Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-03-12
WASHING TON NEWS AND GOSSIP

"
Mr., Harris, of Illinois, we took occasion to
assure the distant public that that effort to
defeat the admission of Kansas with the Le-
compton Constitution would prove as abortive
as all others possible to the same end The
adoption Of the scheme of Mr.. Harris by an
accidental majority of the House, embraced no
proof, to Us. that on sober second thought a
majority of the body would play into the hands
OF the Republican party after any such fash
Ion The Washington writer's for the opposi-
ton press, going off half-cocked,' - labored to
create the impression that the Democracy had
been signally beaten. We were abused by
some Of the ''greenest" of them for pooh-pooh.
ing that idea, as it deserved. Subsequently,
tnese same writers have been stating. first,
that A. and then that B, of those Democrats on
Nnom they calculated, were likely, on the
pinch. to elect to return to their allegiance
win the Democracy, rather than to absouatu-
late clean over into the ranks of the Republ
cans
Our impression of the abiding strength of the
democratic party on the question was based on
our experience here in hundred similar cases.
PUBLIC men act like other men, on impulses.
zoo often, at first; and like all other men of
eense, they rarely fail to retrieve fal.e steps
taKen on impulse, with as little delay as NAV
De our calculation was made on the influence
OF sober second thought upon quite number Of
our befogged friends, whom we knew to be as
true men, in their hearts, as the world holds.
IhatWe were correct in this judgment is evil
dent in the recent publications of the writer's
from this city for the opposition press, who now
thaf a~f L.
the mon with the Lecompton Constitution is
out question of time-and very short time at
fhat so, also, does the refusal of the opposition
TO permit Mr.. Stephens to report from the Har-
rs select committee, evipce their consciousness
OF their weakness If they hoped to be able to
reeommlt his report, as they pretend to be, they
would eagerly welcome his effort to report, so
Pertlnaciously impeded by the use of the right
OF single member to prevent it until the par
tlcular committee may be called for reports
which may be 4 month hence
Ii Is due TO the cause of truth and Justice
that the results arrived at by the majority of
that committee, so misrepresented and garbled
by the writers for the opposition press should
be spread before the country without DELAY
We therefore rejoice that, ia accordance with
Mr. Stephens yesterday published his re-
port In the Union, which must effectualIy
block the game of those who dread its influences
on the popular mind.
IL Is impossible, it strikes US that the
House can finally dispose of this report ere
Kansas be admitted into the Union as a State
As explained above, it may be a month before
the report can be made. In the meantime the
oenate's bill to admit Kansas into the Union
az state will have passed the House Never
theiess, the special committee appointed under
the Harris resolutions will have served a CANT
TAI purpose through the publication of their 60
able report: In strengthening the cause of the
Democracy as involved in this interminable
and vexatious KansAA&Question
HE KANSAS CONMITTEE.-On Wednesday,
IN the House of Representatives, Mr.. A. H.
stephens, OF Georgia from the select commit
lee 10 inquire into the legality, &C., Of the
Kansas Lecompton Constitution, asked for a
suspension OF the rules, to introduce majority
report from that committee. The anti Lecomp-
tonites resisted this, and contended that the
report must come before the House in the req
ular way, q. e., that ii must remain with the
are called for This would probably procras-
innate It's publicity for several weeks, thus con-
cealing, al interim, whatever information il
contains, ss well as the sentiments of that DOR.
ton Of the committee.
Acting on the hypothesis that such delay
was an act Of injustice towards the advocate,
Of the Lecompton Constitution, and towards
Kansas herself, some members of the committee
determined on the publication of the report ;
hence, We find it in the columns of the Union
OF yesterday. Although a very unusual pro-
eedure, We must regard the act of spreading
this document before the public as entirely
commendable. 1t is but just rebuke to that
contracted and selfish policy OF the opposition,
who thus endeayOr to suppress what may be
preJudical TO their own views on this distracting
question, by refusing it privilege (the sus
pension Of the rules which is almost daily ne
corded 70 unimportant subjects The action of
me house On the Kansas question will not
PROBABLY be retarded by their maneuyer. for
the Senate bill will no doubt be sent in shortly
ana then The matter may be legitimatelv taken
up II Is apparent that the refusal 70 rec.;ve
this report was only to defer its publicity
The report Is logical, ably-prepa,ed and
incontrcvertible document. 1t comnr;.o. -
complete analysis Of the subject, togetbsr
with an entire refutation Of the several o.
guments of the anti-Lecomptonites, and do
serves prominent position among otbe,
public papers consequent upon the Kansas
agitation. The committee briefly state that
they confined their inquiries to certain sub
jects, to wit The enactment Of the Territorial
Legislature providing for taking the sense of
the people on the eIpediency Of calling con
Vention, and that authorizing an election of del
egates' the registry of voters and the appor-
uonment; the assembling ofthe convention and
Their Journal; the constitution, and the action
o. the people on the clause submitted. These
are the material points which they regarded as
within their scope of duty; but, as cumulative
evidsnoe, they also investigated the act of the
Territorial Legislature, in Decemhar .u,h.;