The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-04-11

whether, as Congress had fixed five years as
the probationary period of citizenship
aliens, it was constitutional for the States to
confer the right ofsuffrage on any aliens unless
they had fulfilled this period. Some of the
Southern Senators discaimed by any oppo-
+ sition to the bill on the ground that Mime
, sofa was to be free State; others occupied
different position.
Mr.. Thompson, of Kentucky, did not at
tempt to disguise his feelings Il am not,
as Southern man." he said, going to vote
to help them to bludgeon u.s." He referred
to the changes in the new State delegations,
wrought by Free-Soilism. There was the
: faithful Senator from California, (Mr. Well
er,) struck down. There was his venerable
friend from Michigan, (Mr Cass) who had
nobly withstood the instructions of his
Legislature-he too had fallen in the mad
ness ofth hour. His col eague would soon
follow in the in the same way-and so would
his friend Mr.. jones' from Iowa, notwith
standing the land grants for his State he had
procured at the last session. There was
quite enough Of that influence (Frec SoiD in
the councils Of the nation. He proceeded
, to argue that, under the Treaty by which
we acquired Louisiana, Minnesota was really
slave territory, and Southern men now had
a right to carry their slaves there. The
truth was, the equilibrium in theSenate was
already destroyed the free States were
ahead of the slave States Admit this Min
nesota, and you will have arrogant, assum-
ing, prctentious, free soilsh and Democrat
ic Senator's"
Il have said that want no Minnesota
Senators here Minnesota is Territory be-
longing to us, and we have the power to
make all needfu rules and regulations for it.
Instead of taking into partnership and full
fellowship all these outside Territories and
lost people of Gods earth, I would say, let
us take them if we must do it, and rule
them as Great Britain rules Affghanstan,
Hindostan, and all through the Punjaub,
making them work for you as you would
work negro on cotton or sugar plantation.
| do not like the business of buying land
and paying for it out of our money. and then
sell ng 1t out under price, or giving it away
to these people.
" | have read the clause of the COnstitu-
tion and the article of the treaty with France,
and II | were in the Supreme Court, would
decide that this was all slavcholdng Terri
tory. | would say that it should remain
slaveholding Territory until Free-Solism
died out like Mi!lerism and Mormonism. I
should be willing to reconsider the vote by
which this bill was passed but know that
II that be done, shall not succeed in lavng
it on the table If the proposition that
nobody but American citizens shall vote is
to !5ill it, will go in for that. as it rather
suits my feelings
Mr.. Thompson renewed his attack on SIM
liar grounds, at subsequent stage Of the
proceedings, but it is needless to quote fur
ther-enOugh is before our readers to show
the aaia"s Of this speech, and, let us add.
the real meaning Of the opposition Of the
Slaveholding members.
The speech of Mr.. Douglas in reply was
able and spirited. One passage in it will
show his position in relation to the equilb-
rium demand of the Richmond Enquirer and
other leading Democratic papers of the
South
Mr.. President, why should we get into
sectional contest here between the North
and the South? Is it to he a struggle to
keep up an equilibrium between non-slaving
and Slaveho'ding States ? Sir, deny the
power of this Government to maintain any
equilibrium on the subject. 1t is contrary
to the principles of the Constitutional is
contrary to the principles of the Nebraska
Bill-it is contrary to the principles of the
Democratic Party-it is contrary to the
principles of State equality and selfgovern-
ment, to attempt here to keep an equilibrium
between non-slaving and slaveholding States,
in order that they may balance each other
Each State has the right to do as it pieases :;
and tell the Senator from Kentucky that
he has no more right to insist upon having
Slavery tolerated III Minnesota, than have
to insist upon having Slavery abolished in
Kentucky He would be driven Immediately
permit this Congress, or any other power
outside Of the State of Kentu ky, to inter-
fere with her domestic and local institutions
to tell her whether she should use slave
or free labor. Then why attempt to inter
fere with any other State, or any other Ter
ritorY or community. upon that very subject
on which lie is so sensitive, within the limits
of his own State! -
Mr.. Butler, Of South Carolina, did not e:r-
acly agree with his friend from Kentucky.
(Mr. Thompson.) but that gentleman had
''gone very far in few words to present
the ideas lie (AIr. But'er) entertained on the
subject y
g Lave no donbt," said Mr.. Butler, "that
this vote will be reconsidercd, and that it is
a foregonc conclusion. This may be, and |
think it will lie, a Commonwealth, quite as
good as some of the old ones, in which fanati-
cism is burning to the very bitter ashes of dis
pointment. | am sorry to say it for be-
lieye II 1 were to utter one sentiment more
than another, it is that the time will come
when the old Atlantic Statcs-the old thir-
teen-will find that they have committed
the greatest mistake they ever committed
in life, in allowing miserable issues to sepa-
rate them. l believe, sir, that the time will
come when those men who are now contend
ing with almost an internecine spirit. one
against the other, will find that they have
committed suicide.
But, sir, that is looking into the future
and when the curtain of the future is thrown
before me, | have no right to look beyond it:
cannot look beyond it. You are voting
for this measure, not because your States
recognize it as principle, but because YOU
think it gives you power. That is the truth
, oft; and it does give you power. cote for
It on the gr0pnd that l cannot resist II. I differ
with my friend from Kentucky. | have no
right TO resist the admission of new State.
} have always had my doubts whether the
, admission of new States into this Confedra-
cy would perpetuate the Union, or was an
element to dissolve it,"
Mr.. Brown of Mississippi, was vehement
in his appeals against reconsideration. He
, invoked the Democratic Party to save the
country from ruin.
''Look at the other side of the Chamber.
and you do not find a solitary member of
that party commonly called the Black Re-
publican party-but which I call simply the
Republican party-who does not vote for
this proposition. The Senator from New
; Hampshire [Mr. Hale] comes forward to-day,
and does US the favor to say that be voted
for the proposition the other day, simply that
he might have the opportunity to do what
he has done-movc reconsideration; that
he, isoating himself from his rarty-that he
the Senator from New Hampshire, voted
with us on this side of the question, having
in his minds eye at the moment to move
this reconsideration. Now, sir, the whole
body of that party come up in solid phal-
anx, and vote to reverse the decision which
we rendered two days ago. l know not
whether we are here, more under the infiu-
ence or foreigners or Black Republicanism !;
but know this, that we are under some
: sort of influence which causes US to change
our Judgment very suddenly"
The first vote taken was on reconsidering
the vote by which the bill had been passed.