M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-04-01
Congressional.


sion in the Senate, much to the sur
prise of democrats generally, before
the application Of Kansas had even
been sent to Congress. Perhaps the
following telegraphic dispatch of Sat
urday's proceedings in the House OF
Representatives may throw some light
upon the question.
Mr.. Shaw, of Illinois, alluded to
the remark made by Mr.. Smith, of
Virginia, yesterday, that the successor
Of Colonel Richardson had informed
him that the Democratic members
from Illinois had held conference,
and concluded that the only course
left for Douglas'to be reelected to the
Senate was to oppose the Lecompton
Constitution. Mr.. Shaw wished to
say that no such conference had been
held, to his knowledge, and certainly
he had not participated in any such
meeting,-Mr. Smith, Of Illinois,
indorsed that statement.-Mr. Nor
| ris, of Illinois, was confident that no
such conference had been held, or
contemplated by the Democratic mem.
bers of the delegation. He had never
had any intimation from Mr.. Douglas
that he (Douglas) was influenced by
any such motive, nor lid he believe it
to be fact. lie had looked upon the
Lecompton movement as q great
wrong and a violation ofthe principles
Of selt.government, AMI that neither
Mr.. Douglas nor his friends would or
ought to be sustained by Illinois if
they gave it their support. If Mr..
Smith understood more than this, he
wholly Inexperienced the matter.
AIR. Smith related that, in con.
versation, Mr.. Morris stated distinct
ly and explicitly that the Illinois del.
ogation had held a conference, in or
der to secure the reelection of Mr.
Douglas to the Senate. VI he was
correctly informed, Mr.. Morris bad
related this to others. That gentle
man also informed him that the dele
gates from Illinois at the Cincinnati
Convention had recommended various
appointments to the President, but
that their recommendations were dis
regarded, and in that is one of the
grievances on the part Of the delega.
ton. The gentleman from Illinois
had had a similar conversation with
the gentleman from Kentucky -
Mr.. Burnett, Of Kentucky, remarked
that he did not feel at liberty to re-
peat the conversation between Mr..
Morris and himself without that gen.
t!eman's consent.--Mr. Morris in
CURED where the conversation took
. place.--Mr. Smith replied that it
did not matter where, 50 that the main
fact was stated MIR. Morris said
that the conversation between himself
and Mr.. Smith was in December last,
in the presence Of his (Morris) family,
when he spoke as to whether some
plan might not be devised by which
the Kansas question could be settled,
without serious conflict or division
in the Democratic party, and had also
stated that neither Mr.. Douglas, nor
any other man who favored the Le-
compton Constitution, would be elect
ed to the Senate. lie recollected Of
further stating that, on his arrival at
Washington, and ascertaning that
Mr.. Douglas would fake a position
against the Lecompton Constitution,
he engaged in a conversation with
Colonel Richardson and Mr.. Douglas,
when he informed the latter that if he
had made up his mind to oppose the
constitution, he should avail himself
Of the earliest opportunity to deliver
his views, for if he put off his speech
till the 21st of December, when the
vote was to be taken in Kansas, his
motives would be impugned, and his
enemies would take advantage of it
! None Of the Illinois delegation bu'
himself took part in the conversation
What motive could he have for max,
ing u statement to his detriment2 ? lie,
| doubtless, said too much; that the
delegation to Congress, and not the
delegates to the Cincinnati Conven.
tion, had complained that Illinois Lad
not been well provided tor in the dis
tribution of offices. He had beer
greatly misapprehepded .---Mr. Bur
! nett did not pretend to give the pre-.
else words OF the conversation witt
: Mr.. Morris, but he understood him t
: state distinctly that the Democratic
members from Illinois had held con
ference, and determined that Mr.
Douglas should pursue his presen
= course on Kansas; that this was til
o only means by which Douglas coul,
!. sustain himself at home, and unles
= he opposed the constitution, detea
would not only be inevitable to Doug
las, but to his friends. In that cor
: versation Mr.. Morris also spoke as
o whether means could be devised b
4 which Democrats could act harmon