The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-04-06
tower) published during that canvass, and
which | now hold in my hand, charges tho
Republicans as follows:

tower) published during that canvass, and
which | now hold in my hand, charges tho
Republicans as follows:
.'To you belongs the honor Of voting to extend
over free territory the institution OF American
slavery, for the first time in the history Of our
country.
''Do not attempt 10 dodge the responsibility and
the gloryi They are yours, and yours alone"
And the samo paper inforTs its. caders
that
'If Kansas should now come into the Confed.
eracy as IA free state. its settlers may thank the
United States Senate for the 'lessing; not the Re
publicans in the House, who voted in solid phaan'
for Dunn's slavery bll."
And at another time, in noticing the
issues involved in the contest between my
honorable opponent and myself for seat
on this floor, it warns its readers "that
vote for John s. Barry is a vote for freedom
in Kansas, and vote for Henry Waldron
is a vote for slavery in Kansas"
I also hold in my hand copy Of the
National Democrat, paper which carries
at mast head the names Of Buchanan and
breckenridge, and Immediately under them
the following advnrtisomon,e'
heep III DctOrc Tie people, tlul we VIII give
the editors of the Dowagiac Tribune, or any other
person, one hundred dollars, If they will show Us
a resolution in the Cincinnati platform indorsng
the Administrator Of franklin Pierce. We will
also give hundred dollars to any person who will
show a resolution, or oven n sentence, in the
Cincinnati platform, from wht h ii may he infer
red that the Democratic party is IT, favor of the
extension Of slavery.
'Keep it before the people, that, at the last
ses, ion of Congress the Republicans roted 10 sr
frnHs IL nsas and Nphras askn until l911.
the Democrats voted against the measure. The
House passed the bill; the Senate defeated r.
Here are the acts of the two parties-not mere
empty prcfessions.
1t was by such representations as these
that votes were secured for James Buchan-
an. / might s ny that tho mon who cast
them were cheated with their eyes open,
and that they were dupcd no worse than
they deserved to be; but will not unnec-
essarily wound their tender sensiblities in
this day Of their humiliation; / leave them
to settle with their betrayers, if any self
respect is left them, or submit to the swim
die, if their manhood is "crushed OUT
1t is my purpose to address myself for a
few moments TO the question which this
message Introduces to our attention-the
question of the admission of Kansas under
the Lecompton constitution.
The Constitution of the United States
declares that Congress may admit new
states into the Union. The language used
implies the exercise of a discretion on the
part of Congress; not discretion to be
exercised arbitrarily and recklessly with
out reason or judgment, but discretion
in accordance with well settled rules and
wcll.defined principles. In dett rmiJirg
the question of admission, there are three
considerations involved which dcmand the
scrutiny Of the national Congress. First,
Docs the Territory present itself with prop
or boundaries anl tho requisite population!
Second. Arc the people Of the Territory
satisfied with the constitution under which
admission is asked? And lastly Is that
constitution republican in its provisionsi 7
| take it that these questions arc pertinent
TO the issue; that they cover the entire
ground, and determine, 10y the facts they
elicit, our duty in the premises. pass
10y the first of these inquiries with tho sim
pie statement, that no question is raised,
here or elsewhere, on the score Of popula
ton or boundaries. 1t is CONCEDED that
the Territory Of Kansas contains popula-
ton sufficient TO bear the burdens of n
state government at homo, and to cnttle
it to its representative votes in this Capl-
tol. In fact, bill passed this branch of
the ational Congress nearly two years ago,
admitting it into the Uuion as a State !;
and, althou, h bitterly aSSalcd and contest
cd at the time, yet it was on other grounds
than that which | have indicated; and,
since tic passage Of that act, the steady
current of immigration has thrown into
that Territory thousands moro of our fel-
low citizens.
The second inquiry that commends it.
self 10 the attention of the American Con,
gress is this: Arc the citizens of Kansas
content with the constitution that is here
presented in their name? Is it their own
free offering and the untrammeled express
sion of their will? This is most material
inquiry In the determination of it, it be-
comes us to examine all the facts and cir
cumstances that surround the inception
the framing, and the indorsing of this in,
strument, so that we may decide how far
it meets with popular sanction and approx
al. For take it for granted that no Con
gress should force into the Union a state
with constitution that it's citizens abhor-
red and repudiated. / take il that such an
act is an act of despotism, at war with the
spirit of our institutions, and rcpugnant
to every republican impulse. 1t is most
pertinent inquiry, therefore, how far this
Lecompton constitution embodies and cx-
presses the sentiments of the people over
whom it is attempted to be ordained, and
it requires the rehearsal Of few facts only
to show most clearly that it was conceived
in sin, born IN iniquity, nursod in fraud,
and can only reach the maturity of man
hood in violation of every principle of JUS
tice, honor, and good faitn.
1t is not necessary here 10 90 back to
the organization of this Territory and note,
step by step, the successive outrages and
usurpatioons that stain its history. l shall
only take time to recur to the proceedings
more Immediately connected with the franz
ing and pretended ratification Of this Le-
compton constitution. commence at tho
10th day Of February last; when we find
Territorial Legislature IN session, claim
ing TO exercise authorIty--a Legislature