The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-03-30
DEMOCRATIC
MASS e0NIgAT TION +!
SPEECH OF Hon. VIM H Stafford,

up5ti tie InslIuStlOtb Oi the Oblo l%e
eislat,..se upon the admission of Kansa
under the Leco,. pton Constitution. M
appearance here to-nigse is seeniugl.
Inconsistent To explain the reason
for, that vote, aud to correct All errone
GUS impression which has gone abroad
in relation to it, confess, was one o
the chief inducements FIR the accept
ance OF your invitation.
am unwilling that it should be un
derstood that the democrats of the LIE,
gislature are a. unit upon that question,
or that the instructions" against the
admission Of Kansas under the Leeomp
ton Constitution, arose from the sponta
5neous and concerted action of any con-
siderable portion of the Democracy
On the contrary, they are the result OF
compremise, brought about after q
painful apprehension on our part that
any other course might seriously en-
barrass our party in the legislature, and
render US poueriess for any good wsich
We bad been sent to accomplish.
On my arrival 10 Columbus the Sa
turday previous to the couvenirg of lh.
Legislature. found the member from
Franklin county insistirg strepuousiy
upon resolutions of instruction as among
the very first acts of our respective boz
dies. The resolutions which he proposed
TO offer was Que strongly endorsing the
position of Judge Douglas, and was
doubtless .intepded to strengthen the
position of the member of Congress from
the Franklin district. and. may add,
was such as could be consistently voted
tor by every men. Der Of the Republican
party.
But, gentlemen, Mr.. Rankin Was t
alone in the advocacy of the measure
Your late candidate for gubernatorial
nonors.- HENRY B. PAYNE, was there,
with numerous adherents pTessing the
cup to our lips, as the only means of ss:
viug the Democratic party insOhio.-
By many of US the measure was regard
ed as a ere brand purposely cast in our
mi9st, to compel us to take sides with
those who dissented from the views OF
the admiIistrsiipn, or otherwise TO die
turb The harmonious action OF the party
in the Legislature. 1t wss in vain W.
urged that the measure was premature
thai We we're not ivised as TO the senti
meuts Of our constituency, aud that prp
deuce counseled delay We were ad
iponished that unl,ss action. and speedy
action, vas taken in the premises, thu,
We would 10 longer be COZ suited, bp,
that the aid of the Republican party
would be invoked to do what We then
hesitated to perform.
For three days think the Senate
was unit against any present action
on the question. But that we were Sc
rie usly embarrassed as to the ultimate
disposition Of the question, | certaiuly
ssopot deny. We were in fact unac
quainted with the real sentiments If
each other upon the question, as also
unadvised as to the opinions of our cou-
stituency.
As the outside pressure daily increa
sed, aud the friends of the ant, Lecomp.
.ou movement became more restive, tt ose
of US who were opposed to action, de.
termined if instructions had to be sent,
that they sh .uld be prefaced by full
endorsement of the Admiu iuistration.-
Hence, gentlemen, you will observe the
resolutions accommodated themselves To
circumstances, aud that apparently the
opinions of both visions of the party on
the question, are IN them fully repre-
seDted.
They are, then, as have tefore, OBJ,
served, the result of a compromise-a
compromise for the purpose of union aud
harmony, aud ] am happy to say tba,
they fully Effected the object intended.
oibCc tue ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ol Tue sSs6lOfl,
the frieDdiiest relations have been OBJ
served, notwithstanding the repeated
efforts of the opposition to throw this
apple of discord among US. Thus far
we have voted as an unit on every dem.
ocratic measure proposed, and feel
fully assured that we shall continue to
do SO until every great me sure has
been disposed o.
But the idea tt at the members of the
Legislature are unit against the ad-
mission of Kansas under the Lecomp-
ton Constitution, is erroneous. On the
contrary / am enabled 10 say that the
majority are with the President. In
the Sc ate those favorable to the Ad-
ministratiou lumber fourte en-, while but
seven are counted upon the oppositiou.
In the House they stand thirty four ad.
minisiratioD to- fweuty eight anti Lc
compton. would Lot have you to un.
dereiepd thar there is any marked op-
position to the President; notwi,hstapd
ing the violence with which he has beer
assailed by those who have heretofore
rsnked high in the democratic party O