New-York daily tribune., 1858-04-07
SPEECH OF Mr.. PARRoTT OF KANSAS.

From Our Own Correspondent
WIsIuNGTON Friday, April 2, 1867.
! telegraphed to you that Mr.. Parrott, the dele
gate from the Territory of Kansas, made one OF the
best speeches of the session on iecompt0n, al
though at so late day and at so late an hour that
the eject it might have had on the House sild on
the country was IN measure lost. FOR several
weeks Mr.. PsrIOtt had been endeavOring, without
success to get the floor. The Democratic Chair
men of the Committee of the Whole did not want Il
man to speak who occupied at the same tune the
position of advocate and of witness. Ii was iur-
tter objection to Mr.. ParrOtt that he had hitherto
always acted with the Democratic party, and was
Southern man by birth a native of South Carolina.
Mr.. Parrott began by saying, that in undertaking
TO present the case Of Kansas he should not pursue
that intangible impalpabe and somew hat Protesn
political quality called Popular Sovereignty"
through the intricate mazes OF theeretlc inquiry, but
should rather seek TO unfold It's practical operations,
az developed an the chosen theaer OF its operations,
in the TRIALS of some years. The standpoint IRON
which his views of the subject were taken was not
identical with that occupied by any other person on
either side Of the House. He belonged 10 no pOllt
ics organization, and had no party to se-Se and
none to fear. He stood there 10 plead for the right
of the people Of Kansas 10 frame their fundamental
law and claimed 10 speak for the whole people
irrespective OF their party productions.
The rights of Kansas were guaranteed by the
National Government, by the Administration, and
by the platform OF the dominant political party;
vet were those pledges broken, disregarded dshOn
ored. The popular rights ard privileges OF Kansas
have been continually violated. Noiceless III this
House and borne down by usurped Legislature
within its borders, the Territory has langushed
under despotism imposed by foreign invasion and
maintained by the direct Intervention of the military
arm of the Federal Government. All lawful resist
ance as well os all appeals for redress, have been
stigmatzed by epithets alike odious and untrue.
Those who should have had sll the political power
have had none, and those who should have had none
have had all. With occasional intervals of quiet,
but for the most part through scenes of violence,
bloodshed and war, this state OF things has gone
on until il has cumiDated in the Lecompon Con>t.
tuition.
That Constitution Was vicious in its origin. The
Convention which framed II was fraudulently cOnst
tuted. Its pretended submission to the people was
fallsciOus-s cOntrvsnce and cheat 20 circumyent
the people The President sends that Constitution
10 Congress as the finale of the Kansas troubles
" 1t will be observed" said Mr.. Parrot, that do
mot present that Constitution, although | am the
Representative OF Kansas upon this floor. That
blow al their rights cannot be struck through Iue
" On the other hand, III the course OF my duty, /
"haye had occasion from time 10 time 10 lay before
this House much pertinent testimony against il:
"protests from the people by their Conventions;
protests from the people BY their Legislature: all
"iudicating the indignant aud almost unanimous dis
approval of il, BY those who are falsely said 10
have framed il, and for whose benefit il is, With
"still greater ialsity, said to be intended
The people of Kansas reject and abhor this pre-
tended Constitution. This fact cannot be doubted
II was proven by the election in October lsst--it
was proven by the joint resolutions Of the Repre-
seutatyes of the people assembled in the Territorial
Leeislature--t was proven still more conclusiyely
BY specific vote to that effect On the ith OF January
last under law OF the Legislature, when more ;hnn
0,O0O votes were given sgainst the Lecomptou
Constitution.
At this point Mr.. Underwood Of Kentucky inter.
rup;ed Mr.. PARROT, and begged leave to ask him
question He sad The gentleman from Kansas
"has referred to the vote of 10000 majority
"eyen by the eAnti-LecOmptonites at the election on
1.-THE ath of January. wish the gentlemen 10 give
Gus the benefit of his knowledge as TO the fraudu
"l,ncy or the fairness Of that particular vote. How
many. if apy. of that vote have been ascertained
/" subsequently to tho election to be fraudulent"
Mr. Parrott replied: IL have not heard any per-
sea in the Territory, and 40 not reeoIeet that
have hesJd any perseD here charge uA5 s"s @!