Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-02-09
CON SION AL.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2


ion of the printing deficiency bill.
The House spent several hours In considering |
he bill appropriating $S9oGO0 to supply the
printing deficiency, and it was finally rejected,
81 against 30.
The Presidents message was received and
read
Mr.. Stephens moved It's reference to the Com |
lnittee Territories, and as the hour was Late
thought 1t better to adjourn.
Mr. Harris, of ILL.,, moved to adjourn. Lost
los to i09 The friends of Lecompton general
ly voted IN the affirmative.
After a struggle for the floor, Mr.. Hughes
moved reference to a select committee OF five
Ar. Bocock moved adj curument. Lost by
! majority.
Some sharp words occurred between Mr..
Hughes and Harris of Ill.
Mr.. Hughes made speech fully endorsing
the message.
Mr.. Thomas Harris. of Illinois, offered reso-
hutton that the me sage of the President and
Leconption Constitution be referred to select
commtte of IL, to be appointed by the Speak
or, to enquire into the facts connected with the
said Constitution, and the laws, # any. under
which the Convention was held and also wheth
err said Constitution provides for republican
form of government, and whether the population
be sufficient for representative to Congress
under the present ratio, and whether the Con-
titution Is satisfactory to the majority Of the
egal voters of Kansas also to ascertain the
number of votes cast for the Constitution, ihe
zion under which the election of delegates was
neld and whether Just and in compliance with
law, and in all other matters on the subject ;
pending which proposition the House adjourned
SENATE.-Mr. Mason, from the Committee on
Foreign Relations, reported a bill to indemnify
the master and owners of the Spanish steamer
Amistead and cargo, involving payment for al
lodged slaves.
Mr. Seward in behalf Of Mr. Foote and him.
self submitted a minority report, stating that
the claim IN their opinion was not supported
by facts law.
The Senate then passed the House bill, ap-
propriating 100000 for the support of the Ma
tional Armories. The Senate then resumed
the consideration of the army bill
The Presidents message was transmitted to
Congress to-day, enclosing copy of the
compton Constitution, with the ordinance re-
spect!ng the public lands, and letter accompa-
nylng them from Mr.. Calhoun The President
opens with the assertion that great delusion
seems to pervade the public mind in relation TO
the condition of parties in Kansas. This rises
from the difficulty of inducing the American
people to realize the fact that any portion
of them should be In a state of rebellion against
the government under which the live The di-
yIdIng line is not between two political parties,
both acknowledging the lawful existence or the
Government and those who loyal to this
government and those who have endeavored to
destroy It's existence by force and usurpation !;
between those who abstain and those who have
done all In their power to overthrow the terri
torial government established by Congress
This Government they would have long since
subverted had 1t been protected from as
sauits by the troops of the United States.
The President then cites Gov. Walkers des-
patch evidence of the existence of a revolu-
tionary movement in Kansas, and gives the his
tory of the Topeka Government In the very
first paragraph he says that the message of Gov
Robinson. dated the eth December to the Tope-
ka Legislature, contains an open defiance of the
laws and Constitution of the United States
The Topeka Government adhered to with such
reasonable pertinacity, is government in di-
rect opposition to the existing government pre-
scribed and recognized by Congress. Such a
principle If carried into execution would de-
stroy all lawful autho, 4 and produce universal
anarchy. From this .asement of facts the rea-
son bscomes alpable why the enemies If the
government authorized by Congress, have re-
fused to vote for the Kansas Constitutional Com
ventIon, and also afterwards on the question of
slavery. 1t is because they have refused to
sanction or recognize any other Constitution
than that formed at Topeka. Had the whole
LEGO mpton Constitution been submitted to the
people the adherents Of this organization would
doubslcss have voted against 1t, because, if sue
ceSStul, they would have thus removed the OBJ
stacles from their revolutionary constitution
Such being the unfortunate condition of affairs
IN the Territory, " hat was the right we'll as
the duty of the law-abiding people We're
they silently and patiently to submit to the To-
peka usurpatIon, or to adopt the necessary
measures to establish a Constitution under the
organic law OF Congress, that this law recognize
ed the right of the people of the Territory with
out enabling act of Congress to form a State
Constitution is too clear for argument. 1t is i'm
possible for any people to proceed with more
regularity In the formation of a constitution than
the people of Kansas have done. 1t was first
necessary 70 ascertain whether 1t the desire
of the people to be relieved from Territorial de-
| ,anIa1cv and ahljSh
For this purpose the Territorial Legislature, in
1855, passed law for taking the sense of the
Territory on the expediency of calling con-
vention to form State Constitution.
At general election, held IN Oct, 1856 the
sense of the people accordingly taken and
they decided IL favor of constitution II is
true that at this election the enemies of the
Territorial Government did not vote because
they were engaged at Topeka; without the
slightest pretexJ of lawful authority, in forming
a constitution of their own, tor subverting the
Territorial Government. In pursuance OF the
Convention the Territorial Legislature on the
9th Feb, 1881 passed act for the election
of delegates on the third Monday of June 1857.
to frame a State Constitution. This law is as
fair in It's provisions as any that ever passed n
legislative body for a similar purpose
The right OF suffrage at this election is clearly
and justly defined. Every bona fide citizen of
the United States above the age of u wears, and
who had resided therein for three months previ-
GUS 10 tuat GATE, was entitled 10 n vote. In or
der to avoid all interference from ueighboring
States and Territories with the freedom and
fairness OF the election, provision was made for
the registry of bona fde votes, and pursuant
thereof 925 voters were registered. Gov " alker
DAD his duty In urging all qualified citizens to
vote at this election
The President argues that the Topekaites, by
refusing 10 vote at the election for delegates to
the Convention authorized those who did vote
to act for them. The consequences OF their re-
IHsai TO submit 10 the proper authority, and
vote, may yet prove to be of the most deplorable
character Our only safety consists in obedi-
ence and conformity to law. Should general
spirit against It's enforcement prevail, this
would prove fatal TO us as nation. Mr.. Blu
chanan contlnues-from this review it is mani
Test that the Lecompton Convention was legally
constructed and invested with power to frame a
Constitution.
HeJustIties the Convention for submitting onIy
the slavery question to the people. It was of
Sol mar =.