The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-03-18

Constitution prohibited the assembling of q
Convention prior TO 1864, and that prohibition
was binding.
Northern Democrats claimed that thew only
5asted The assurance that the Constitution en-
sodied the popular will. How would thew
earn that? The Convention was the highest
brtn of the expression OF the public will, and
no other could be obtained, except by over.
turning all the forms of law. The rejection OF
Kansas would be her reduction to the condition
.of q conquered province. The whole argument
against her admission was to sggrandize Con.
.sress at the expense of the Federal Constitu.
: Oh. The Nebraska bill elevated Kansas into
S~e condition of q sovereign State, and it was
nos beyond the power of Congress to deprive
her of the attributes of sovereignty.
Mr.. English, of Indiana, had labored zeal.
outly in behalf of the Kansas Nebraska bill,
which he believed embodied great and true
principle. After the passage of the bill, its
1orthern supporters were denounced and op
fpoeed by all the powers of fanaticism, while its
Southern supporters went smoothly along with
tbs popular current. Under these circum
stances he appealed to Southern men, not fol
the sake of an empty abstraction to force them
to The wall; and warned them against driving
from them their only effective supporters out
side of their own limits. He told them plainly
that there were some things which Democrat,
coald not do at the North, even if they were
willing. He looked in vain in that hall for the
fatniliar faces of Northern men who voted fol
The Kansas Nebraska bill. There were but few
eft, the spared monuments of mercy.
They ought to reject the Lecompton Consti
tuition, and pass an enabling act, as in the case
tof Minnesota. He preferred this course, but
might, as a last resort, 60 for some other, look
ius always to the ascertsining and carrying
out of the will of the people. The admission
of Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution
would, instead of ending or localizing the Sla
very agitation, be the beginning of such an agi
-tation as the country had not yet witnessed.
/ de had no confidence in John Calhoun, anC
believed he intended again to defraud the PEG
pie Of Kansas, by declaring q majority of LIE
s:cnpton men elected to the Legislature. Then
l1if he people resisted, they would be denounced
as Sebels and traitors, and put down by the bay
,ra. Let the fact that majority of Free State
nsn are elected be promptly proclaimed, and
h , doctrine of the right of the people to amend
their Constitution be put in tangible shape
5pd the measure of admission might then bring
larcnquillity. He was not one of those imprac
II .bles who we're opposed to all concession and
30 apromise, but would vote for anything which
weald fairly carry out the doctrine of popular
sovereignty. If all reasonable compromises
we're voted down, he would be bound in con
science to vote against the Lecompton Constilu
tion.
Mr.. Phillips, of Pennsylvania, thought there
| gas no danger of dissolution of the Union
but still the strife and discord constantly grow
ing out of the Slavery agitation, in one shape
and another, was deserving the serious atten
ton of true patriots. The same excitement
prevailed now that was manifested during tn,
tendency of the admission of Missouri, in ISL.
and 1920. 1t was time the excitement was al
lsyed and what was the best way to do it
He thought the proper way wss to admit Ksnsa
under the Lecompton Constitution, and an ap
peal to her boasted law-abiding people to setti,
their own difficulties.
Mr.. Foster, of Maine, obtained the floor
when the Committee rose; and at fifteen min
utes after four o'clock, the House adjourned.