New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-19

We postpone the Speech Of our own Senator,
PRESTON KING, in order to print at the earliest
moment that Of JOHN j. CRITTESDES Of Ken
tucky, which only reached us last evening Mr.
Crittenden may be regarded as the most illustrous
liyiIg representative Of the principles and convic
tOns Of HENRY CLAY, and he proves it on. this
occasion by taking the course which Dir. Clay's
own son lacks the courage though not the will to
pursue. Mr.. CritteIden lays the foundations of his
powerful exposition in the right place-in the orig
inal invasion and subsection Of Kansas by the Bor.
der Rufians of Missouri. Beginning there, he
denounces every step Of the proceedings in that
Territory under the Kansas Nebraska bill as q
series of gigantic frauds aud outrages, commencing
with the election Of the first Territorial Legisla.
ture and ending with the presentation of the Le-
compton Constitution 10 Congress He condemcs
ali the technicaties and forms of law under which
this audacious scheme of subjugation has been set
forth by the President and supported BY speeches
III Congress, declaring them to be but miserable
shams and pretenses under which it is designed to
iDhict the deepest wrong upon the people of
Kansas and unendurable disgrace upon the United
States.
In the delivery Of this speech Mr.. Crittenden
called upon the Administration Senators, who
thIoDged the Senate, to deny, if they could, the
sweeping allegations Of fraud that he had made,
ana paused for an answer Not one rose to reply,
or attempted even the faiLtest denial. Silent a.
the tomb they admitted the truth of the blasting
charge. He then adjured them not to infict this
great wound upon the national character not to do
this rank Injustice, but to remand the Constitution
back to tho people Of Kansas and let them decide
for themselves il relation to it. 1t seems easy to
believe that statement and appeal of this sort
must have produced powerful impression when
urged in the glowing language aud eoquent man
Ler of the distinguished Senstor. We learn that
such was the case. For the time ii seemed to be
believed and we trust the impression continues
and is well grounded, that the Lecompton project
is doomed TO merited defeat, ard the Admlnstra-
ion that has blindy urged it TO deserved diEcom
future.
1t would indeed be matter Of astonishment if
sucA speech from such man could go unheeded
or fall upon deaf ears Unless all sentiments of
air1ess a ideas Of justice, all distinctions of right
AID wrong, are obliterated from the minds of our
any calm recital of the facts in the of Kansas
any picture consistent with truth Of its actual po
si,ion before the country and the world, would
drive those who have the decision of 1t into sn
abandonment of the fatal course recommended by
the Administration. Mr.. Crittenden's speech may,
perhaps, do much to defeat the measure, by pre-
sentDg the subject in its naked aspect of defOrmity
loT oil parfs nf ha
especially at tie South, who are too much
blinded By passion or pre- jLdce TO be wilhag
to even listen to the facts from other sources.
In this view We welcome this speech as the
agent of good, and, We trust, the harbnger
of good. We have always been impressed
witt he conviction that when this Lecompton
enc ity came 70 the point of its final perpetra-
tion ne 81 grayati0n Of the Ofense would rouse to
its OF throw latent spirit of justice that exists
undy ing in the heart Of man. We are used to po-
ltical rcttenness and corruption; We are familiar
with the blindness of partisan zeal aud temper
but We have never yet been able to believe, since
the overwhelming vote of the 4th of January by
the people Of Kansas against the Lecompton Con-
stitutiOn, that the Administration could succeed 10
finding a majority of Congress willing to impose
that monster yilaiDy upon them. We are strength
ened in this impression by our more recent inteui.
gence from Washington and especially by this
speech of Mr.. Crittenden-n0t only for what il is,
but for what il imports in relation to the course Of
a large body of men of whom he may be fairly
deemed the representative and spokesman.