The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-04

rose, pending an amendment, by Mr.. Crawford
| OF Georgia, specific in its items, but reducing
the amount about one halt, to pay for the worh
already done, and stop the unfinished part.
Mr.. Hall, of Ohio, presented the joint resoiu
| ton of the Legislature of Ohio, protesting
| against the admission of Kansas under the LIE
compton Constitution and the House adjourn
ed TO Monday.
Monday, February l, 1853.
| SENATE.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick presented memorial from
| the Legislature of the State of Alabama, in
| favor of the establishment of an armory for the
manufacture of cannon and other arms in thai
| State.
By Mr.. Doolittle A memorial from s. Ryan
and ninety-seven other citizens of Appleton, in
the State of Wisconsin, urging upon Congress
to take preliminary steps for the purchase Of
the Island of Cuba.
By Mr.. Brown: A memorial signed by sew.
eral thousand citizens of Washington, earnest.
| ly urging upon Congress to aid the public
schools, either by money or by public lands.
Increase Of the Army.-The Senate then re-
sumed the consideration of the special order
being the bill to increase the military estab
lishment of the United States; when
Mr.. Houston addressed the Senate agains,
III
pressing exigency. In the course of his re-
| marks, he drew contrast between stationed
| troops on frontiers and "Texas rangers" one
| regiment of which, he contended, would be
more efectual in suppressing Indian hostilities
than any other mode of force that could posi-
bly, be adopted and that, give Texas single
regiment OF rangers of one thousand or even
eight hundred men, it would be all she would
require to protect her own frontier.
| Mr.. Wilson moved to postpone the further
consideration of the subject until tomorrow
and gave notice that he would, at the proper
time, offer a substitute for the original bill AND
in the mean time he would send it to the Chair
that it might be printed.
1T provides for raising volunteer force, not
to exceed 5000 men.I ..
The subject was postponed till Tomorrow.
Upon the question of precedence, desultory
debate sprang up, which was protracted to q
late hour-being participated in by Messrs.
Stuart, Green, Fitzpatrick, Douglas, Mason,
Wilson, Bayard, Hale, Brown, Crittenden, and
others
Mr.. Green thought it proper to wait until the
census of Minnesota was complete.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick, as a member of the Com
mittee on Territories, desired postponemeut
of the question, to afford him an opportunity OF
reading the report of the committee.
Mr.. Bayard thought it premature to hasten
the consideration OF the Minnesota case, as he
felt constrained to raise in limine a constitu.
tional question which was of the most i'm.
portant and delicate nature. He denied the
right of any Territory, in the condition of Min.
! nesota, TO assume the prerogativee of State
by proceeding to the election of Senators.
| Mr.. Mason and Mr.. Brown argued against
Immediately entertaining the application of
Minnesota, on the ground that Kansas in a few
days would, in like manner, be suing for ad.
mission into the Union. Mr.. Mason thought
it possible that both political necessity and a
political propriety might arise for coupling the
two cases of Minnesota and Kansas, and he
therefore did not desire to act upon the former
until the surroundings of the latter had been
clearly ascertained. There was a time when
the admission of new States into the Union,
whatever their local institutions, had been
hailed with universal delight. He hoped that
time had not passed but if the application of
Kansas should disclose the unwelcome fact,
the mind of the whole country would be en-.
lightened on the subject. For himself, at least,
he preferred to postpone the case of Minnesota
until it should be ascertained whether any ne
cessity might arise for uniting her fortunes
with those of Kansas.
-. ' $500 IL opinion with Mr..
Mason, and intim"...ru that the anxiety of " Re-
PuDnce@I senators to hasten consideration
Si Minnesota's claims might spring from de.
sire on their part to secure two more votes
against the admission of Kansas under the Le-
compton Constitution. For himself he pre-.
ferred to test the latter question before the
Senate with its present constituents, and he
gave it as his opinion that q refusal to admit
kansas as slave State, accompanied by the
admission OF Minnesota as free State, when
the principles that should govern the two cases
are the same, would be a signal for the dissolu-
ton of the Union. If Kansas was to be re.
jeoted, let Minnesota be rejected also, and the
people of Mississippi would not complain.
Mr.. Douglas admitted that the census re.
turns had not been received from seven cuun.
ties in the Territory but as those returns
would in ali probability be received before any
vote was taken on the measure, their non ARR.
val was now no bar to a consideration of the
bill.
Mr.. Wilson alluded to the fact that thirty
thousand votes had been cast by the people of
Minnesota In favor of their Constitution, and
only Eve hundred against it. The Legislature
of the inchoate State was now in session, enact
ing laws which proceeded from men elected
under the pending Constitution but which were
signed by the Secretary of the Territory-thus
creating confusion of jurisdictions which it
was important to remove without delay. The
case of Minnesota was in no way connected
with that of Kansas but if Senators could not
determine how they would vote upon the Slain
of the former until the attitude Of the Republi-
can minority was sscertsined with respect to
the latter, be felt authorized to assure them 10
advance that the admission of Kansas under
the Lecompton fraud would be resisted by
every expedent within the rules Of the Senate.
Mr.. Hale desired to direct the attention of
the country to the observations of Mr.. Mason,
who, he thought, had signi6ed a determination
to oppose hereafter the admission of any and
every free State, unless the pretensions of the
Lecompton Constitution should be allowed to
pass unchallenged. If that determination was
adhered to, it was apparent that this Union
would never embrace more than thirty.one
States.
Mr.. CrittendsA apoke earnestly IN favor of az
Immediate consideration of the Minnesota bill.
he thought il too late to raise the question
suggested by Mr.. Bayard. Long and establish.
ed precedent had authorized the Territories to