The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-01-17
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OBJ nov. ALEX. m STEPHENS,
aF o.naa4.

1850 and Ne ksusk Nebs1skS of 1854 delivered In
ths heuss q Representative, Jsas@ry g 1881.
rAe Pssassnts ssssel mssaase being under considers
uen, % meiion " refer and pnnt--
M STEPHENS saia.
Mh hrsaEss ! have 10 desire ~ prolOng this debate.
,hs hsase had nei msnss,sd % decided an indsposi
ion % iaks sots ths otbe Day shaald have remained
sieet dtsessson ths PfssiAsnts message sod the
soheeis emhraos1 iHl motou print snd refer such
- ni ee@menesd ssd eoaunsed a. q has ben unnsssl
- shs housa 1hss h'Pes Ass gsaefsllY eonsder.d 10
Committse of The whos aef message refer
red. Bot this diseasou me- thus ir hss noi be
nefss,ne aad 10 shs ooassy, hus, u viii not BE- an
We bsss u.t passsa sa lmpor,an, crisis 10 our hlsoy
one Of the aesi inpoEssnt nes l most importsnt
will hereafter DO asrssd sPoh 10 shs Pses Of ,hs
country. The issass Ia the l@ts presidential election
broash into afsy tao great parties shall speak onls
organized apon prlasspss ws asaes weiI sscsrsanss
and directly sns~sonisses hostile snd coafcaing olo
parties dismembsrrd and broken upi and who
mount " ossr ss sSs ss sss s
out reietnee 10 past sssociAons ored Issues
longer vital living The principles entering into the
on them ssuarey mes on So,h sas Tssss issue. nvolssa
the harmony, the stability Of the republic do mot
augment its importance whfn say that The result was
tremity Of the Union 10 the ohsr The oonct Is nos
over The issue far the election concerned 10
decided The result 10 known. The immediate dan
highest degree Of erritsmsnt qaetins and we may DO
WE'LL that the campaign storm s over, and is pcrs
surmounted TO recount some OF the incidents, and as
voyagers of another kind take rcckonings for f
ture course. With these feelings enter this debate
And may not pause here In the beginning to congraiu
late the Housecongratuiae the country and 70 oongratn
late even you Mr. Speaker against your wil-upon ou
safe deveranceY Am not right In assuming thu, the
OF the result of the late election which consd
erng II winged its flight through the land made the
great majority OF the people throughout this republic
breathe ree easier and deeper everywhere To Of
every class brought JOY and gadnessto the plough
man he treading his furrow--to the mechanic
he piled himself to his daily toto the merchant al bis
counter-to the banker at hs deskto the maraer be
breasted the surges of the well TO - statesman
ponderng questions OF deep interest TO all 10 men
of every grade and occupation including some even OF
those believe who stood In opposition TO those with
whom acted all breathed reer and easier when the result
known. The whole country was relieved from an un
certain apprehension Men felt relief Trade felt IT, Com
merce felt it Business in its every departmenn its
quickened energy and sctivityn It's various channss
felt it. And sir, can say for myself never addressed
the House before upon subject with greater personal
qualification than do at this time In review OF the ques
which characterized the late contest and the prnc
piles which consider having been sustained by the pop
uar verdict rendered
Sir what are those questions and principes2 Let us
look them and examine them according to their ntn
sic merits Some gentlemen not to understand them
them or to underrae them; while others still dis.
posed divert the mind from the great leading issues
minor points, and attempt to create the impression that
the election turned upon the latter and not the former and
that nothing Of real and vital Importance has been deter
mined The issues lodged say they, in sections
and differently expounded in different sections This is
the case with the gentleman from Kentucky Mr.. H. MAR
SHALL who earnestly addressed the House few days
ago and who regret is not now In his seat Hence his
peaed allies upon squatter sovereignty and the different
opinions entertained by persons at the North well
the South touching the power Of the territorial legsa
ture Of Kansas to exclude slavery.
Now, sir do not intend to follow those who either g
more overlook underrae endeavor to divert attention
from the main and essential facts Of the In what
have to ssy to-day shall directly to the subject
maintain that great principles have been sustained and
yindcated in the late election both embracing policy vi
tai to harmony of the two great sections of the country
to the preservation and continuance of the
Union of these States
gressiona prohibition Of slavery in the territory
This principle openly boldly and universally advo-
Gated the side and as fearlessy and fecely de-
nounced the other Besides ths there another prn
cple just boldly and unequvocay maintained
side and fercely assailed though not openly de-
in convention the other and that s secondly
that new States arising and springng n the
Territories may and shall be admitted States into this
Union either with without African slavery the peo
pie therein may determine for themselves when they come
to form their State constitution These sir the great
and essential principles of the late contest They
proclaimed Cincinnati the one side in the following
words:
ssolved, That claiming fellowship with, and desiring
the operation of all who regard the Of ths
Union constitution the issue, and
pudiang al pectona parties and platform: DO
and armed resistance 10 law In the Territories end
whose avowed purposes II oonsammsted must end in civil
adopt principles con.sned in the organic laws establish
ing tho Territories of and Nebraska inbodyng the
only sound and safe soutoa H the slavery question upon
which the great national idea Of the people of this whole
country repose In its determined conservas Of the
2raorg o. q s ps Of go"S;a '
80 That this the basis OF the compromises Of 1850
tiona conventions ratified BY the people in tie ssotion
1852 and rightly applied to the organization OF Territories
s.a That hv tho nnGorr annl;cston of this