The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-10
CONGRESSIONAL.
Thirty-Finh consress-First Session.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1857.
SENATE.



Of the finances also report of the Secretary Of State
showing the disbursements of that department during the
fiscal year ending June 80 1857 including those for con
tingen expenses and foreign intercourse also report
of the officer transmitting abstract Of returns OF
American eaen registered in the several ports of entry
of the United States during the year ending September
80, 1857 The above documents seyerally laid on
the table and ordered to be printed
RESOLUTIONS FROM CALIFORNIA.
Mr. GWIN presented joint resolutions of the Legislature
of California in of the speedy construction of ma
tional railroad from the valley of the Mississippi TO
point in California also joint resolutions in favor OF the
establishment of certain mail routes also, joint resolu
tions in behalf of Gen. A. M VIM. All the above were
ordered TO lie on the table and to be printed.
NOTICES OF BILLS,
Mr. GWIN gave notice of his intention TO introduce
bill to authorize and facilitate the construction of
northern a southern and central Pacific railroad and
magnetic telegraph through the territories of the United
States.
He also gave notice of his intention to introduce bill
to organize the territory of Arizona and to create the
office of surveyor general therein to provide for the
animation of certain land claims to grant donations to
actual settlers to survey the public and private lands
and for other purposes
Mr. PUGH gave notice of his intention to introduce
bill for the improvement of navigation at the falls of the
Ohio river also bill 10 provide for a survey OF the
Ohio river and its principal tributaries also, bill to
authorize wrs of in all cases prosecuted by ndct
ment.
CHAPLANs TO THE SENATE. .......
Mr. MASON called up the resolution which he submit
ted day two since, and which, after brief debate,
was modified and adopted in the following words
Reocod That the President of the Senate be author
lied and requested to invite such clergymen of the Dis
trct of Columbia the office may be acceptable to to
ocate chapans to the Senate during the present SEES
sion and in such alienation may be agreeable to
them,
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
oil fbe of
annual message the pending question being on the mo
ton that the usual number of copies of the message and
documents be printed and also fifteen thousand extra
copies thereof the work to be done by the printer to the
Senate the last Congress- at rates not exceeding those
established by existing laws and also that all other or
ders print made by the Senate shall be executed by
the printer on the same terms.
Mr.. DOUGLAS said that yesterday he under the
impression that the President had approved the action of
the Lecomptor convention in Kansas and in consequence
of that impression he felt it his duty to state that while
he cordially and heartily concurred in the general views
of the yet far ms 1T did approve or endorse the
action of that convention he entirely dssented from it,
and would avail himself of am early opportunity TO
give the reasons for such dissent Upon more
full and critical examination of the message, he was
rejoced to find that the President had not endorsed or
approved of the action of that convention He also
reoiced to find the President had not recommended
that Congress should pass laws receiving Kansas into the
Union rs n State under the constitution framed at Le
compton True the tone of the message indicated will
ngncss the part of the President to sign any bill that
Congress might think proper to pass receiving Kansas as
State under that constitution but it was very signiti-
cant fact that the President had reained from any
dorsement of the convention and from any recommends
ton the Congress should pursue with regard
to the admission of Kansas Indeed the President has
expressed his deep modification and disappointment that
the whole constitution not submitted to the people
of Kansas for their acceptance or rejection Mr. d. then
proceeded to slow that Congress could not properly
ceive Kansas into the Union as State under the consti
tuition framed Lecompton The President had assumed
in his message that insmuch the question of slavery
was the principal topic in dispute among the people of
Kansas submit that question to the people for their
decision would be virtual compliance with the principles
the organic act which declared that the people of Kan
sas should be left perfectly free to form and regulate their
own institutions in their own way. ......"
In this respect Mr. ID. thought the President had COM
mitted fundamental error which lay at the foundation
of his whole argument that point 1t was not strange
that the President should have fallen into in this
matter when reflect that he not in this country
at the time the Nebraska bill passed. he was not
party the discussion that took place upon its passage
He was then representing the honor and interests of
this country with great wisdom and distinction, at for
en court and solely absorbed in conducting dipo
matte negotiations which diverted his attention from mere
territorial questions and the discussions upon them be-
Congress and the people at home. Under these cir
cumstances he might well fall into to the OBJ
ject and principles of the Nebraska bill.
But Mr., d. urged that if necessary and proper
to submit the slavery question to the people of Kansas
it was equally necessary to submit all other questions
affecting their dearest rights But another glarng VIC
lation of the organic net that the people oil Kansas
to chance to vote against the consttu
ton at all they must either vote for the constitution
with slavery for the constitution with no slavery.
Why was this2 The only reason which he had ever
heard assigned for this was that if that question
submitted to them they would vote the constitution
down by an overwhelming majority He believed that
would be the case Was that freedom of clectona 1t
was such freedom of election existed in France when
Louis Napoleon was chosen PRESIDENT the people
allowed to vote for whom they pleased but if they voted
against him they were to be shot
Mr. D. denounced in strong terms the attempt to force
obnoxious constitution upon the people of Kansas,
and give them opportunity to vote upon it he re-
garded it opposed to democratic principles While he
should be sorry tosee that party persist in such course
yet if that should be done, he could not give up his
the great principle of popular sovereignty and await the
verdict of public opinion When he closed his remarks
there considerable applause in the galleries
Mr. MASON said that the decorum of the Senate had
frequently been violated in this way and he moved that
the galleries be cleared
Several SENATOR'S hoped that motion would not be IN
sisted on and Mr. M consented to withdraw It, at the
same time saying that he hoped would be understood
that repetition of the like offence would not be allowed
to pass with mpunity.
Mr. BIGLER briefly replied to the remarks Of Mr.
DOUGLAS He lamented that he not better prepared
for that task but he would attempt to notice of the
positions assumed by his friend from Illinois Never in
the course of his public % had he felt such anxiety
to do his whole duty the present occasion WAle
it would have been his desire that the Lecompton cons
tuition should be submitted to the people Of Kansas for
their acceptance rejection had circumstances permitted
the adoption of that course yet he thought it BEST under
the peculiar circumstances of the to submit only the
slavery clause. The people of Kansas in such an