Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-03-19

SENATOR CRtTTENDEN's SPEECH = The
speech of Senator Crittenden of Kentucky, on
Wednesday, on the Lecompton fraud is spoken
of by all the letter writer's from Washington as
most able and credtable effort Few men in the
country ale more universally respected Tor their
abilities and craftsmanship than is the venerable
senator from Kentucky, so long the colleague
with Henry Clay in the national councils, and it
is great gain to the cause of freedom and jus.
tice to find such men, although hailing from the
Southern section, coming molly up to the defence
Of the right in the time of severe trial and need
The Washington correspondent of the New York
Tribune writes, March 18th, in regard 10 this ad
mirable speech:
"Mr. Crittenden made great speech today-a
noble speech-eear, Logical, eloquent, denunci.
atory of Lecompton as fraud, an imposition, and
an outrage; fraudulent in its conception
growth, aud fruition disgrace, an infamy
bolstered up by hlmsy presexts and technical
QuibbleS which no man believed, which every man
though The Lecompton constitution was
rejected, abhorred by majority of the peo-
pie OF Kanzas. The question before Congress
was, not whether kanzas should be admitted, but
whether sham constitution should be forced
upon unwilling people.
Alter stating the facts and arraying the evil
deucs with mastery skill TO prove to a demon.
stration that Lecompton was base cheat, the
gallant old statesman raised his tall form to Its
tull height, shook his white locks, and energeti-
cfy declared that Southern man he would
resist to tae last this infamous aggression on the
North, TINS tyrannlcal attempt to trample on the
rights of the people OF Kanzas. No good to the
country, no good to the South, could come from
forcing the Lecompton instrument on Kanzas,
and he implored the Senate. he implored the
friends of the Union not TO bring this disgrace,
nc ou1 fFrT he ~ -
tce Of an amendment referring the whole subject
TO the people of Kanzas for settlement.
Mr.. Cuttenden spoke two hours. The Senate
was very full, the chamber crowded with represen
tatves, and the galleries OVERLOOKING. He was
beard with most perfect attention from the begin
ming to the close, and evidently made deep i'm
preston Democratic senator said this after
noon that it impossible to pass LecOmpton
after such speech. The Lscomptonites feel the
blow keenly coming from such a quarter, espe-
cially as Mr.. Cri:tenden took such high ground,
speaking above all reference to party or to parti-
san or sectional considerations, but simply as an
honest patriotic statesman, anxious to save his
country from the disgrace and danger of great
crime &"
Another Washington correspondent of the
same paper saws:
Mr. Crittenden's speech today was a great
success. ltwas more directed to a careful expo
sitlon Of the subject, than to oratorica display.
He boldly charged that fraud marked
throughout the whole proceedings in Kanzas,
from the inception of the convention down to the
present act of the drama, and that the main ef-
fort had been to crush out that popular sentiment
which was the only true basis Of a republican gov
eminent.
While the administration side expected his op
position, they not prepared tor this scath
ing review, and their allies, such as Mr.,
Kennedy, WINGED under the excoriating process
Every social appliance had been brought to bear
upon Mr. Crittenden in the hope of subduing
such demonstration, and the slave power ad
dressed its blandi,hments to conclate him-with
what effect is seen
This declaration is more important than it APP
pears on the surface. In their recent conferences
the Sout fern Americans had failed to agree upon
any fixed basis for future policy, aud the Ten
nessee members of the House withdrew, declining
any participation in opposition TO Lecompton
SIX who voted in favor of Mr.. Harris movement
on Friday are now likely to be confirmed in theiI
opposition, and, if they stand resolute, Lecomp'
ton cannot pass without additional recruits
though 1t is still claimed that il can by the ad.
m nistTation. In any event. the bill must be mod
flied as to remove the sting and destroy the pur.
pose OF its contrvers.
Mr.. Bell will follow up the attack tomorrow
with speech worthy Of his. fame and Of the 90
cagion,"