American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-06-10
LANCASTER, OHIO THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 10. 1858,


!, candidly will come to the same conclu-
sion. II my friends who have been in
favor Of the Lecompton Constitution, and
especially those who have been opposed
10 its submission to the people, shall look
candidly at it, they will see, not only the
submission which they oppose has been
granted, but see that that submission, and
the vote which is 10 be given under it. are
encumbered by conditions, By trsmmels,
and by temptations. which ought not to be
presented by US 10 any portion OF our peo.
pie. Must not that be their conclu sion?
Mr. President, anxious as l am to see
this subject entirely settled, and this Kan.
sas vol,ano extingu-hed, closed up, filled
up forever, / would rather that these
measures should fail. and Kansas be lett
just where YOU found her. than where this
bill would place her. To do nothing would
place her there without this injurious and
unjust legislation on our part This bill,
il she refuses TO accept the Lecompton
constitution, RENTS her to a Territorial con
dition. She is now in Territorial con-
dition. She will remain in it il no legisla.
ton be adopted by Congress. What good
then, is this 10 effect? Is not every gen
tleman here morally certain that all these
temptations will fail, and that this constitu.
ton will be rejected? l am perfectly GER
tain that it will be rejected; she will be a
territory then under the force of this legs-
lation. Shs is Territory now; and size
will continue to be territory il this bill
passes, and she rejects the Constitution
Then, what have we gained by it? Moth
ing; not straw, not the dust in the ba,-
ance in which the peace Of the country is
weighed.
Another and further distinction between
the House bill and this bill is, that the
House bill provided, in case OF the rejec
tion Of the Lecompton constitution, an i'm Is
mediate remedy for that. by calling anoth-
} er convention. which convention, before
} the next session Of Congress, the bill sup
J posed, would have formed constitution,
which would have been acted upon, and
we should come hero finding Kansas a
State in the Union at any rate, the ques-
ton Put ont Of our hands. for if they re
, jected this, We provided the means of their
making another This bill says. if they
: reject this. there is no means of their max
ing another, and they shall not have an
I other; it shall be postponed Indefinitely
I and we here authorize them, when they
9 have obtained a certain amount of popula
t ton, but not till then, to make consttu.
! ton, thus leaving this vexed and vexatious
question open, t. pour out further troubles
? on the land.
1t abandons then, that is all i
does in concurrence with my ideas Of the
! proFer coure on this subject-the Lecomp
\ ton constitution, by agreeing to submit il
I to the people. 1t does no more thar the
t House bill did on that point. In all the
o rest it is faulty; in all the rest it is poor
o manned imitation of the bill Of the House,
! worse for every change that has been
r made, and by these very changes creating
b inseperable obstacles to prevent those WIKI
# view it as do from giving their concur
y renee to the report Of this committe.
IS rejoice at it, so far as they 60 to abandon
n the Lecompton constitution, but, sir, Low
It strangely are the views changed upon thi
i subject, which will be satisfied with thi
y report Of the COMMITTEE here? The Pres
'f ident, in his special message, after argu
o ing the question and recommending ant
urging us to adopt the Lecompton Const
d tuition, among other reasons, says it is th,
e shortest and quickest way TO close up th
is Kansas question, and all the agi;ations tha
If have grown out Of it. That is one Of tn
i. Presidents inducements. He tells us
Is that will be consequence. He tells us, i
/. we do not agree to it. dangerous result
u will follow. This was the argument here
/. What, now, do the committee Of confer
>. ence propose? They abandon the Presi
i. dent, they abandon his reasons, they a
rs bandon bis recommendation, his authorit,
,e is set at naught-and what do they do?-
y. After having given the President reaso
}. to believe that, to this extent at least
in that is. of shortening the method Of sci
N Ting the Kansas question-they concurIe
Of with him in opinion. as the arguments o
,e gentlemen did on the original bill, the
III now turn round and say it is far from thei
ID purpose to adopt the shortest and th
H. quickest way for the admission Of Kansas
ve to quiet the land by admitting her into th
he Union; that is not their purpose at all; no,
ts they say TO her, If she does not take thi
il thing, she shall not come into the Unior
as she shall wait. how long do not know
n. the President does not know. All th
s: celerity Of movement toa particular go'
OF is laid aside, and now ifthe President cor
ye ours in it, as lift were in resentment o
gu his part, which 1 would not attribute
of hlm-but resentment itself could not bav
N. dictated course more calculated to aveng
ur the wrong Of refusing the Lecomptou Coz
er slitution absolutely, than the one which
he now proposed. that unless they take it the
he shall not come into the Union for an il
definite time-by the adoption of this
ire meudment his friends say to the Priside
he and by this report the committee Of col
air ference say to him, I'VE do not care wheth
Of that time is long or short; we do not agr'
of with you sir, on the question of the L
in compton consttut on, or a continuation
are all difficulties, and all the disturbances, al
,ur all the perils which have grown out Of
er. 10 the country That is the action, th
not is the legislation, Of Congress, if this r
ci- port be adopted. ssriT s t
err do not wish unnecessarily to enlarge {
ms this subject. I have stated the main re
der son why cannot vote for the report.