The Washington union., 1858-02-18


Mi. j. CLANCY JONES Then l renew my mo-
Mr.. HOUSTON, of Alabama, demanded the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays ordered and being taken,
sutod-yeas ISL nays Al.
SO the motion agreed 10.
INDIAN APPROPRIATIONS BILL
Accordingly, the House went into Committee of the
Whole on the state Of the Union, (Mr HOPKINS Of Vrs
ginia in the chair and prveeded TO consider the bill
making appropriations for the crfel and contingent cx-
penses Of the Indian department. and for fulfilling treaty
spNlaohs with the various Indian tribes for the year
The first reading of the bill was dispensed with and
the first seetiqn reported and then the bill open
M J. CLANCY JONES said the bill was drawn up
strictly in accordance with treaty stpulaons and pro-
visions of law, and could not be amended without mod
flying those treaties changing the laws They had
reached the month of February without passing but two
appropriation bills, and there nine the calendar
ready for action As there ample for debate
he was anSios for the committee to take up the bill and
act upon It, that it could be reported TO the House
and another taken up His object to espatch as rap
idly possible the public business. Az he was we'll in
formed gentlemen anxious to debate not the ques
on before the committee but other questions and he
not anxious to stop debate he gave notice that he
should not ask the committee to-day tomorrow to
terminate debate upon this BILL but would at an early
day He did not wish to check the freedom of debate
but would Immediately after they had disposed OF one
BILL move to take up another, when the same freedom
could be enjoyed.
length the admission of Kansas into the Union under
the Lecompton constitution the accomplishment which
of the deepest to the patriot and statesman
There division in the ranks OF the northern democ
acy this question: and to that he addressed him
self The principal objections urged by that portion Of the
democracy were first that there was no enabling act of
Congress authorizing the territorial legislature of Kansas
10 call constitutional convention and secondly that
tltn
people for their approval rejection He contended
that the first objection could not be urged against the
Lecompton constitution, because the meaning of
bling act defined to bc the giving Of the assent of
Congress TO ali organized Territory to frame It's organic
law with the view Of admission and the Kansas Nebras
ka act this power would not be denied that the
people could exercise this control The Kansas Nebraska
act to the people the right to regulate their in
stitutions in their way-that WAS to make their
constitution, and prepare to put OH the dignity of State
The people Of Kansas did hot need enabling act and
our revolutionary foefahcrs had when they formed
the Union In reply to the second objection ho argued
that the Iecompton constitution the will of the
ority, because II framed by a convention the
delegates to which had been elected by the peo-
pie. The convention had full power to submit the
constitution 1t chose, and if Congress should
cct the constitution 1t would be chld's play
it would be worse, for II would be yielding to
the fanaticsm that had distracted that Territory. 1t
seemed that the only effort of the blackrepubican party
had been to experiment how far justice could be disre
gardcd The slavery clause had been submitted without
any mandate from Congress fair and legal opportu-
nifty had been given to the people to decide for them
selves, in their own time and in their way. 1t
argued that the free State did not vote This
not the fault of the convention, but their fault
and was crime against the most sacred boon of their
forefathers elective franchise and against those who
had voted If every refused to vote ut elections
the government would 1t clear that those
who refused to vote authorized those who did vote to
vote for them He then read from the Washington Union
to show that majority of the people of Kansas had recog
niscd the constitution In concuso he declared that he
took higher ground, and held that the constitution had
not been submitted, but only the slavery clause.
Mr. IOvEJOY, of Illinois, read lengthy speech,
tending that the question at issue not between the
North and the South but between freedom and slavery
the principles of liberty and those Of despotsm The
free States he spoke to their shame had advocated slave
ry and slavery institutions. The slave States he
toned it with joy had shown themselves the friends of
freedom. He occupied considerable time in dcnunciaton
of slavery arguing that the institution unconstitu
tional, and in opposition to the Divine law.
Mr. SHORTER. Of Alabama, obtained the floor, when
the committee rose and
On motion of Mr. LETCHER, of Virginia. at five min
utes to four o'clock, p. m, the House adjourned.
by Mr. William Johnson praying
rendered
referred 10 the Committee on Invalid Pensions