Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-05-15

agitation throughout the land, that we de.
sired to suppress the evil, and her admis-
sion was thought to be the best mode OF
doing it. The proposition for her admis-
sion in that bill, am certain, was founded
upon and moved by these patriotic and
Just considerations, on the part of my
friend from Georgia, even then. AS long
as there was hope of establishing the
Lecompton Constitution arbitrarily on
these people against their will, did any
body hear any serious objections made to
it on the ground that they had not the re-
quisite population? No, sir. 1t is now
only announced and, coming in this
way, it does come as penalty upon the
people. All our legislation has been
based on the idea that in this exceptional
case, to guard against the mischiefs that
Kansas had created throughout the coun-
try, we would take her into the Union,
bind her in the Federal chain, and leave
her to herself TO drag that chain along as
she could or might; to have upon her all
its obligations, to govern herself and to
govern herself at her own hazard; and
thus, to use a familiar expression, localize
all the trouble she might create among
her own people, and confne it to them.
We have pursued that policy; We have
proceeded upon that concession upon
every side, and by every one we have
legislated upon it throughout, up to this
moment; and now, for the first time, after
these long concessions, dsfranchisemen
is threatened; the penalty of being remit
ted indefinitely to a Territorial condition
is held out, if the people do not accept
Constitution that we know is obnoxious
to them. .. .-
| say, Mr.. President, that it does not
appear to me that this is fair; and al
though belong as every man must do,
to some part or some section of the coun-
try, want to see justice done. My ex-
perience teaches me that Justice alone is
lasting foundation, in public or in pri-
vase life, for everything dear and valuable.
1t is the only sure, unsuitable, imperish-
able foundation, and upon that basis alone
can the connections and relations between
States and nations be calculated on as
permanently settled Nothing else will
ne dHtCtlOHS Vi tie IuIlldD IledTl
may aid, trust have aided, | hope will
long continue to aid, in strengthening
this permanent foundation which Justice
herself has made; but these are transito-
ry and changeable. Circumstances may
create flow Of kind feelings; circum-
stances may produce fatal end to them.
| They will not do for foundation. Like
foundation that is laid upon the sand,
or upon the water, it is unstable, change
able. Justice is eternal, everlasting. If
you want to secure it, the attempt merely
to get up good feeling for the moment
is not sufficient. 1t may be remedy par
tally, for day or for an hour; but that
is not what we want. We want some
thing that shall last. That is Justice. JUS
tice will quiet everybody.
Then, is this Justice? You want to
quiet all these agitatons. So do |; no
man more than l. Anything and every
thing that was in my power would do
to accomplish the object. Let US try i'm
partial justice-no elimination, no retalia-
ton. Do justice. Upon that we can stand
firm, and defy all the accidents and
chances Of time or circumstance. That
is my mode of giving security to the North
and TO the South, to the East and to the
| West; and without it there will be no
permanent peace, there will be no tram
quillity. Evil generates nothing but evil (;
injustice generates nothing but injustice !;
and her steps are constantly from bad to
worse. Now, ask, is this right? Is it
just? That is the question the Senate
ought TO consider. Each gentleman can
resolve it for himself. have given the
reasons which have guided me TO the So
luton of that question at which have
arrived.
We hear, Mr.. President a great deal
about this section and that section, and
mans allegiance to one section and an
scope, this language is allowable enough
but, sir, take my case. What is the po-
sition of my State1 know, in the sort
of political geography which has been
made Of our country, i'll spite of its natu-
raj geography, the extremes Of North and
South have swallowed up all the States {;
but what propriety is there i'll this' Is
there not a great Western section, geo.
graphically, as well as Northern and a
Southern section? In my country we
call ourselves Western men. Geographic
cally we have that position in this Union.
You have an extreme to the North, with
its peculiar employments and its peculiar
opinions. A different state of things
exists at the extreme South. You are
both upon the ocean but where are we
We are in the Great West-we are the
Great West. Though not equal at this
time, in point of population, to either the
Northern or the Southern section, we are
destined TO be more in population than
both of them put together-destined to
have more Of the surplus Of the products
of the earth in our hands than all the rest
of the United States; occupying the most
fertile region of the world in all that is
necessary for the subsistence and comfort
of mankind; and, in the language Of that
famous French writer, De Tocquevile,
occupying a region the finest and the
most glorious that the Almighty ever made
for the habtation of man. That is our
country in the West. We touch no
| ocoon. NO oro intarior We lilo in mo