Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-12-31
Grafton of the Treasury Note Bill.

of the public lands reserved in grants to
States for railroads,
Mr.. johnson of Tenn. introduced a bill
granting to every head of a family who is al
so citizen of the United States, a homestead
of one hundred and sixty acres of land on
condition Of occupancy and cultivation.
The Senate resumed the consideration of
the Presidents annual message.
Mr.. Fitch of Ind. said if the election took
place in Kansas yesterday, Congressional ac-
tion on the subject would soon be required
that is, assuming there were no frauds which
would vitiate the election. He desired that
the decision of the people of the Territory
whether to admit or exclude slavery, should
not be supposed to influence his opinions
therefore he wished to speak on the subject in
advance of any possible knowledge here of
the character Of the proceedings at that cleo
ton. He would remark in advance, while he
should feel bound to comment on some Of the
views expressed by Mr.. Douglas, he did not
desire to read him out of the Democratic par
ty; but he would say that man might by
his own voluntary act, either by promoting
discord in the party or by some other means
place himself beyond the pale of the party Or
ganization.
He hardly thought that the old Democrat
ic party; as such, were put to the necessity
Of reading persons outof their organization.
Ii, however, there were any meh in the DEM
ocratic party who wished to take position
outside of the party, or who attempted to To-
ment discord in the party, in return for some
fancied grievance in time past, they would
remembs the fate of every such attempt
which had been made, from the days of Burr
to those of Van Buren,. He was in favor of
admitting Kansas with whatever constitution
she might present here, provided it be Repub-
lican in FORM The convention had power to
submit the constitution OR withhold it, and
were responsible only to the people of Kansas
for the manner in which they had exercised
that right. He desired to adopt the course
productive of the least evil to the greatest
number
Mr.. Douglas said in reply, according to
his own showing, Mr.. Fitch differed from the
President and yet the Senator from Indiana
had charged him with faction. If differing
from the President was faction, that Senator
had double the amount of faction with HIM
, self He had not become the mere seryile
tool of any President, so as to feel himself
. bound to take every recommendation without
> examining to see whether it met his approba-
ton or not. with regard to harmony in the
Democratic party, he had only to say that if
Democratic Senators and the President would
stand by the Cincinnati platform there
9 would be harmony between them all and him
g self. He said F.: "Call it faction-call it
what you please-I intend to stand by the
Nebraska bill to stand by the Cincinnati
9 platform to stand by the organization and
: principles of the Democratic party and
defy opposition from whatever quarter it may
0 come He predicted that before the lapse Of
9 sixty days he would be in harmony with those
d that were most relied upon now to crush him
: and the principles of the Nebraska bill in
:. the admission of the Lecompton Convention
He looked on that Convention as trick and
t fraud upon the rights of the people, and, with
s or without slavery, he was opposed to the
' whole concern. He did not know the object
of all these attacks upon him. Perhaps hi'
opponants thought they could worry him out
e but he would tell them if he found his strength
failing he would 60 off and recruit his ener
o gies, and como back and take a raking fire Al
: the whole of them. Uaughter.)
It During conversational debate between
+ Mr.. Douglas and Mr.. Fitch, the former, in or
: der to sustain his previous remark that HI
: could not place much confidence in the re
r turns from the election which was held yester
r day, said the convention had declared null
Z. and void all the laws Furnishing fraudulent re
e turns; and stated in addition that two off
y GERS of the army who were present in LIE
compton at the time, informed him that tn
u very man who was known to have perpetrat
It ed the Oxford frauds. was elected Clerk o
the Convention by reclamation, upon tn
e ground that his services in johnson county
entitled him to such consideration.
+ Mr.. Clay thought the remarks of Mr.. Doul
y las calculated to do gross injustice to the Con
j. vention. He read the 18th schedule--in snh
stance that all the officers shall be sworn to
o faithful performance of their official duties
y and on failure thereof, be subject to tn
IS same pains and penalties as are provided lik
e. cases under the territorial laws.
1t Mr.. Stuart remarked that it was true tn
: Constitution makes sRch provision, but
ID was equally true that the Acting Governe
s. has said there is now no law in Kansas pun
10 ishng frauds in making returns.
Mr.. Clay inquired whether the ipse die
m of the Governor was to prevail over the Law
he Mr. Douglas replied that the clause whic
r' the Senator from Alabama had read was in tn
copy Of the constitution published in the N.
&c tional Inteligemcer, but in that published
ok the Union, which it is said, was furnished /
i'm the President, that clause was not to be foun
N. He (Douglas) would not pretend to accoul
ret for this variance, unless the convention a,
IT. journed without putting the constitution in
se FORM and perhaps the IntelIigencer was fu
tic nished with revised copy, and the Unit
lid printed the document as it was before Il
he convention. Whether so or not, it does n,
lat place the matter under the Territorial la,
to where there were penalties for fraudulent r
fer turns.
M Mr.. Clay said that Mr.. Douglas was m
'se taken; for he CLAY had read from the sch
of dule as published in the Union.
ids HoUsE.-The House went into Commit
Of the Whole onthe Senate Treasury Note bi
The Senate bill was passed without amen
In ments--yeas LIS nays 81.
to Wednesday, Dec. %.
a SENATF.-Mr. Stuart addressed the Sena
lot on the subject Of Kansas.
DO Mr.. Stuart said it waa well remarked
Attorney General Butler in the Arkans
, l case, that the power of Congress upon t
he subject of the new admission of new Stat
ion is penary. When the question is present.