Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-05-08
REM ARKS
HON. III. MARSHALL,
OF KENTUCKY,

OF kENTUCkY,
On the Report Of the Conference Commit.
tee on the Kansas Question.
DELIVERED
In THE House OF REPRESENTATIVES,
4 Apri1 20, 1858.
4 The question REQUIRED upon the demand for
( the previous question.
Mr.. H. MARSHALL. hope the gentleman
from Ohio will withdraw the demand for the
! previous question until can make few re-
marks
Cries of "Noi NoI"] ias m.
Mr.. COX. l cannot see that any good can
come of it, and therefore decline to withdraw
the call. tn ft
Mr. II. MARSHALL. Then trust the House
will vote it down.
Mr.. STEPHENS, of Georgia, demanded tel.
lers on the second.
Tellers were ordered ".
The House divided and the tellers reported
ayes l03, noes 108.
So the previous question was not seconded.
Mr.. II. MARSHALL. Mr.. Speaker, rise
for the first time since the topic of Kansas has
to open my mouth upon the subject
The bill presented by the managers of the
conference is the legitimate fruit of the original
Kansas and Nebraska BILL That came in with
the face of Janus; this is likely to go out with
the impress upon it that belongs to its origin.
What spectacle is exhibited to the Ameri-
can people to-day when their Representatives
are engaged over a measure, the authors OF
which do not agree, and cannot agree, upon its
meaningl Some of them have addressed this
House-one, whose votes upon the Senate bill
indicated direct antagonism to that measure,
now sustains this proposition warmly upon the
ground that it does submit the Lecompton con-
stitution to vote of the people; while others,
who are committed, as far as language can com
NIT men, to the proposition that the people Of
Kansas are bound by the work Of the conven-
ton, now sustain this measure upon the pre-
dicate that it does not submit the Lecompton
constitution to vote Of the peoplel
Two of the authors of this measure-the
managers upon the part Of the Senate-have
risen in their places and avowed that they had
carefully guarded the point Of submission, and
that it docs not submit the constitution to the
people. Yesterday the gentleman from Geor.
gia, [Mr. SrsrHENs,] who was one Of the mana
gers on the part Of the House, stated emphati
cally that the principle of non-submission was
carefully preserved in this bill, while the other
manager upon the part Of the House, the gen
tleman from Indiana, Mr.. ESeLIsH,l replies
that the Lecompton constitution is submitted
to the people by the report Of the confcrecs.
Mr.. ENGLISH, would like to know in
what part Of my speech the gentleman from
Kentucky finds authority to make any such
statementi
Mr.. H. MARSHALL. If have done thu
gentleman from Indiana injustice, / will yiclt
for explanation.
Mr.. ENGLISH. That is not the question
The gentleman from Kentucky makes a state
ment in regard to my position. call upon hin
to point TO the time and place where hav,
taken any such position. Ihaye not yet dc6nec
my position on the point
Mr.. II. MARSHALL. My inference of thu
gentleman's position upon this point was drawn
from the remarks made by him; and ask the
gentleman, since he challenges the inference
Uhsther he understands the bill as the gentle
man from Georgia mr. STEPHENsl understand
it, or does he understand it just the othe
wayp ,....
Mr.. ENGLISH. This bill is drawn in tolcra
bly, good English, laughter, and l suppose tn,
gentleman from X kentucky understands that Ian
guage, and iscompetentt to judge what the mean
ing Of the bill is.
Mr.. II. MARSHALL. Ifthat is all the answc
the gentleman has to give, it may 60 to the coun
try with my mark upon it that the author here
when the meaning of this act is challenged
declines to tell us phat he meant by 10, IN IN
face Of the declaration upon the part Of hi
colleague that just the opposite is meant BY q
to wh1t all these gentlemen pretend 10 under
stand, wAo hoVe suddenly found great virtuo
in the bill .....
When the member from Ohio mr. Coxl wa
speaking this morning, could not help think
ing of that old hymn, which will slightly para
phrase:
"Why should we mourn departed friends,
Or shake at deaths alarmsi
Tis but the voice that party sends,
... To bring him TO it's arms" ...
We may be defeated in this measurc-----
Mr.. LAWRENCE And would quote 70
the edification of the gentleman from Kentucky
that sH
"while the lamp holds ont 10 burn,