Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-28
Congressional.

/
ure be adopted for the peaceful and gradual ex-
tlnction of Slavery, by making compensation
out OF the Public Treasury. Laid on the table.
The special order on the affairs of Kansas
was taken up.
Mr.. Hale said he had refrained from partici-
pating in the debate heretofore, because he pre-
sumed that the public were anxious to hear
from other Senator's, rather than learn the opin-
ions of so humble an individual as himself. He
did not think this discussion ill-timed or prema-
ture. The distinguished Senator from Illinois
had spoken, and his speech fully met public ex-
pectations. He agreed with Mr.. Douglas in
opposing the Lecompton Constitution, but not
because it was in contravention with the princi-
pile and policy of the Nebraska bill. He OPP
posed it for just the opposite reason, namely
because he considered it in exact conformity
with the act. He regarded it as part of thy
original programme, and as the carrying it out
in letter and spirit.
lie was inclined to think that in the contro-
versy between Mr.. Douglas and the President,
the palm of victory ought to be awarded to the
, President When the latter undertakes to bring
in the federal army to force the obnoxious Con-
stitution down the Threats of the people of Kan
sas, 1t is because he understands the Nebraska
bill just as well as if he was in the Territory
at the time that measure became a law. Mr..
Hale was opposed to the whole thing from be-
ginning to end. He was opposed to the tree
then and the foliage now. He opposed the
plucking of the ripe fruit He could only
judge the object of the bill by the natural and
inevitable consequences which must result from
such measure The object could be nothing
else than to break down the barriers which sep
; arated free territory and slave territory, and
brip .,4o L. IL Oto4o
legally and peacefully, if it could be, but bring
it in as slave State anyhow. Some of the adj
vocates of that bill, the senior Senator from
South Carolina (Mr. Evans) included, had
avowed that it was their intention to extend
Slavery into Kansas at the time.
With regard to the proceedings in Kansas
under the Nebraska bill, the elections were car
ried, not by mob from Missouri, but by an inva-
ding army, who went over the line with drum
and fife and banners flying, who carried every
thing in their own way, and returned across
the river, openly avowing that they had conquer
ed the Territory. Thus matters went on, in
this " perfect freedom" and popular sover-
eighty and at length the convention assem-
bled to form q constitution for the future State
of Kansas, and what did they do? They adop-
ted the very last plan which could be desired to
: make Kansas a slave State. The people were
permitted to vote for constitution with
slavery but it was somewhat singular fact,
and might 60 far to explain the vote on this
constitution, that the constitution without
slavery was more stringent pro-slavery iustru-
ment than the constitution with slavery. If
the constitution was adopted with slavery, there
were means provided by which, at some future
period, the slave might be emancipated but the
adoption of the constitution without slavery
made slavery perpetual. 1t has been said that
this matter was in the hands of the people, who
could at any time change their constitution and
} abolish slavery, if they saw fit ; but he conten-
ded they had ntsuch power. He had heard a
great deal about popular sovereignty, but
thought there We're two kinds-the one genuine
e and the other spurious.
: The kind of popular sovereignty which it
e was now proposed to establish and maintain in
e Kansas, wasnot the genuine article, and he would
D mention two or three cases of what he regarded
e as real popularsovereignty In January, l775,
eighteen months previous to the Declaration of
# Independence, the people of the State of New
Hampshire came together, and ignoring the
: King and Parliament of Great Britain altogeth-
n er, adopted written constitution, embodying
e the great principles of civil liberty. That was
o genuine popular sovereignty. Next, the Dec
r laration of Independence, by which our faith
It ers declared that henceforth they would regard
o the people of England as g enemies in war, in
kpeace, friends" was another example of pop
s ular sovereignty.
|. But there is still another instance, and one
70 in the history of England which he ever re-
o garded with profound admiration that was,
IF when the House of Commons, ignoring the
. House of Lords as an useless appendage of gov
st eminent, and ignoring, also, the old doctrine
j. Of legal sovereignty, determined to bring King
70 Charles the First before their tribunal, and try
m him, and found him guilty Of high crimes
g. against the State, and for these crimes his head
y was severed from his body. This event had cast
T. shadow over the crowned heads OF Europe
w which has ever since rested on them, and liber-
% ty to-day is safer in England than in this coun-
s try, in consequence of that occurrence. Allu-
sion was made to the remark of Mr.. Broderick,
It that Mr. Buchanan and his Cabinet were to
j. blame for the excited state of Kansas. He dis
Of scented from that opinion He thought that
is neither the present Executvenor his predecessor
m was the man to guide and control the public
D events, but they were vanes set in high places
IF to-show the direction of public sentiment.
l. Mr.. Hale read from one of Mr.. Buchanan s
N former speeches, in which he acclaimed that
A on this question of domestic slavery Of
70 course remarked Mr.. Hale, the South can have
AZ no allies except those who are out of Christen-
dom. (Laughter.) But what does Mr.. Bu-
chanan say in his next sentence "They have
no other allies to sustain their Constitutional
ID rights, except the Democracy of the North. y
Of There a fight for you. All Christendom on
E. one side and the Democrats of the North on
e. the other. QIearty outbursts of laughter
e. Mr.. Hale proposed speaking on the subject of
70 the bred Scott decision, but before entering up
10 on this branch of his remark at the suggestion
r. of Mr.. Steward he gave way to motion,
a. which prevailed, to proceed to the consideration
&c of executce business and the Senate afterwards
adjourned.
A. HoUsE.-A large number of bills were intro
in duced and referred.
IN Mr.. Campbell of Ohio then asked leave to
v offer a joint resolution authorizing the Pres
of ident to negotiate, through the State Depart
d, ment, for the acquisition of Canada, Nova SEQ
e. tia, and other parts of British North America
i'll and Cuba and the other islands adjacent thereto
and annexing them to the United States. In
-, event of any acquisition, no portion shall be
- admitted into the Union until it has sufficient
10 o population to send one member to the House Of
Nv, Representatives or until the bona jide residents
y shall have an opportunity of voting on the
u constitution, and regulating their domestic in
situations in their own way, subject only to the
5s Constitution of the United States. The intro
=, duction was objected to-
Mr.. Giddings asked leave to offer long pre-.
u amble and resolution setting forth human rights
r as embodied in the Declaration of Independence
he and declaring that the Supreme Court, in the
be bred Scott decision, had unjustly assailed the
be learning intelligence and christianity of the
Mt distinguished revolutionary patriots, and hat
e. brought discredit on the Judiciary of thu
United States.