The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-17

lied at the tone and spirit which the Senator from Mis-
sos had discussed the question but as that Senator seem
down in hs speech delivered the other day he {Dougl)
would make brief statement or two points, in
order that the Senate and the country might what his
position really First he did regard fatal
objection that there enabling in advance. So
cond, no did not take the position that fatal OBJ
lection that the constitution submitted To the
people before sent 10 Congress for acceptance. The
position he did assume was that the regular mode Of
proceeding by enabling act and that the Terrific
rial Legislature proceeded 70 call Convention without the
consent Of Congress to do So that irregular but not
irregular that necessarily follows that all the proceedings
are vitated The Convention any other body Of men
may send petition to Congress for change in the form
Of their government and Congress at liberty accept
reject the petition pleases The Lecompt0n Con
vention not an unlawful body and might send Pc
t,ion but not Convention authorized establish
or institute government for Kansas. Many of the
States had been admitted without enabling act being
first passed by Congress The schedule said that the
tuton should be submitted to all the people of Kansas
for approval or dsapprovai No constitution could be
considered republican which did not embody the
will Of The people who are be governed
by IT, and was not formed by their action The next aues
on was what Is the best mode of ascertning that w
he argued with the President that the best mode
refer TO the people for acceptance rejection by fair
forced upon the people against Their will republican
constitution. II was TO say IL was q good consl
their throats against their w The question was Whether
the people shall be permitted to form their constitu
tion9 The Senator from Missouri urged the importance Of
terminating this controversy. Now he Douglas) would
do anything that right and anything just order
terminate it, He would sacrifice everything but principle
and honor and country in order close this unhappy a
tation but how TO do in 1t must be done upon
principles Of eternal justice and truth, it will not stay
closed Congress must terminate upon the principles Of
self government they will not have a republican sys
TEN OF government. No system Of patching up and
irickery Will settle this question instead of having peace
IL "ii only be the beginning OF new controversy II
would be necessary 10 increase the army and
use the military power of the government if the ma
jor,y were to be subjected to the oppression of
the minority He trusted that there would be no out
break no vioencebut he feared such a result f q
jory Of the people of Kansas be cocrced into
submission TO the will OF the minority The
Missouri had said that they could change the constitution
Immediately after they became State but he (hr Doug
as) argued the other hand that could not be changed
thirds of the Legislature II Was principle Of law when
constitution provides for its being changed parou
lar time, and In particular mode it excludes all other
modes. ANY court in Chrisendom would thus coustrue
it, and the only other mode Of changing their constitu
ton would be by revolution This scheme therefore
scheme OF civil war and leads directly to If he
should vote 70 admit Kansas under the Lecompton cons
tuition be should feel obliged consequence Increase
the army and enforce at the point OF the bayonet He
besought Senator'S to pause before they committed
themselves to such fatal error. This not TO
be regarded as an administration measure. Every
man on the floor Of the Senate at liberty
10 vote for against 1t without surrenderng
his party ties. The adoption of the measure would
ger the and perpety Of the Unon. The President
was frank man, and he did not believe that the Pres
dent would ask his party to do that to which he
willing To commit himself paper. He did not bel
the President would ask Senators TO their necks
the halter of dsunion civil war before he was
ready to take the lead and point out the way
Then let Us restore peace to the country by
ignoring these irregular conventions at Iecompton
and Topeka and authorize the people TO farward
form constitution and state government for themselves
That he Dougas) believed would restore quiet in ninety
days.
Mr. GRysS responded denying that the people of Kansas
would be compelled to retain their present constitution
unchanged until 1864, and argued that could
be called at any time to make such change a majo
rity Of the people might desire.
The further consideration OF the subject then
poned until Monday.
Adjourned