Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-12-24

FIRST SESSION.

colleague Senator Bell.
MeSsrs. Fessendcn and Seward deliver
ed culogies, and after the adoption of the
Gus tomary resolutions, the Senator adj
journed.
HoUsE-Testimony for the contested
election cases was referred to the Com
mittee ON Elections.
The Senate's resolutions of respect fol
the memory of Senator Bell were read
and Mr.. Tappan delivered an eulogy.
Messrs. Colfax and Washburne Of
Maine, severally paid tribute to the mem
Org Of their late friend, and the house ad
journed.
The Washington correspondent of the
Post says that Gov Grimes will probably
be elected 10 the Senate from Iowa in
place OF Mr.. Jones. Henry Gilpin Of
Philadelphia. he says is talked of for
Minister to England.
WASHINGTON, Dec 16.
SENATE.-A resolution was adopted
that the Senate will tomorrow proceed
to the election of a printer.
On motion of Mr.. Gwynn, resolution
was adopted calling on the President for
all the CORES pondence between the de-
partm and the present Governor of
Kansas, together with all orders and in
struc tons which have been ordered to
said officer.
Mr.. Hamlin regarded the list of COM
mittees as disproportioned and sectional.
Mr.. Dooitle objected to the arrange
ment of the committees, referring espe-
cially TO the wants of the great North
west, and the importance of the commerce
and navi cation thereof.
Mr.. Chandler denied that the Republi-
cans Of the Senate had ever assented to
such formation of committees.
Mr.. Pugh, while intending to vote for
the list as the nominees of Democratic
caucus, yet coucurred that they were not
fair v formed.
Mr.. Stuart stated that he had declined
serving on the committee on commerce.
Mr. Bayard vindicated the propriety
of the formation of the list.
Mr.. Gwynn also defended the list, alleg-
ing that the Republicans, when they had
the power in the House, made the COM
mittees sectional and unjust.
Mr.. Wilson denied that such was the
case. He commended that the Democrat
ic and prosavery parties were one and
the same.
The list was then agreed to. Yeas 80
nays Is.
Mr.. Green proceeded to speak on Kan
sas affairs, and objected to Mr.. Douglas
speech as well calculated to prejudice the
question pending before the people o,
Kansas. The real issue was not whether
we approve or do not approve of all the
individual points of the Lecompton Con
stitution- The only question is, does the
Cons ttution embody the Republican
form of government Nobody has ever
disputed that there seemed to be wan
of clear understanding as to the relation
the Federal Government sustains toward
the Territory. The inhabitants of Kan
sas are a people, and no enabling act i:
required to impart to them power to pro
pose change in their form of govern
ment. He argued that Congress would
have no right to refuse to admit Kansa:
under the Lecompton Constitution. The
people of Kansas never proposed to form
agoyernment without the consent of Con
gress.
The convention was held in subordi
nation to the territorial good, and was un-
der no obi CATION to submit the constitu-
ton OF any part of it to the popular vote
They chose to submit the slavery ques-
ton, which was the great bone of con-
tention, as a matter of policy, and not
from any legal compulsion whatever. 1t
was his opinion that the submission OF
that question was better calculated to get
the real will and judgment of the people
than if the whole constitution had been
submitted. He concluded by urging a
speedy decision of the question, saying
that if any of the provisions of the con-
stitution were obnoxious to the people OF
Kansas, they would have the power Of
modifying and changing at any time.
Mr.. Douglas replied, stating his posi-
ton, first, he did not regard as fatal OBJ
lection that there was no enabling act
secondly, he did not take the position
that it was fatal objection that the con-
stitution was not submitted to the people
before it was sent to Congress for accept
ance.
The position he did assume was that
the regular mode of proceeding is by an