Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-05-26
CAMERON ON PIGLER.

and made few brief remarks reminding Sen
ator Bigler that he misrepresented his con-
stituents by voting for the bill reported by the
Committee of Conference
Senator CAMERON said: Before the vote is
taken desire to say word or two in relation
to my own course. 1t was my Intention at an
early part of the session to say something up
on the general subject Of Kansas affairs, but
| am as You all know, not much OF public
speaker, having but little capacity in that
way and no taste for it. | often felt disposed
to take part in debate but when proposed
to do so, deferred to others; and sometimes
when felt like going on, L found that some
gentlemen were discussing the question bet
ter than | could hope to do. L rise at this
time only to say that l disapprOve of the pro-
position now before the Senate, much more
than did of the original attempt 10 force on
the people of Kansas a constitution which
they were unwilling to take. The original bill
was plain proposition, for which men might
have voted honestly, without Suhjecting their
motives to cenSure. This | look upon as
different affair. This, to my mind, is trick
to impose upon weak men, to enable cor
rupt men to make the impression upon their
constituents at home that they have been act
ing honestly. Still, | should have said moth
ing this subject now, if my respected col
league had not been in such hot haste to
announce to the Senator from New
osition that the vote had been carried in
the other House against the wishes of the
freemen Of Kansas. His acts were SO different
from what l expected from an honorable Sem
ator from Pennsylvania, that was surprised
at it. have thought heretofore that no man
in the whole State of Pennsylv lvana was more
positive and decided in the expression of his
belief before the people, that Kansas would
not only BE a free State, bl t that she should
not have State constitution at all, unless it
should be voted for by majority of her citi-
zcns. His whole course in life, until he came
here, was in favor of frecmen and OF the Free
Labor of the Northern States. His own his
tory was such as naturally to make him an ad-
vocate of freemen and free labor why he
has canged his course here is no business of
mine but it does seem to me in bad taste
that he should act as he does, knowing as he
certainly does, that not only the whole Op-
position party in Pennsylvania, but very
| large majority of the party to which he be-
| longs in that State, are opposed to this mea
| sure, and opposed to the conduct of the Pres
ident of the United States in regard to it
/ and ! cannot permit him to come here and
| make the impression that he believes the pco-
| pie of Pennsylvania are in favor of it nor
| can / remain quiet, much as l dislike to talk
| in pnblic when the impression is attempted to
! be made that the people of Pennsylvania are
with him or with the President OF the United
! States upon this subject.
If the vote we're to be taken to morrow, the
| people of Pennsylvania, by hundred thou
| sand majority would decide that the Presi-
/ dent of the United States had deceived them
/ in regard TO this matter, and would prove also
| that my colleague is misreprescnting his con-
StitucntS on this great question.
| The people of Pennsylvania are conserva-
| tive, and on all questions connected with sla-
| very they have always taken moderate course;
| but, sir, tell you that if any man, who was
! in their confidence in the year 1886, could
| have convinced them that, by any possible
means, a constitution could be forced upon
! the people Of Kansas in opposition to their
wishes, and withuot vote of the people, Mr..
| Buchanan could never have received the cleo
| tOral vote of Pennsylvania. He owes it to
| the conduct of himself, and the active iniu-
ence of his friends all over the State, assert
irg that by nature Kansas must be free, and
that no man would dare, no matter what his
position was, to attempt to put upon her a
constitution unless her people had the free
and lull right TO vote for or against it. The
President himself, thought so until lately
Everybody knows that so late as the Ith OF
July last, he wrote letter to distinguished
man in Kansas, telling him that the Constitu-
ton must be submitted to the people of the
Territory for their fair and free vote, or 1t
would not be adopted or sanctioned by the
Government. | repeat, that do not desire
to occupy the time of the Senate now L am
desirouS that the vote shall be taken. A major
! ity, by some means or other, has decided a
| gainst US in the other House the majority
| here, we know, is against US, and 1t is idle to
talk when strong majority Will vote against
us.
|. On Wednesday the 18th, the Senate had up
| for consideration the subject of the withdrawal
| of the fishing bounties, and the release OF the
duty on salt. Bigler, with his usual temerity,
declared himself in favor of the former prop
osition, and opposed the latter. This brought
| down on him the cutting sarcasm of MIR. Sew
ard, from which he did not escape without a
| scathing. ssAftcr foundering about for some
time in water too deep for his inches,'' says
a correspondent of the Philadelphia Enquiter,
| Ex-senator Cameron kindly undertook to relieve
him from his awkward dilemma The re-
marks of Mr.. Cameron, on this occasion, are
too good to be lost, and We therefore quote
them in full. Mr.. c. said:
ssI desire only to say n word in vindication
of my colleague, and l think, in justice to him
and myself, should be permitted to say that
| word, for you know | do not often occupy
much of the time of the Senate. 1t is that
am satisfied he is acting in accordance with
his well-known principles. He is, L believe,
a free trade man, if l can Judge him from his
acts. l remember that at the close of the
| last session the reduction of duty on our great
staple, iron, was made, if not by his motion,
at least by his vote. He agreed to it, and
was perfectly satisfied with it. The result has
been to break up every iron master in Penn
sylvaDia who had not an immense fortune be-
yond his business in trade. Every man who
was at all indebted in his business has been
destroyed. The iron business of Pennsylva-
MIA, about which gentlemen speak here, is no
longer an interest. No man, unless he has a
fortune that he has inherited or obtained from
sources beyond his business, is capable OF
conducting furnace for day.