The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-24
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF HoN.JoHN KELLY,


or NKw YORK,
In reply to Hon. Mr.. Akers of Missouri and Hon Henry
Winter Davis OF Maryland delivered in the House Of
Representatives on Tuesday February 10, 1857.
House bill 500 being under consideration the House be-
ing in Committee OF the Whole the state of the Union
(IiuRHREY MARSHALL, of Kentucky, in the charl-
Mr. KELLY said rise for the purpose of submitting,
as briefly can few remarks in rep to the very
ordinary speech delivered in this hail. weeks since by
the honorable member from Baltimore city In the great
abundance OF his zeal to assa the President OF the United
constitutional duties, without trucking the mad spirit
Of sectional fanacism which has frequently driven
country the very verge of dissolution the gentleman
from Baltimore could not permit good occasion to
pass without hung his pointess invectives against the
democratic party Of the North, and especially against
my constituents, in torIns and temper which demand
reply In wrggng out of old associations or perhaps
rather in looking north OF Mason and Dxons line after
new Ones the gentleman from Baltimore city representing
this floor southern constituency charges upon the in
domitabe democracy which have the honor represent
either the folly of political idocy the knavery of poti
cal fraud What else means the cantng ludicrous charge
which the gentlemen has borrowed rotbe black republic
canshe leading count in their indictment against
the gallant democracy of the southern we'll the north
ern Sates-tha the Nebraska bill palmed off upon
the South as imposing slavery upon Kansas necessarily
and condition to its becoming State while the same
bill forced upon the deludcd democracy Of the North
because it the symbol OF Buchanan Brecnridge and
free Kansas In other words, that of principles
proclaimed in the South another and different set of
principles at the North and that the part Of the de-
mocracy, the election but successful combination of
frauds and our victory the triumph of dshonorabe trick
cry.
1t seemed somewhat strange sir, that the gentleman
from Baltimore should have made the Presidents message
the preex for this assault upon the democracy of the
North No subject perhaps brought up for consider
alton before this body has ELECTED such able earnest and
instructive debate the message of President Pierce to the
present session of Congress In that memorable document
the President discusses with distinguished ability and
with precision both of argument and fact that his assa
ants have shown more disposition to crtcise than initiate
the history of the slavery agationof the combinations
and efforts and aims of those who have sought to
throw the institutions OF section of this confederacy
by tiampng upon constitutional obligations, aud null
lying the organic laws of the land. The soundness of
argument and the appropriateness Of occasion which char
acerize that portion of the Presidents annual communca-
ton to Congress- have been amply vndcaed by the
the slavehodng States of kc Union Southern
gentlemen have done that question full justice II snot
pcted OF in this presence and on general principles to
stand forth the champion of the peculiar institutions of
that section of the confedeacy They upon the
sttution and the agitaors and demagogues who would
ociousy interfere with them, and who have ruthless
asaied then have received rebuke in the result of the
late election which should silence them forever If they re-
gard of any weight in this country of popular sover-
eighty and equal rights the most emphatic expression of
popular will. 1t is because my constituents have been
dragged into this whirlpool of vuperaon and been
cred with the oboquy partisan abuse that rise in my
seat and before God and my country declare my solemn
conviction that while gentlemen may sport their rhetoric
and flourish their sarcasms what they are pleased to
designate the teachings of the recent election the result
of that election has been in the providence of God the
preservation of Unionthe yndicaton Of compe
ency for segovernmen and the overthrow of the trea
sonablc plots of those who would deuge the country in
blood to accomplish their unhoy ends So long this mode
oassaut confined the black republicans sat
i6ed to leave them in southern hands They have taken
good of themso good indeed that apparent TO
the House that long before the debate upon the Presidents
message ceased the gentlemen who commenced it
ceedngy glad to bring it to end The gentleman from
Maryland however-whether by accident, whether be-
the part in the role assigned to him. will not
sayfolows up the assault only shifting position little
for the black republicans pretty much confined their strict
to the President and the South while he made the
President and the North the subject of attack The Kan
sas-Nebraska bill say these gentlemen, exhibited by
democratic orators and leaders in two phases in the
Souh-kansas and slavery; another in the North-Kan-
and freedom This act which constituted the
prominent issues in the late eectionupon which the
national democratic party decided in solemn convention to
risk its existence and with its existence that of the Union
the cloak under which the North to be cajoed
and the desnies of the republic fixed for the four
years. Sir the Interpretation put upon the KansasNe-
braska act by my constituents who endorsed it, that
given to by the Cincinnati Convention The blackre
publican orators and leaders in New York took the ground
that if Mr. Buchanan elected Kansas would necessarily
be slave State and that the only way prevent it to
elect COL Fremont. We met them there and ywhere
throughout the State Of New York by maintaining that
Kansas ought to be free slave State just the peo
ps Of the Territory should decide The black republicans
faunted the banners OF congressional sovereignty
stood upon the broad platform Of popular sovereignty
We took the Kansas-N Nebraska bill as it was and
found it incorporated in the platform OF the Cincinnati
Convention.
immediately after the nominations were announced to
the country the democracy of the Union everywhere
sponded to the action of their representatives at that
Venon One of the largest public meetings ever held in
Albany the capital of my State, convened that
casion Their proceedings publctheir resolutions
scattered all the State landmarks by which
the democracy to be guided and symbols of pure
orthodox democratic faith Here they are, Mr. Chairman,
word for word they passed by the tens OF thou
sands who composed that meeting and they were in
scrbed every democratic banner that hoated through
the Empire State-sye sir as they were endorsed by a
sufficient number of my constituents to send me back to
this hall and by thousand true and loyal democrats
over and above that number to keep the field well faow
ed until the trial comes round again:
Resolved That the democracy Of Albany unanimously with
heart and voice. respond to the made BY the
Democratic Convention at Cincinnati and congratulate the
country upon choice so anspicious to its welfare
esocd That recognise in James Buchanan, OF Penn
syvsna staesman of the superior order, OF great ability
and experiences who having enjoyed the confidence of Jack
and fought with him in the and successful srug
giles with the United States Bank and in favor OF consttu
tional and against monopoly and privilege, Low
stands not only the foremost representative of democracy
but the first statesman OF the Union.
Resolced That in his gallant associate the ticket John
G. Breckindge, of Kentucky have candidate whose
out fear and without reproacb justly endear him to the de-
of the nation and that look the combine
tion Of age and wisdom with genius and youhthe steadi
Of Pennsylvania and the gaantry of kenuckas the
combination which most truly represents the Judgment and
feelings of the American democracy.
Resoicd That cordially embrace tue platform OF pn
cpes adopted by the Convention at Cincinnat confident
that they will yet vndcate themselves to the Judgments and
when rightly interpreted, they will extend and fory the
principle Of self and strengthen our internal
tranquility, and peacefully enforce and maintain our honor
abroad. t#f.
Roeed That the great evil of the times and the great
politics. which the democratic party relied upon to
resist and the influence of SPIRIT
seeking by political action to obtain Jurisdiction over ana
punish the actions and pursuits OF and
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