The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-12-24

syhpdtuies are Win tnet CLASS OF his SUPPORT.
ers. We are glad to see that the Repnblica,
candidate for Speaker commanded such q vo,.
among the Northern opposition members. lie;
Messrs. Campbell, Ezra Clark, and the New
Jersey members, have the pAoIs homo. Of rem
resenting the American party in the Ho7se
and Repuolicsnism will not suffer IN the LAS,
from the fact.
CONTINUATION OF THE DEBATE or TIP
PRESIDENTS MEssAGE-MR. GREEN Avn
Mr., DOUGLAS.
Mr.. Green, on the 10Th, in the Senate. dslr.
cred long speech in support OF the Presidents
policy in regard tc Kansas. The larger nor.
ton Of it was taken Up with questions no. at
al pertinent to the condition Of things in Kan.
sas. Mr.. Douglas, in a running debate tina,
followed on the close of the speech, thrasting
aside, all generah:ies, said:
"Mr President, the simple question coma.
back, shall that people have the authori,, 10
form and regulate their Institutions 10 suit
themselves? Tbs Senator GAYS we NAV admit
them if we see proper, aud ought TO do so. N
order to terminate the controversy. Sir, | will
do anything that is right, anything that is lust.
In order to terminate this controversy. No
man living is so anxious for ito termination "a
L am. will sacrifice everything but principle
and honor, and my country, in order to close
this controversy. Bat how are you 10 close il?
You must close it on principles of eternal ius
tice aud truth, or it wills stay closed. You
must terminate it on the principle Of selfgo
ernment or the Constitution under which the
people are 10 live is not republican. No match
ing up, no system oftrickery by which the msior.
ity are cheated by the minority, will settle tb,
question. Instead Of producing peace, that will
only be the beginning Of undue controversy
When the broad fact stands admitted before
the world, that this Constitution is the act of a
minority, and not Of the msjority the injustice
becomes the more manifest and the more mon
strous. The only reason for not submitting the
Constitution family is, that it would be voted
down if it were submitted. This is an admi,
sion that 1T is an act of a minority, not of a ma
jority. Do you expect that you will restore
peace and quiet 10 the country By forcing upon
people Constitution which does not embody
their will l tell you that you will have 10
avail yourselves OF the recommendations of the
message to increase the army, end to use the
mlitaTy power OF this country if the majority
10 70 De subjected TO the oppression Of minor.
X. y
leEce. / will use every influence. BY counsel
AID exertion, to insure submission: but fear
the result, II you shall use power 10 coerce
majority of four 6hhs into eubiection to M
nority of one-Gfth.
But, sir, we are told that they ought to sub.
NIT, because they can easily get rid OF this Con.
stitution. The President says they may change
1t immediately after their admission. All how
ls thatY The Constitution formed AT I,4como.
ton provides that it may be changed after the
year 1884, by a Convention called by two thirds
of the Legislature. | hold it to be a principle
OF law, that when a Constitution provides for
It's own change at particular time and in
particular manner, that excludes all other times
and all other modes. | undertake to say,
that any court in Chris.endom would thus con
strue this Constitution. When Il saws that il
may be amended at one time, it excludes al
other times. When it says tina. it NAV b,
amended in one mode, it excludes all other
modes. Will you tell me that the Constitution
OF the United States can be changed by town
meeting, or a mass meeting. OF in any other
mode than that pointed out in the instrument
itself? Ne, sir There is no constitutional
modes by which this Constitution of Kansas if
once in force, can changed before 1864. There
IS another mode-a revolutionary mode. It's
by the Legislature first coming together, taking
an oa,h TO support the Constitution, aud then
proceed to call Convention 10 change it, in
violation Of the Constitution and of the osh
Suppose they should do this, and the C)nven.
ton thus called should make a Constitution
and establish a new Government, and the old
Government should refuse to surrender the
possession, who would be Governor-the one
elected under the old Constitution or the new?
I Gu would have two Governments in operation
at the same time, one under the old and the
other under the Few Constitution, aud YOU
would call on the army to decide between
them.
The scheme is scheme of civil war It
leads directly to war. Ii | ever voted for it.
should expect to vote also for an increase OF
the army, and for supplies to the army TO en-.
force 1t at the point of the bayonet. Ii means
violence, or 1T means the subsection of the ma
jority to the minority. l beseech Senators to
pause before they commit themselves 10 80 ia.
tai step. l beseech all to pause, and see
whether this is right or wrong, for on this mat
ter we are free from party ties. The Senator
from Missouri and myself agree that the Presi.
dent has not made it an Administration meas.
ure. We agree that he has not recommended
it in his message. We agree, therefore that
every man on this q DOR is az liberty to 60 Tor
or against II, without changing his party ues,
or affecting his party relations. Why, then,
can we not stop aud pause before we rush on
TO step that not only rends asunder the Dem.
ocratic party, but threatens the peace and per.
petuity of the Union itsef?"
Now AND THEN.-The Philadelphia Press
has hunted up protest, from the records ofthe
Senate, against the admission of California into
he Union. 1t was signed by Senator'S Mason,
Hunter, Butler, BArnwell, Sweeney, Soule, JEFF.
Davis, Atchison, aud Yulee. The grounds for
protest are stated in the following language:
First That it gave the sanction of law, and
hus impaired validity to an unauthorized &C.
ion by portion Of the inhabitants Of CaIitor.
aid.
Second. Without any legal census, or other
violence OF their possessing the number Of citi'
ems necessary to authorize the representation
hey may claim.
Third. Without any of these safeguards
bout the ballot Dor chich can only be prOrlded
y TAO, and WHICH ARE NECESSARY TO AscES
AIN THE TRUE SENSE OF A PEOPLE
!" Fourth. As not haring Subf;ism eridsncs
y as (the Constitution haoing the assent o. q
majority Of the people. for 'chOm ii icas signed
Apply this language to the admission Of Kan
as under the Lecompton Constitution, and how
appropriate it isl Then free Safe was con-