Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-08
Pos tic Enquirer
,Tnp noIGLAS' SpEECli--

Eor lie Enquirer.
SENATOR DOUGLAS SPEECH
SrShIOR GREENS SPhe>h'
,s,s C3i;ors:- 1hs spec ra W 'e''.'"' -,
ese's rs b,-,p nuiuicL To triumphant snswei
"a' a. Dmnlas u;u.I the Kansas question:. J
rpor,urate IS to be- unable to perceive ,'s
"a az sucr, and will venture TO MAKE SOME 'n,' i
supon Do. lions Of it, in order to ln,iIy, q; '' +,
,t Jsast as far may be, this stHpci,y wiz" ,;
no find, il separating me aud my DeIio''a'N
bren generally, upon this subject: r,,,,
very considerable portion OF Mr.. sreen
s,s4cb il devoted TO effort to prove tna. ss,r
nsve business to take G ,hsr sccepance save
ire renublicsn or non-repubican character NV ~ ha
FOR Douglas makes no Issue upon hs pull pun a; c,;us
contrary he repeatedly and enpha'tcany .', n,har
any right on the part OF 40 rocsr Of such Consti.
49, ia states the doctrine with lar more 9p
.,v and force than does Senator Hseeh' NJ ,h -,
cr;Iss n MIR, Douglas false position ae ' ouS
| nrncaads to define what 10 lhe uuo - 49, f,on.
;s Jafn;.ion is this fought Kansas, wien ie, ,o
his nehn'.U au ha nresentet to be admitted into the
I!nn,, With all Difference to Mr.. ueeeii Is,
~. ,i, .,rne issue' is any such mag anu no"
no difficulty in perceiving' tha., , the wbos te
Sonatnr Douglss, to be consistent WIZ, 'u S;do With
senator o,Sn sneech. viii Stand side by sac Nun
NJ. crasn. What then IS the "true issue rur
nj. M .Iu "Is this Lecompton CONSTITUENT, lmh
Tons,i,ntion approved and presented V ~ rhoe or
ps of Kansas" 1t is to th's issue l,ns and it ia
ns,or Douglas argument is direcleu a.u ,a 20 &, ="
Sue, INSTRUMENTATION of his position 10 asciue "
s s; e. other Let any candid reader Pefuso hs
speech and he will find, that inc o'y Const;tu,;on
h, that this paper. purportng 10 oe ,ancas no con
r'Krsss cannot under the circumstances, pe con
s;dorsd as one made under. and preseh!Sra oy !ne
";I, of the people," fairly expressed. ihis Is .ie
noson Senator Douglas takes. WI" anS oouy ne,
nv M Will any body contend tnat smo , ,t ~ q 7
question to be decided oy Oons,es roht r. touch
have stated and that Congress mas te
the onsstion of reception until that as aeElaeI!
Mr Donrlss has abored to prove that inns LecolnP
ton Constitution is not one presented oy .ue peop:
of Kansas With what success i, 10, u ~ h. rsfsd
fed Ar all events if his argument ID 70 oe @
:, a,not hs done BY rnisstatement OF 'he issue'
| ~ Crsan says: 81 know he rW conceoe tlla' C'n,
oress has no right to consider any o. .ne
the Constitution of State, save whether II Se
Gnsn &c. If he "knows he will concede inls' why
Iaa % r,nch Mains TO prove i'll But let MIR. Green
hasr in mind that ''conceding this 10 one tnhg; con
csdinp that this paper under discussion Is NS
| tuition of Kansas, 10 another' A.. 49,.
| ~ NJ, C.rasn next devotes column or TWO 10 snow
.,at a .snahlinp" act is not indispensable. Ia not
eli this too breath wastedl MIR. Douglas lays down
| M suoh proposition. he merely CONTENDS tha'
sucb proceeding would have been the most regular
was necessary 10 enaIe ,no but dis.
tnctly and frankly admits that the want OF 1t IL de-
foot wbich ran be cured by full and untrammel!ed
| vote OF the people. The detect NOT being ctree'
yitistes the whole proceeding. In admitting ms M
adj tnfa
mon snv reasonable evidence, that this Constitution
embodies the twill of the people" and MIR: douglas
| votes with YOU And here let me say, mr.. Editor
! that in nv Judgment when We aoandoh ths cohoi'
lion OF an "enabng' act We open the ooor 10 squat
far sovsrepnty i'm it's most odous ana absurd iorh''
a handful of adyenturers may take possession OF any
territory draft "republican Cons!iluton, auu ue
| msnI acknowledgment as sovere'gn otae. ia w..
oress cannot inquire whether they nave cothp;eu
with the conditions OF inc r ';,sn s.,"n;ur
| totin
nrsc;ssIy the powere which are exercised oy
nm .,s1ablipg" aci; and it does strike uie a.
fs halter that Congress should take Tins lnilia'ofy
stsp. so as TO secure compliance WIN Cons.auo"a
anr,';romonts than 10 have IL to 40 aleE"arus'
~ :, .hst vrould require more power TO pass ai'
.Sne Hing" than dis abng act 1t this be the cor
rsct view of the matter, 1t vlndcates tne JUSTICES vi
Mr. Douglas position, viz: that it IS necessary 10
have either an enabling act or o the he'1 mamie
Green laws il down, and enarges upon inc PROPOSE
tou that the Territory belong! to the Federal Coy
eminent for the use of all the statesi ana yel ne
asks with great emphasize and nsljsaabe
rphts than they' 1.-THE people OF hansas) "aireaoy
nossess7" IL this is not something OF contIaoic
tion, how do these two sentences souna togetnert
"Wbat enabling act wss required to impart 10 them
the power to propose change III Ineir 'uln'
srn,nant7 Nothing but the ssasnt OF Inc Federa
in SOME manner, shape OF io:in VIII ever
imoart to them independence ana so'esei-My.'
Th;s ouic ia too high for If were an inolvid.
ual of sufficient authority wouia venture ,.i's
80 spgpest 10 Mr. Senator Green, that he nad kept
in yisw the real meaning of an "enaoiing ae', ne
vonld hardly have involved himself IN what looked
IN me like the most glsring Inconsistencies. Ihat
meaning conceive to DO, an dseer'aa"'eHi oy cen
gress of the falhmsnt on Inc part " .ne ~. rsdsra
Territory of the conditions required by the Federal
Constitution to ent;tle them to admission az SSSte;
and not an imparting to them Of sovereignty. ms
a,eeyta;umeat it ia tbs business OF Congress
kh1
States to whom, Mr.. Green Gays, 1.-THE territory De-
Loups" They may make !: afterwards; but with MIR.
Douglas submit, is it not better 6etorel 10 use
homely illustration of this-The boy ID OF age, anu
has the rights of man at Il; moi because te ia'.e.
apprebend If il il ascertained tibet he assumes ms
RIGHTS Iefors he has reached that age the laws VIII
NOT sustain him. This is the theory, Messrs. Editors
bow far it is true in pracfce IN ths progsessSe ago.
don't understand ms as expressing any opinionl
g Senator Green has, to his manifest deilgn1,
manufactured "demma," in regard 10 Governor
Walkers so called interference with the rlghis 0t tne
people, upon one horn OF whicn nr. Doug.as 81 -
hound to hang leave it to Senator Douglas to dis.
nose of this dilemma in his own way. II does not
look very formidable to me. But would ike to ASK
Mr. Grsen which Of these horns ne WIN choose 10 %
imps,eG cpon7 They are thus stated oy nm In ao.
yocating the Submission of tho Constitution, Walker
either did right, or he did rrong. Now Mr.. Green
will hardly take thu first, because that blows his
whole fabric 10 atoms VIII he take me secoa7 IL
So what will he do with the President.-Who says u
took il for granted that the Convention of Kansas
wouId act in accordance with this example, VIZ
he last Congress requiring that the Constitution OF
Minnesota, should DO subject to the approval anu
ratification of the people,, founded as 1t 10 on correct
nrinoiples: and heaee my Instructions 10 G0rernor
fVaIksr in Goror of submitting tie Constitution 10 Tie
psopLe. ,rerc expressed IN general and un9aafVee@
terms"
True President Buchanan undertakes as bis orgsa
has done for him, to maintain the postion 'uat t.e
-,
soveregnty to the subject Of slavery, had authority
aud was intended to esclnds every other SUBJECT
With all respect for him, must say, ih.s woula oe
"hora" enough for me, without being forced upon ~,
that other one of swallowing my own instructions
d. Senator Green, speaks OF the Lecompton Con
sitution as one that has been as regularly ss non
estly as fairly agreed upon as any constitution tha'
tbis Government finds within the range OF the thirty
one States" 1t may weaken the force OF this asser'
ton With soma people, to observe thst the President
doesn't ascent to il. Wehave seen that nc eommends
the example at Minnesota, and regrets that it was
viii be obliged 10 you Messrs. Editors, to give
Mace in your columns to these brief comments. be-
cause think right; il not want to be correct
ed It ia with great reluctance tnat allow inc ee'
ing that belong to no party; bat with the views
hold | must confess too much is expected OF me,
when am called upon TO defend the positions now
occupied by the Democrats party OF the South upon
tbis Kansas matter. G. f. II.
~ So
Extract of a private letter, da'ed
U. S. SNIP SARATOGA,
HAMPTON ROADS Va. ;
New Years day, 1853
Yesterday morning we anchored abreast Of Cape
Henry lighthouse, having made an exceedingly good
passage from Ssn Juan de- Eorte. Nicaragua, OF Is
days We Ind signal flying all day from our fore.
mast head for pilot budid not succeed in obtaining
one, until late in the evening, when we took Bai'
more pilot on bosrdinternaly blessing the Norfolk
ones who are doubtless enjoying their Christmas no.
Il,,a ;,,teod of attending 70 their legitimate du.