The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-23
DEBATE IN the SENATE.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

On uaoiiou Cd Mr. Bzowx the Senate resumed the con
snon Of the motion 60 print the President message
Mr. GREEN Mr. President when, on Wednesday
- the honorable senator from Illinois Mr. DouaIAs
addressed the Senate, taken completely by surprise
was surprised not only that be should have made his
marks that time but stll surprised at tho
manner and the matter OF the speech. He himself sta
M recollect correctly, that the President had made
o Recommendation the subject OF Kansas IT is fact
uOsn BY all that mo application the part Of Kan
a was before Congress ia any shape L. therefore there
Ca neither executive recommendation applca-
INN upon the part OF Kansas wherefore should the sub
m have been thrust the attention OF the country
When practical action is required the part of senator
he views Of senator's expected to be elected but when
uaher executive recommendation required any practi
al action any application the part OF Kansas had
een made, il seemed to me most extraordinary that
sbd be compelled to engage In abstract discussion
with no reference 10 practical resulS 1t is ay Fsr-
@ b inquire into the motive of the honorable senator
uu wiling 70 concede as do, that IL patriotic
but must think very improper. Ii well caIcua
ed 10 prejudice the question peHding before the peo
Die o Kansas An election Is to be held on the 2fst of
hs month, and the public mind prepared to the
ope 20 forward and express their preferences for and
,ganst the question may be presented to them; but
Ms speech going counter manifesto TO the just and
m mesage of the Executive of this government is well
,aluIated though no doubt not designed 10 prejudice
that question before the people of Kansas as wen as be-
hHe the people Of the country.
But sir whether the question has been rghffully or
vTunguly brought up for consideration, il before
m and Justice to the Executive justice to the question
tse Justice 10 the people OF Kansas and Justice ny
SE State which cannot fail to feel deep interest in the
proper adjustment and final settlement Of the question:
require that should meet and, Ear as may be able,
cunterac the positions assumed by the honorabe
Tor from Illinois. ssakE Is sfps agn
The honorable senator from Illinois sets out with i'm
putting to the President Fundamental error Before we
discuss must have the issue presented Before
arguments can haye practical bearing the question
bore the Senate ii is necessary that should under
stand what that question . In what according the
positions assumed by the senator from Illinois, does this
fundamental error consist u understand him to say
that the fundamental into which lie charged the
President with having fallen is that the President says
there no law either in the Kansas Nebraska act in
The constitution of the country IN the common usages
d the government, that made it obligatory the con-
vnun Of Kansas to submit their constitution to snb-
squent vote of the people, This is the imputed fun
iam0a error TO that point shall direct the atten
ton Of the Senate. e.efrSGraa 8Gt tM EAaf B@5 rH
is for me say whether the prcprety o the sub
mission of the slave branch Of that constitution to sep
ate vote ought TO have been considered by the Execu
tive or not. choose not 10 trace him in the of
bis reasoning the subjeat choose rather to notice
the oaaaoa at which he has arriveda conclusion that
Womises full adjustment OF this whole question that
Womises peace to the country that promises satisfaction
the North and to the South and that promises to
move bone of contention which the public mind
R been too much harassed for the last several years
The real practical question: then, which we have to
ris this Ought Kansas when her constitution shall be
psseBted be admitted into the Union ought the
aaeatipn of what the honorable senator from Illinois
A fundamental error of the President to be deemed
sufficient to keep Kansas of the Union, and
keep this most unfortunate subject still statng The
bliC sttsntienf THIS tie ru II is not whether
approve Of parts of the constitution of Kansas it is
not whether think the qualification required by the
convention In framing the constitution of Kansas, OF
twenty citizenship of the United States IN order to
governor, right That is subject upon which the
FpPie Of Kansas alone have the right to decide
Is true the honorable senator does not say that
have right to supervise the acon.of the convention Of
Kansas in that regard But he to bring up what
he regards as Objectionable parts of their constitution
and traces them in such that the public might
Weuticed against the result of the abors of the con-
Tiion In hs great anxiety to present that feature
regard to the qualification which the governor of Kan
% required TO possess he missates and miscon-
u the constitution Of Kansas presented before
he saws twenty years citizenship is required That
true; but is that of objectionf The senator s
own State Of Illinois, when she admitted into the
uion required qualification Of the governor that he
should have been citizen Of the United
states and surely he will not invoke the application Of a
more stringent rule TO Kansas which, under the peculiar
circumstances OF the cse requires rather relaxation for
the sake of peace and quetue Surely he will object
70 The application Of the berality Kansas
leave that question unpreitidced for IL Illinois could
0menfo the Union with constitution requiring the gov
dnof TO be citizen for the sace OF thirty years. surely
no insuperable objection Kansas that she requires
miya twenty years' citizenship SO with the State Of
Nssomi-my State. Her constitution requires the
GOVERNOR 70 be natiye-bo citizen of the United States
and 30 t s with various other States The constitution
d the state of Mississippi requires twenty year citizen
shpof the United States the part OF the governor !
and large number of the constitutions of the States
qure them TO be native bern The constitution of the
United States requires the President TO be native-bor
dizen of the United States. a e
refer TO these facts for the purpose of showing that
a all times past such matter has been urged
the senate amy why the application of State
or admission into the Union ought 10 be rejected Per
haps the senator will say however that he did not urge
in that view and that he only stated that the people
'ooald have right to pass on that question. shall adj
vert to that point after while In the connexion
nowerer, he this language which examination Of
he constitution does not warrant
u men think no person should vote or hold Office
ana ne mas been here twenty years he has right to
think So '' ~ 5000 sF aa ~
The employment Of this language ON the part OF the
ator induces those who have not examined the con-
eu'on Of Kansas 10 believe that n requires twenty
ears ctzenship before the right 10 voting attach
me senator has fallen into error The constitution
imply requires Tor the exercise Of the right az suffrage in
Kansas that shall be citizen m the United States
nd free white male inhabitant OF the State II his
enenf were 20 90 broadcast through the land those
Wa object 10 the stringent rules which the party 70
Which he referred sometimes have been held to advocate
oad feel greatly prudiced against the Kansas consti-
Onon while, II they examine it, and what its pro-
ens arc, they viii ind that the senator has misstated
u provisions. 8. 49,. ~.
70 on other questions subject Of banks and the
noe 81 ta1aton- He annndverted on all these points
IA pleasure, and with a view, as IL would seem
ooagh doubtless for such purpose least to point
oecuons in the Kansas constitution the subject
Mnks. as well the subject Of taxation Vow ii
pheodes. ~ know he viii concede that Congress
% right 70 consider amy of the features Of the oonst
Inn e g.. "a. "a. - Y