The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-05-06
Friday, april 80, 1858.
SENATE

SENATE
The consideration of the report made by the
committee of conference on the Kansas bill WAS
resumed.
Mr.. Broderick, in few remarks, declared
his opposition to the substitute of the commit
tee, which was designed, he thought, to keep
Kansas out of the Union for an indefinite peri.
cd, certainly during the term of the present
Administration.
Mr.. Doolittle quoted from statements made
by the Secretary of Kansas Territory under
Governor Geary, for the purpose of showing
that immigration into Kansas had been greatly
impeded by the troubles in that Territory and
on its borders.
Mr.. Pugh oontroverted the relevancy of these
citations, the accuracy of which he neither ad.
mitted nor impugned.
Mr.. Seward, in an elaborate argument, dis
sected the provisions of the bill presented by the
conference committee.
Mr.. Bigler had intended to make some re-
marks in favor of the bill, which Mr.. Seward
had sought TO prejudice in the eyes of the North,
but would forbear for the purpose of coming to
an immediate vote upon the bill, whose passage
by the House was already spreading joy through
out the country.
Mr.. Cameron had not purposed to speak
against the BILL but when his colleague was so
swift to endorse a measure which was contrary
to the rights Of free labor, he could not forbear
TO raise his voice against it. Itseemed to him,
moreover, in very bad taste for his colleague to
espouse this bill, as it was well known that he
Mr.. Bigler had always assured the people of
Pennsylvania that Kansas would be and ought
to be a free State. The present bill would be
condemned by a majority of more than hun
dred thousand in that conservative State.
NJ I'll - l. LIZ -
of the people in Pennsylvania would endorse
bis vote.
After brief debate on point of order, the
question was taken on concurring in the report
of the committee of conference, which was de.
cided in the afirmative-yeas 81, nays q.
YedS-Messrs. Allen, Baysrd, Benjamin,
Biggs, Bigler, Bright, Brown, Clay, Davis,
Evans, Fitzpatrick, Green, Gwin, Hammond,
Houston, Hunter, Iverson, Johnson of Arkan-
sas, Johnson of Tennessee, Jones, Kennedy,
Mallory, Mason, Polk, Pugh, Sebastian, Sill
dell, Thomson of New Jersey, Toombs, Wright,
and glsemgS85iu . Drouer1ck, cameron, Unand.
Ter, Collamer, Crittenden, Dixon, Doolittle, Dur.
kee, Fessendsn, Foot, Foster, Hale, Hamlin,
Harlan, King, Seward, Simmons, Stuart,
Trumbull, Wade, and Wilson-22.
The deficiency oil was then called up. Mr..
Toombs, in the earlier part of The day, had
stated that the managers of the two Houses
could come to no agreement respecting their
differences on the bill.
Mr.. Hunter moved that the Senate recede
from Its amendments; which motion was car
ried-yeas 26, nays 81.
The Senate then adjourned till Monday next,
by vote of yeas "a, nays 20.
- HOUSE.
Mr.. English, of Indiana, called for the regu.
lar order CT business.
The Speaker stated the question to be the
report of the conference committee in relation
to Kansas, upon which the gentleman from
New York Mr.. Clark had the floor.
Mr.. Clark, of New York, would only say now
that he regarded this new scheme as eminently
Objectionable, and even more dangerous in its
provisions than the Senate bill and if he lived,
he would vote against it.
Mr.. Campbell, of Ohio, asked his colleague
whether he considered the present bill reported
by the committee of conference as subrnis-
sion of the Constitution TO vote of the people
Mr. Hughes, of Indiana, objected to any an
swer to that question.
Mr.. Cox hadheretofore endeavored to explain
his views on that subject. Although the Con-
stltuhon itself was not submitted in so many
words, yet the effect of the bill as he claimed,
az the gentleman from Maryland Mr.. Davis
had argued, and as his colleague muqt confess
II ,, he read the bill was to give the people of
Kansas chance of striking down this Consti-
tuition, they do not want it. Gentlemen
might differ with him on that view. but that
was his understanding of the bill.
Mr.. Campbell said the gentleman had not
given HIM direct answer Though they might
be defeated to-day upon the principle of popu.
lar sovereignty, they would hereafter appeal to
that higher tribunal-the people-and he called
for direct answer.
Mr.. Cox proposed to read the bill as an
answer.
Mr.. Campbell would only yield for an answer
to his question.
Some confusion here prevailed, several gen.
temen calling to order.
The Speaker said, as two or three pentlemen
objected to Interruptions, he would enforce the
rule allowing no member to interrupt except
for personal explanation.
Mr.. Cox desired to say word.
Messrs. Hughes, Leteher, and other gentle
men, objected.
Mr.: Campbell said, as the objections prevent.
ed full and explicit answer, he would ask to
have read letter from his colleague.
The Clerk then read the letter, which was ad-
dressed by.Mr. Cox to an anti-Lecompton meet
AhB hhouOipuio, uuueE QaLo OF FoDrQary
9th, and in which he declares that he will never
consent, so help him God, to waive the right of
the people of Kansas to vote upon their Consti.
tuition, or to see the banner of popular sover-
eighty intrusted to his care draggled in the LIE.
compton mire. ~
Mr.. Bowie, of Maryland. That was on the
original bill. Laughter
MIR. Cox lin his seat said he still endorsed
every word of that letter.
Mr.. Campbell said he had here not only the
promise Of his colleague to vote for the submis
sion of the Constitution to the people of Kan.
sas, but he had that promise sworn to-"So
help me God"-with the same solemnity with
which he took the oath of Office. 1t conld no
longer be concealed that the men who within
the next hour intended to vote this bill through
and send it to the North, the South, the East.
and the West, as a great peace measure and a
6nal settlement of the Kansas imbroglio. mt
entirely different constructions upon il. Il
would only increase the agitation, and. as he
said of the Kansas Nebraska act he believed II
was full of evil, and without the promise of any
good to any party or any section of the country.
II Il was not out of order, he would ask the chair
man of the committee of conference [Mr. Eng.
lIsh to declare whether he agreed with the gem
tleman from Georgia, Mr.. Stephens, that this
bill does not submit the Constitution to the peo
pie. lie was waiting for reply.