Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-03-24
Prom Was.-- "a.
w AsHINGTGN, March 81


Mr.. Douglas spoke three hours this even
ing to an immense audience There were
no vacant places in the galleries and the re
p rters were overrun bv invading border
ruffians. The floor OF the Senate was crowd
ed with ladies' Mr.. Douglas referred to
his course on the slavery question, from the
time of the admission Of Texas Congress
he said eventually decided that new Ter
ritores .hould choose their domestic policy
for themselves, and for want Of power to
carry out his own measures he agreed with
their new line Of policy. with view Of
healing sectional strife, and restoring peace
TO this country. His object was to locslize
not sectionalIze slavery. The people Of Ill,
on sober reflection. approved h,s course. and
the Legislature with great unanimity passed
resolutions to that effect. Subsequently a.
senator Of that state and member of the
American party, he felt i. his duty 10 ap
ply to he Kansas Nebraska Act, the pin
ciple which had been substituted for the
geographical line. Both pa,ties were op
posed to II; the exact words of that p,i
ciple are t!,at it is not intended to |egislate
slavery into any Territory but leave the
people to regulate their own affairs
Now, said Mr.. Douglas, the question
arises. is the Lecompton constitution in ac-
cor.lance with the principles OF the com.
promise Of 1850. and in accordance with the
organization act? Have the p. ople Of Kansas
been lett to manage their ow,a affairs in
their own way. subject only to the conti
tuti"n Of the United States? Does the LIE.
conp pton constitution embody the vii of
the people OF Kansas il it does you have
h. ,,lt ~ l,uit h.r intn Il
wave any irregularities that may have oc
Cured in minor details The whole action
OF this House turns on this, whether or not
they give free expression of their will. in
that act But what evidence have we that
it is so; he would refrain from going into a
report of how many votes We're fraudu
lent, but supposing them all legal how are
We TO accept it as the will of the people
when they could only vote for and not
against II, aud the subsequent elect on
against il, there were 1000. This was evi-
dence IT, his mind that Lecompton is not
the expression Of the will ef the people IL
has been said that the election Of DecerE ber
2lst was legal, and that on January 4th was
not legal. Where do you find a law that
legalizes the election Of December 2lst un
der law of the Lecompton constitution,
which il it passed n constitution, such as it
received from the legislature, and if SO the
legislature possessed as much power on
January 4th, as on December 2lst and Feb
ruary 4th.
Mr.. Douglas referred to Calhoun's letter,
recently published, saying that he thinks
Delaware Crossing, gives the Legislature to
the free state men. 1t was Of no impor-
tance what Mr. Calhoun thought, but the
facts are important, AS on them depends the
integrity Of the vote. AS MIR. Calhoun is
absent is it satisfactory tor the deposed
President to address letter to the editor of
the STAR stating his private opinion2 He
would lik to know whether the President
pro tenn has not already issued the
Certificates to the Slavery Officers
while Mr.. Calhoun's opinion is that
President pro TEN ? Is he fugitive from
justice. and if he is, what conclusions have
the ma aiority committee Of seven arrived at?
Can we not get the President pro tenn. also
to write letter to the committee Of seven ?
Mr. Douglas denounced the Washington
Union fer assailing him, and said that it
was because he refused 10 vote for the edi-
tor for printer The last hour was devo
ted to vehement denurciation Of the Pres
ident for attempting to draggoon men ii,o
the support Of the Lecompton CONSTITUTE,
by the use Of patronage, and he deelar.u
that he should obey the dictates Of con-
science in spite of the President and cab
met. He would conse.t TO the will Of his
constituents rather than g will Of the
President All democra allowed to
differ in opinion fror. :resident on
various points He scorned ,e attempt at
coercion, and would not yield to it if this
was to drive him to private life, he was
ready for the sacrifice He preferred his
self respect, and private life to servile abase-
ment in Office.
Mr.. Toombs replied with bitterness and
sharp personalities Of Douglas.
WASHINGTON, March %.
Mr.. Harris. Of Illinois, is seriously i'll, hay
ing ruUtured q blood vessel.