The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1858-01-14
FROM WASHINGTON.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FITCH AND
DOUGLAS.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 1857

WASHINGTON, Dec. ~, 1891.
In the Serate this morning, Mr. Stu.
art of Michigan, who had the floor, gave
way to Mr.. Fitch, Of Indiana, who begun
with an allusion to Mr.. Douglas remark
yesterday, that certain men, among them
President Buchanan, were trying to read
him out of the democratic party.
Mr.. DouglSs who was writing letter,
Iappafcdeiiy --iissss ina:teD:iva to what was
going on, here suddenly turned upol the
gentleman from Indiana and inquired,
" Did include the President of the Uni
ted States in that attempt to read me
"out of the party? Did l expressly ex-
"cept him Z"
Mr.. Fitch assentcd and went on TO
criticise tie argument Of the Senator from
Illinois. He soon dlyerged, however, into
mcnaces to those who were striving TO
break down the democratic party, that
great conservative organization on whose
preservation depended the preservation Of
the Union lie held up IN tcrrorem for
the contemplation of MIR. Douglas the
political fate of Aaron Burr and Martin
Van Buren,, both of whom had traitor
ously attempted to destroy the Democracy
and had thus brought ruin on them
selves
lie repeated the charge against Mr.
Douglas that in conjunction with Mr..
Toombs he had prepared premissory act
for framing a Constitution for Kansas
without any provision for submitting it to
the people. Mr.. Fitch said, however,
that he attached little importance to these
charges of inconsistency; very few OF tn,
Senators present could boast perfectly
consistent record, and it was of little con-
sequence in this discussion what had been
the previous sentiments or declarations OF
the Senator from Illinois.
Mr.. Fitch continued in an elaborate
attack upon what he termed the Topeka
faction, which he described a. a rebelious
iawless set of men, and ccntrastcd them
with the loyal, law-abiding citizens who
had formed the Lecompton Constitution
lie admitted, in this connection, that ;he
Lccompton Constitution contained clause
prohibiting its amendment prior to 1864 !;
but that clause, he contcnded, was Of no
consequence il was dead letter. The
people would change their constitution
whenever they pleased.
Ills plan was to admit Kansas with
whatever Constitution she may present
herself. The Senate had no right to in
quirc how many votes were given for the
delegates to the Convention who framed
tho Constitution. Nor had il any right
to inquire Into the number of votes that
were cast at the ratification election yes
tcrdcy. All that could be required was
that the Constitution was formed by
legal body. The Lecompton Constitution
was such body, and that was enough
He would have preferred that the
whole Constitution should have been sub
mitted to the people. But the Conven-
tion thought otherwise AID their de-
cision of the matter was final with him.
Mr.. Fitch spoke without notes and
with much more force and vivacity than
either Senator Bigler or Green He
commanded the attention of the Senate
and as he proceeded with his maligant
personal innuendoes against Mr.. Douglas
the couutenances of the Southern Sem
ators lighted up with a satisfaction in
marked contract with the gloom and