterday the Presidents
Message was read the Clerks desk heard il but m
perfectly, and Of the impression that the President
Of the United States had approved and endorsed the
ton Of the Lccompion Convention in Kansas. Under
that impression, felt il my duty 20 state that, while
concurred in the general views of the Message vet
Ear approved OF Endorsed the action Of that Convcn
ton. entirely dssentod from H. and would avail myself
" carly opportunity state my for my dis
sent Upon more careful and critical examination "
the Message rcoiced 10 find that tho President VI
the United States has not recommended that Congress
shall pass law to receive Kansas into the Union under
The Constitution formed at Iccompton. It's true that
tho tone OF the Message indicates willingness the
part " the President TO sign any bill that Congress may
pass II shall ht to pass receiving Kansas into
tho Union under that Constitution But sir, i is iact
" great significance and worthy Of consideration, that
the President has RETAINED from ndprsomcnt Of the
Convention, and from any Recommendation as 20 nc
course Congress should pursue with regard TO the Const
tuition there formed.
The Message Of the President has made argument
---an unanswerabe Argument in my opinion-against
that Constitution which shows clearly, whether intended
TO arrive that result not that consistently with his
views and his principles he cannot accept that Constu
appointment that the Constitution itself has not been
submitted the people n Kansas for their acrcptancc
rejection lie informs that he has unqualifcdly
expressed his opinions on that subject IN his instructions
10 Governor Walker, assuming matter n course,
that the Constitution was 10 be submitted 10 the people
before It could have any vitality ur validity. lie goes
further and tells that the example SET by Congress in
the Minnesota case, by inserting clause u the enabling
requiring the Constitution 90 be submitted to the no1-
pie, ought TO become uniform rule, not 90 he departed
from hereafter ~ any On these vatilus PROPOSE
tons agree entirely with the President u the United
ri lam 81 81
rulc which he asks 90 pursue in all other cases hy
taking the Minnesota provision example.
reiogespna careful pcrusal n tic Message ~ find
mucht@s to dissent from than I was under the i'm.
preston there was, from the hastv reading and the inn
perfect hearing Of the ia the first instance. In
effect he refers that document o. hc Congress OF the
Unitcd Statcs-as the Constitution Of thc United States
refers -fir to decide upon # under responsible
ity IL proper that De should have thus reerrcj IL 20
matter for Con grcssional action, and a. an
Administration executive measure, Tor the that
the Constitution OF the United States saws that 'Con
gress may admit States into tho Union" Hence We
find the Kansas question before MS now not as an Adj
muisration measure not Executive measure. but
as measure coming before for free action, with
out any recommcndaon orintererence, directly or ind
rectly by the Administration in possession OF the
Federal Government Sir, pruplse to examine this
properly receive Kansas into the Union with the Cons
tuition formed at Lecompton.
The President, after expressing his regret and mord6-
cation AMI d appointment that the Constitution had not
Been submitted 20 the people. 60 pursuance of his insruc
lions TO G1yculr walker and ia purnranco Of Cover
nor WalScr's assurances 10 the people saws. however
that by the KansasNebraska act ne slavery question
only required "a be referred to tie people and the
nainder Of tho Constitution not thus required be
submitted. IL acknowledges that a. general rule on
general principles the whole Constitution should be sub
mtcd but according TO his undcrstandugof the organ
PC act OF hansns, there was am imperative obligation u
submit the slavery question for their approval dsap
prevail but no obligation 70 submit the entire C0ns-
uon In other words hc regards the organic act, the
Nebraska BILL having made execution OF the slave
~ clause and provided for the disposition Of that ques-
ton in mode different FROM that in which other dones
I'll.
tons, should be decided Sir, permit me tn saw with
profound respect for the Prhsient Of the Omitted States
that conceive that on this point he has committed
fundamental error, which lies at the foundation
OF his whole argument on the matter. eau well under
stand how that distinguished Statesman came TO fall into
at error ic was not in the country at the time the
Nebraska bin was passcd; he party the con-
uo'ersy ana inc discussion that took place during its
passage. WIS then representing the honor and the
dignity of the country with great wisdom aud distnc
ton; at foreign court. Thus deeply engrosscd his
whole energies absorbed in conducting great diplo
matte questions that diverted his attention from the mere
territorial questions and discussions then going in the
Senate and House Of Representatives and before the
people at home. Under these circumstances he may
well have fallen into an radical aud fundamental
as 1t @ in regard to the object Of the Nebraska bill and
tho principles asserted in It.
Now sir, what the principle enuncatcd bv the au-
ihors and supporters Of that bill when ii brought
forward: Did we not come before the country and say
tA we repeated the Missouri restriction for the purpose
Of substituting and carrying as general rule the
great principle OF s,fgoycrnment, which left The people
of each State and each Territory free 10 form and re
late their domestic Institutions IN their way stjtvt
only TO the Constitution % the United States In sup
port Of that proposition II was argued here and have
argued wherever have spoken in various States OF the
Union, at nome ana abroad, everywhere have endeay-
orol 70 prove that there was NJ reason why an exccpon
shond he made in regard the slavery question Ihave
appealed to the people il did all agree men Of all
parties that all other local and domestic questions should
that the people shall decide for themselves what kind
Judiciary system they will have agree that the peo
pie shall decide what kind Of school system they will
establish we agree that the people shall determine for
themselves what kind Of a banking system they will
have OF whether they will have any banks at all we
agree that the people may decide Tor themselves what
shall he the elective franchise in their respective States
they shall decide for themselves what shall be the rule
taxation, aud the principles upon which their finance
snail be regulated agree that they may decide for
themselves the relations between husband aud wife par
cnt and child. guardian and ward aud why should we
not then allow them decide Tor themselves the rea-
tons between masters and servants Why make ex-
ception Of the slavery question by taking il Of the
great rule Of selfgovernmont which applies TO all the
other relations II Z" The very Rrst proposition in
the Nebraska bill show that the Missouri restre-
ton, prohibiting the people from deciding the slavery
question for themselves, constituted exception to
general rule in violation Of the principle Of sefgovorn-
nent and hence that that exception should be repealed,
anu me slavery question, like all other questions sub
United to the people, IN be decided for themselves
Sir, what was the principle ON which the Nebraska
bill defended BY its fiends Instead OF making tho
slavery question exception removed an odous ~.
eepton which before existed. It's whole object t.
abolish That odous objection and make the rule general
UNIVERSAL IN is application TO all matters which To-
cal and domestic and not national federal For this
reason was nc language employed which the President
mas quoted, that the Sh section of the Missouri act
commonly called the Missouri Compromise, was repeal
ed because il repugnant the principle Of inter
yenon established by the compromise measure Of 1850
~ being the true intent and meaning Of this mt
legsiao slavery into any Territory or State nor TO OK
olude thercom but TO leave the people thereof per
iecuy free 70 form and regulate their domestic insl-
OF the United Statess We repealed the Missouri re.
stet9n because that was confined to slavery That
the only exception there was 10 the general principle
sefgovernment That exception was taken away for the
ayowed aud express purpose Of making the rule Of self