Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-04-23

The House being in Committee OF the
Whole on the state of the Union, Mr..
ZOLLTCOFFER said
Mr.. CHAIRMAN - Upon this Kansas
question had intended silently to cast a
vote for the admission of the new State,
without troubling the committee with the
particular reasons controlling my action
butfnding that l am compelled to separate
on this question from some of my most re-
spected political friends, and perceiving
that among the friends of the bill as well as
its opponents there has been great diver
sity of opinion upon different points of the
argument, have concluded that it may be
better for me to state the facts and reasons
which have had most weight in determin-
ing my vote, that none may misunderstood
them.
l must saw, that it is with much regret
that find my political friends divided on
this important question, and with regret
that / End some of the friends of the bill
giving itsupport upon premises that | have
nosympathies with. This, however, seems
to be counterbalanced by the fact that the
bill is opposed for almost all sorts Of con
ficting reasons.
/ will endeavor to present my own view
of the question Kansas is before us ask
ing for admission into the Union, with
constitution regularly adopted in accord
ance with the principles guaranteed in the
Kansas Nebraska bill---a constitution re-
publican in form, and adopted by her
people under all the sanctions and formal,
ties of law The question has been raised,
is this constitution in accordance with the
will ofthe people? 1.-THE will of the people
is to be ascertained by the popular vote
east at the regular legal elections, it GER
tainly embodies the will of the people of
Kansas. And if we are not to regard the
expressed will of the people at the ballot
box, where all are free to vote, Tam unable
to discover where else we are to find a test
IA reliable test, by which safely to deter
mine what is the popular will. We are
entirely at sea, ifthis is not test. If not
now, neither would it be a test if you were
to submit it to another vote. How can
you have a reliable test, if, when the people
come up to the ballot box and fairly cast
their SURFACES, and none are restrained as
will presently endeavor to show was the
case in this instance, we are to be told that
this shall not be regarded as an indication
of the sentiment of the people? If then,
the constitution is republican, it has
been legitimately adopted-and fit con-
tains no provision plainly in conflict with
the Constitution of the United States, it
does seem to me that it is the privilege of
the new State to ask for admission and
that it is our duty to receive it into the
Union, without looking further into the
4 l. 4.
visions are in all respects just such as we
would have made them. In acting upon
the question of admitting State into the
Union, Congress should not receive or re-
ieet the State upon the mere ground oflike
or dislike of provisions in the constitution.
Another State might never be admitted,
ifthis were the rule, But were permitted
to decide this question upon what | find
in the constitution, must frankly say that
/ find in this instrument that which highly
commends it TO my regard. l find at the
very foundation of it the great American
principle that none but citizens of the u.
States shall be permitted TO vote in the
elections, or otherwise cotrol the political
destinies of the State, For this, and for
other provisions American in their char
NNteT NpIpHluANNlh w hNhIlllN ItluTn
to its trainers my sincerest thanks. My
belief is, however, that if the provisions |
refer to were not to be found there, other
things being right, it would be my duty to
vote for the admission of the new State. |
find in it another striking feature-and it
is that upon which almost the whole ques-
ton, unfortunately, is made to turn-tho
recognition of the institution of African
slavery There can be little doubt that it
is on this account that violent and re-
lentless war has been waged upon it by a
majority its opponents. The great mass
of those who oppose the admission of Kan
sas into the Union, oppose it because it
comes with a pro-slavery constitution.
Many of them have, indeed, gone so far
as to pledge themselves never to vote for
the admission of another slave State into
the Union. What a spirit is this, in n
Union of States such as ours-formed
originally between slave States and free,
and in which they are still of nearly equal
numbers
That should sympathize with such
feelings, or in any way cooperate with
those Who enter the contest animated by
so deadly spirit OF hostility to the people
of fifteen States ofthe Union, will not for "A
moment bo expected by any who know me-
BY a brief recurrence to historical facts,
] will now endeayor to show what regard
as the main point-that this constitution
is certainly the result of the deliberate
,.ys,,. IL, V,,,,1a &C Y l..