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

States On this side is the Eagle; on the other,
the figure emblera,ical of Liberty. You cover
it with your hand, and say to Kansas, wager
whether the Eagle" or Liberty" is upper.
most. Say Eagle" and you have Slavery;"
say Liberty" and still " Slavery" wins the
wager. Sir, this bill is no new piece of music.
1t is Lecompton over again, only with q new
variation but the abhorrent air of fraud per-
vades the whole arrangement of the compost
ton .t1
beg now to say most distinctly that this bill
must IN both Houses owe its passage to the
votes OF representatives of the free States Of
the North and West. l beg. therefore, to ask
the honorable Senator from Pennsylvania, Mr..
BIaLER,l himself representative Of the fret
State In this Union that after the Revolution
moved for universal Freedom, what the people
OF Kansas have done, that they shall not be
INDUCED at least in an equal choice between
Liberty and Slavery? ask my venerable and
esteemed friend from Rhode Island, TMr. Al
LEM the land of Roger Williams, how he sup.
poses that he can reconcile that proud and pa
triotic free State, that one which was earliest
and most completely free of all the States in
this Union, to this BILL which gives State power
and prestige and dowry of lands to Kansas
II she will choose Slavery, and gives her pro-
vincial degradation and debasement, with pov.
erty, it she elects Freedom? ask my excel.
lent friend from Iowa, Mr.. JoNEs,] he who
represents State carved out of that rich and
beautiful domain which, having been acquired
by purchase from France, was dedicated to
Freedom by the Missouri Compromise
same great act which originally gaarantied
Freedom to Kansas, but which guaranty was
broken to Kansas, though preserved to Iowa
| ask him what answer he will give to that gal
liant people, for having planted on their border
q State which was denied the liberty to choose
on equal terms between Freedom and Slavery2
will not ask the honorable Senator from Cali.
fornia, Mr.. GwN,] whose State was saved to
Freedom by efforts other than his own, but
who knows that, by that very salvation, there
were saved to California resources of wealth,
and strength, and power, which secure her
control over the Pacific coast of this continent,
and render her self-sustaining and almost de.
faint will not ask him for an explanation.
said, when California was admitted, that the
slave States need not fear her; that though
settled by a population chiefly from the free
States, California, owing to disastrous con.
junction of parties at the time, would prove
for years to come the strongest slave State in
the Union. will not ask the honorable Sena.
tor from Ohio, Mr.. PUGH, for have already
interpreted, according to my humble ability,
the views by which he reconciles this measure
to the judgment of his great constituency.
would, indeed, ask the honorable Senators from
Indiana, but they may have that question to
settle at home speedily, without being interro
gated here.
My honorable friend from Vermont Mr..
FooT reminds me that l have forgotten New
Jersey. Sir, will speak for New Jersey my
self. The blood of men who hazarded life, fame,
and fortune, for Freedom, in the "Jerseys,"
courses through my own veins. l know the
blue hills of the Jerseys WELL They are mingled
with all the fond recollections of my childhood.
l will answer, that the votes which are given
here for this Lecompton bill are the last votes
which in ten years will be given for Slavery
by representatives of New Jersey.
Mr.. President, / have shown that this bill
gives to the people of Kansas only the show of
q choice between Freedom and Slavery have
next to show that it provides for overriding,
counteracting, and defeating this very shadow
OF choice, if it shall be in favor of Freedom.
The bill provides, not that the people of Kansas
or their Legislature or their authorities shall ap.
point the commissioners under whom the con-
templsted election shall be held and its results
but board, to consist of five per
sons and, while it allows two to be named By
the people of Kansas, it asks three for the Pres.
ident of the United States. Now, sir, there have
been five agents appointed already by the Pres
ident of the United States and his predecessor,
to hold elections and return results in the Ter
ritory of Kansas, and every one of them has
been repudiated, dishonored, and disgraced, for
having struggled to prevent fraud, and to ascer.
tain and certify the truth about those elections.
The ghosts on the banks of the Styx constitute
o cloud scarcely more dense than the spirits of
the departed Governors of Kansas, wandering
In exile and sorrow for having certified the truth
against falsehood in regard to the elections be-
tween Freedom and Slavery in Kansas.
Sir, l am accustomed to measure my words,
when l speak of other men, even of public men.
Knowing how liable l am to err myself, think
have so much of charity as induces favor
able Judgment of an adversary, to the full
measure that | ask and expect it for myself.
LITIGATION, yet do confess that cannot trust
the President of the United States. 1t is the
most humilisting confession have ever made
in the presence of my countrymen and before
the world; for whenever / have looked over
the long roll of Kings, Princes, Doges, and
Emperors, and have seen how their careers, 80
often began in fraud, eliminated in assassina-
ton, and ended in violence, | have said that
q complete demonstration of the success of the
American Constitution i, found in the fact
that, with all it's defects, and amid the cratic
and sometimes tumultuous movements of the
people, the catalogue of names of those who
have filled the Presidency exhibits splendor
of virtue far outshinint that of any dynasty
that has ever ruled any nation on the face of
the whole earth. Sir, if the President of the
United States had ever allowed, not to say if
he had enforced, fairness in the elections of
Kansas, she would not be supplant, trembling
with dismay and apprehension in the Senate Of
the United States to-day. l know that, in
speaking thus plainly, l shall wound the sensi-
bilitiss of some public-spirited and patriotic
men. They will cry shame upon me, when !
disparage the fame of the President of the Uni.
ted States. But sir, am used to that The
world is used to that. remember that there
were patriots in Virginia who cried shame on
Patrick Henry, when he denounced George LII.
There were not wanting patriots in the Senate
of Rome, who heard with pain Cato denounce
the first Cesar. Sir, those who have dragged
Liberty down from her shrine, and trampled
her into the dust, have not often been those
who in Senates accused Emperors, Kings, or
Presidents. I. e..
Upon what ground is this bill thus shown to
be go gravely Objectionable, recommended to
us2 First, it is commended as q compromise
The honorable chairman Mr.. GREEN] tells us,
that where there is q difference between two
parties or interests, there can never be settle.
ment unless there is . compromise that the
House of Representatives have given up some
thing, and that the Senate have given up some.
thing to the House, although everybody except
myself has failed in finding out what there is
either given or gotten. Still we are to accept
the bill as compromise. If it is compro.
mise urged upon me, it must be one that gives
me something of Freedom in exchange for much
of Slavery. What do get of Freedom for Kan.
sas The privilege for that people to make a
Constitution when they shall have population