Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-03-25

On the lst of February, Judge Douglas
moved to take up the Minnesota bill in the
Senate. This gave rise to spirited debate
in which Cril;enden. Douglas, Hale, and
others, urged with force and eloquence the
claims of Minneso to immediate admis
sion. Green, of Missouri, insisted on de-
lay; Mason, of Virginia. declared. at
length, that, as the Lecompton constitution
was soon to be before them, they could not
consent to the admission of Minnesota as
a separate measure TLis was evidently
An open avowal of the policy determined
upon by the advocates of the LecomptOn
constitution The admission Of Minnesota
is to be made, it appears, to depend upon
believe that Congress will commit such a
wrong upon people who are guiltless of
ary offence against the majesty of the law
or the authority of the gos oserpment. Like
every great wrong, il will also prove TO be
an act of folly; for l greatly mistake the
spirit of the people Of Minnesota, if they
do not, with one heart and with one mind,
resist such an outrage upon their constitu
tional rights. | regret that the bill could
not be pressed to avote, SO that we might
know with entire certainty who. amongst
the representatives of the sovereign STATES
Of this Union, could do such injustice to
the sovereign people of Minnesota because
the happened at the moment to have our
people in their power.
On the Cd of February, the Presidents
message. communicating the Lecompton
constitution, was transmitted to Congress
This message is now before the country
Unlike the message in the Minnesota case,
it urges The admission of Kansas upon Con-
gress, in lengthy, labored, and will
add, able argument. find no fault with
this. / cannot bring myself to condemn
the President. even where my convictions
of right compel me to differ from him. l
entertain the liveliest feelings of friendship
for him. and regret. from my inuost soul,
that he has permitted his own honest judg
ment to be biased by the suggestion of self
ish men. of inferior parts and questionable
integrity.
In the case of Minnesota there was no
liigated political question was called for
Executive recommendation; whereas, in
Kansas, an unfortunate sectional struggle
invested the question with national but
unnatural prominence. which made it the
duty of the President to express decided
opinion on the subject. Still. j, has not
failed to elicit remark that the Minnesota
constitution, which is the legitimste off
spring of the whole people of Minnesota.
has not received the compliment of pass
ing notice even from the Executive organ,
the Union, while he constitution of Kan
sas, which great MANY honest people con-
slider the fraudulent offspring of factious
minority. should be urged upon Congress
with all the weight and authority Of the ad-
ministra'i n.
4 We have fallen on strange
times. l cannot venture prediction as 10
the future. The people of Minnesota
will do we'll to fortfy their minds against
any undue excitement. You may depend
upon one thing, let what will happen,
mean, to the best of my poor abilities, to
maintain the honor and dignity of Mime.
sofa. mean to resist wrong, let it come
from wha, quarter it may; wrong to the
people of Kansas-wrong to the people of
Minnesota--wrong TO the people of the
North. or wrong to the South, will resist,
either in the Senate or out of the Senate,
with all my hear. and and all my strength,
So long as God is pleased to spare my life
to my country.
Your friend,
JAMES SHIELDS.
Hon r G. MURPHY, President of the
Senate.