Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-04-07
SPEECH OF HON. D. F. WADE,
ON THE
ADMISSION OF KANSAS,
UNDER THE
LECOMPTON CONSTITUTION.

LECOMPTON CONSTITUTION.
Mr.. President, | would gladly foreg
the task that is low before me, esperiall
as the whole subjeci has been debated b
those much more able to enlgh,en III
Senate and the country upon il than
can claim 10 be. Indeed, after the abl
report of my colleague on the Commit
Tee on Territories, the Senator from Yer
moni, Mr.. Coliamer, on all the point
involved in the controversy, which me
W In my entire appreciation, backed b
IN I nasterly speech which he had mad
on tie Case, it would be arrogant in m
10 suppose that | could add anything tha
would tend TO enlighten either the Sen
ale or the country on the subj .cis there
in discussed. | would not speak at all
sir, II did not know that the people O
the State which in part represent ar,
more deeply moved with the considera
iion OF this question than they ever hav,
been before. They consider it a uues
ton OF the first magnitude They are
alarmed at the boldness with which =
constitution is urged upon reluctant
people against their will They arc
alarmed al The progress Of the principl-
of ofdespotism which they think they per
ceive connected with the administration
of this Government.
The people whom represent are no
alone in these gloomy apprehensions.
can judge from all | can see around
me, aud from all thai reai in the papers.
the minds of The American people are
pondering on very lirtle else Than the
great question which we have before US
for discussion. regret, as much as any
Senator upon this floor can regret, tha
the great question of slavery dividing the
different sections of our country should
be so often thrust upon US; but its enor
nous magnitude seems TO throw every
other question into the shade Until il
shall be settled one way or The other, do
not expect to hear much else discussed
Mr.. President, am aware that there
are those within my hearing who seem 10
uuderrate the importance of this issue;
butihe Presideuf, in bis annual message,
did not underrafe it. He understood The
importance of it, verv much as have
now stated il to BE-; for he said in that
message that, from The iime of the abro-
CATION of The Missouri restriction, there
had been no other question before Con-
gress or the country OF any considerable
imporiance. That declaration is the
truth. We cannot ignrre the subject if
we would know that blame is frequent
ly thrown on various individuals because
superficial Observers suppose that a M IN
eau raise all this agitation, as they call
II, or tha; man may allay it, at HIS
pleasure. Sir, those who take such a
view OF this great overruling question
are bul very superficial observer RS OF what
Is passing. This controversy has its root
deep IN The institutions of our counirr-
unfortunately Y SO. Tne fac; is not 10 he
ignored; the agitation is not to be put
down by The will of any man, and moi
by any sci of men. II has grown with
our growth, II has siren 5lhened with cur
strength, and it has become more Danger
Gus and alarming now probably than al
any other period in the existence of this
nation.
know, sir, there are crimi nat ion and
recrimination on both sides. Ii is said
by southern gentlemen that The North are
aggressive; that We are irespassing upon
their rights under the Constitution Of the
United States. claim that the apgres.
sion is and always has been on the her
side, and | shall endeavor briefly 10 speci-
fy of what it has consisted. shall moi
deal in those generaliiies in which aeolle-
men on the other side have INDUCED. I'll
the North feel keenly on this subject. I
think | can easily show that they have
great reason 10 feel so. will not 20
back TO the foundation of the Government. |
intend, as far as possible, in the remarks
that shall make, 10 endeavor to strike |
out new course, and avoid, as much a. |
| can, those topics which have been so
ably and so thoroughly discussed by those /
who have preceded me.
arraign the South, then, first, (for |
will go back no further than the annexa-
tom of Texas,l with an enormous Az
gression upon northern rights in seizine
upon Texas, and bringing her ilto this
Union for no other purpose than to uphold,
strengthen, and render predominant in
this Governmentthe institution of slavery,
and that in deroga iJo of the political
rights OF the North. Not only so. sir.
but stand here to arraign the South, and
their northern allies also, of having done
it in fragrant violation of the Constitution
of the United States. There was no
warrant in that instrument for this great
act OF aggression. Especially there can
be no doubt thai the manner in which
she came into This Union was a fiaqranr.
undeniable violation of the Constitution
of the United States. Did the Cons,iln.
tlon OF the United States make any pro-
vision whereby you could make a
treaty with fore;ga Power. and
bring her inio this Union as a Siate2 /
would ask The strict constitutionists. On
the other side. where do you fad il?
Is there any other provision in the Con
stitullon thst warrants an act like thi.7
IL Mr. Jefferson could mol purchase a
vacant territory, much less could he treat
win foreign nation 10 merge her own
Gov rnment and come into this Union as
IN independent State? only mention
MS however. in passing, as an accusa-
Iion that bring against the ambition
oi the South In lrespassing on the rights
oil The North. do mol propose TO dis
'uss Il at large; for if we were TO under
axe II. 1t would exhaust our time, and
furnish topic, probably, as fruitful of
lrgument, as the one under consideration.
3ut II gentlemen claim to have constitu- $
ionsl authority TO do such an act, | saw /.
belonged 10 The treaty making power. /