The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-12-19

Congress, December ..
But little of interest was done in the
House, except considering the proposition
for the election of Printer. After settling
the terms the House proceeded to an cleo
ton.
MIR. Bocock nominated james B. Stead
man. and Mr.. Washburne, of Me-, nominated
Geo. NJ. Weston. The vote was then taken
and stood, James B. Steadman, l2l; G. NJ.
Weston, SO; scattering 4. The former was
declared elected.
SENATE. - The galleries were densely
crowded.
MIR. Douglas said he yesterday had the i'm
preston that the President had approved the
action of the Lecompton Convention, and I'M
der that impression he felt it to be his duty
to state that while he concurred in the gen
eral views of the Message, yet so far as it
did approve or indOrse the action of that
Convention, he entirely dssented from it, and
would give his reasons for such dissent. Up
on more careful and critical examination of
the Message he was rejoiced to find that the
President had not entirely approved the &c
ton of that Convention. He was also re-
jolced to find that the President had not re-
commended that Congress should pass laws
receiving Kansas into tho Union as State
under the Constitution framed at Lecompton.
1t is true the tone of the Message indicates
willingness on the part of the President to
sign any bill Congress might pass receiving
Kansas into the Union but it was very sig
nlicant fact that the President had RETAINED
from any endorsement of the convention and
from any recommendation as the course Con-
rd To, ho oil,
sion of Kansas. Indeed the President had
expressed deep modification and disappoint-
ment that the whole constitution was not
submitted to the people of Kansas for their
acceptance or rejection.
He proceeded to show that Congress could
not properly receive Kansas into the Union
under the Lecompton constitution. Not only
the slavery question: but all others, must be
submitted to the people of Kansas, as they
are guaranteed to establish all their domestic
institutions for themselves. On this rrncI-
pie the whole constitution must be submitted
to ascertain whether or not it meets with
their appreciation.
Mr.. Douglas cOntended that the people of
Kansas ought to have an opportunity to vote
against the constitution, if they choose to do
So He compared the freedom allowed by
the LecOmpton convention to the freedom at
the election in Paris, when Louis Napoleon
was elected President. The reason assigned
why the people of Kansas were not allowed
to vote on the acceptance Of the constitution
prepared. was that if they had the chance
they would vote it down by an Overwhelming
majority. He believed they would, and
thought that it was clear violation of the
organic act, thus to force the obnoxious con-
stitution upon the maj ority.
Mr.. Bigler replied to Douglas, saying the
Convention was called according to law, and
has been recognized by the President and
the Governor of the Territory. 1t was their
right to submit the Constitution to the poo-
pie, or send it to Congress without subm;ss-
ion if it was right in itself and republican in
form, and the people had fairly decided the
slavery question, it would not be wise to keep
them out of the Union, simply because the
whole constitution had not been submitted
to them. TO do so would be inconsistent
with the doctrine of intervention. There
was nothing in the past history of the coun-
try to justify such course it would be the L.
tv of Congress to look at the question as it
loo king at the happiness of the entire coun-
ion it would be the best for the Union and
Kansas, that the State should be admitted at
the first favorable opportunity, in order to
localizc the strife. He would have preferred
that the whole Constitution had been sub
mtted to the people, bat persons outside of
the Territory have no right to interfere
with the slavery question there. lie be-
licved the people Of Kansas now have
an opportunity to decide whether to have a
free or slave State He could not, however,
determine his entire course until they shall
make such decision. lie said the position of
Douglas, to day. was in utter derrogation
from that which he occupied when he voted
| for roombs bill, which proposed to make
State Constitution and put it into operation
without submitting to a vote Of the people,
and this only o short time ago, Ho could
not understand how Douglas had so readily
become sensitive, regarding the rights of that
people, after having attempted such an in
fringement upon them.
Mr.. DOuglas-I am certain Mr. Bigler did
not speak for the President; know that the
President has just spoke for himself in his
! Message, in which he condemns the Conven-
ton for not submitting the Constitution to
the people, and refuses to recommend me to
receive IN. The President is a bold, frank
man, and if he intended to give us an Admin
istration measure he would say SO. 1t is
not respectful to assume he will do what he
will not recommend us to do. OF course,
knew the Senator from Pennsylvania did not
speak by authority.
Mr.. Bigler-I think am safe in saying,
and think the Senator from Illinois will
agree with me, that the President upheld in
his Message the doctrine that the conven-
ton had the right to form Constitution
and submit to the people for approval, or
send it up to Congress for approval. | think
it Is deducible from the Message, the Iresi-
dent does not hold that, because the entire
! Constitution is not submitted to the people,
Kansas should be kept out Of the Union.
Mr.. Douglas-I infer from the Message
the President does hold the convention had
a right to form Constitution and send it
here, but that was only the right to petition
for redress OF grievances under the Federal
Constitution, and not because the Legislature
had the power to constitute that legal con-
vention.
| Mr.. Biglcr-Where did you Get that?
Mr.. Douglas-A gentleman (meaning Mr.
Trumbull,) yesterday read from a speech
made by Mr.. Buchanan that we had no right
to create Convention to supersedc Terrific
rial Government, and to attempt it would be
gross usurpati m. The Democratic party has
held that doctrine ever since, and asserted a
year ago by endorsing his Douglass report
from Committee Oh Territories. Three hun
dred thousand copies were circulated as par
ty documents. He himself paid for hun
bred Thousand of tbem Laughter
Mr.. Bgler entered his protest, and claim
ed statute of limitations He could not con.
sent that Douglas should hold the President
responsible for principles laid down twenty
years ago under entirely different circumstan
ces. 1t is not half so long since Douglas de-
clared the Missouri line was the best COM