The Washington union., 1858-02-07
THE .FREEDoM PARTY APPLYING THE GAG.

uon OF reference 10 specai cohiHttcc' ~ wan 'o'
a question upon his resolution. 1t was not a qucs-
ton of reference, even. 1t was simply question to
prevent anybody from explaining his resolve or
pointing ont its necessary effect. And thus we had
the strange spectacle of party which claims to be,
par excellence, the freedom party the sef-eleced
guardians of free thought free speech, and free per-
sons and especially tho friends of the largest liberty
in Kansas had the marvellous spectacle of this
party arranging small trick to stiac debate and
seal the lips of its opponents upon an important is
sue and sitting for whole night in order to accom-
plish this great, good, and glorious result! COM
ment upon such proceeding is Unnecessary. We
look with some interest to sec it rebuked on Mon
day as it deserves
MIR. HARRIs'B RESOLUTION POLITICAL LEGER-
DEMAIN.
We do not complain that the republicans are fac
tous tricky and wiful upon the question which is
now before Congress. II is their stock in trade it
is their capital They got up the quarrel four years
ago upon it, and have prosecuted it ever since with bit
terness and total disregard of conse
quences. They rdculed and abused our platform
at Cincinnati. They traduced and viliiied our can
didates local and national They went into the can
vass of 1856 upon this Kansas programme. 1t is
the soul of their party. Without it they have no
party. They live to-day; they arc scattered and
disgraced tomorrow We do not expect them to
give up all they possess-to surrender their whole
But we are equally surprised and mortified at the
attitude of those democrats who have heretofore
stood by the Of the democracy through all it's
trials who have shared in it's triumphs and it's hon
ors, and who are now promoted to be the engineers
and iremen of the opposition. Foremost amongst
the renegades is Mr.. Harris, Of Illinois. Acting in
concert with Mr. Grow, the republican leader, who
yielded the floor to him, the former at the long
sion on Friday submitted the following resolution,
and moved the previous question upon it:
esolred That the message Of the President enclosing
the constitution framed at Lecompton in the Territory Of
Kansas, by convention Of delegates thereof and the
papers accompanying the same, be referred to select
committee of fifteen to be appointed by the Speaker and
that said committee be instructed to inquire into all the
facts connected with the formation of said constitution
and the laws under which the originated and
into all such facts and proceedings have transpired
since the formation of said constitution having relation
to the question of the propcty OF the admission of said
Tcrritor, into the Union under said constitution, and
whether the acceptable and satisfactory to
jority of the legal voters of Kansas and that said
mittcc have power to send for persons and papers.
The purpose of this side blow is obvious enough.
The Lecompton constitution not before the
House. The reference proposed, in point of fact,
was the Presidents message. Without word Of
debate-wihout moment for examination or delib-
Grafton upon the message or the constitution itself
Mr.. Harris, a professed advocate of non-nterven-
tion-a professed demlocrata professed disciple of
territorial and State sovereignty in league with the
opposition, receiving and giving counsel-moves a
resolution by which it is proposed to ascertain,
through committee of Congress, whether the con-
stiuon just ratified "is acceptable and satisfactory
to majority of the legal voters of Kansas Mr..
Harris did not leave his resolution open for discus
sion, that its monstrous pretcnsions might be ex-
posed No; that would not do. The House and
the country would be told that his measure in
tended only by egcrdeman to defeat the admission of
the new State What process. for instance would the
committee adopt to ascertain the will of the majority of
the people of Kansas Would they subpoena them
to answer? Would they sit in Judgment upon their
right to vote? Would they require an oath with
the answer? Did faction ever originate more un-
mitgated schome of nonsense and trash than that
which conceived the idea of despatching a commit
tee of Congress toprocure expression of the will of
the people of State upon matters purely local Wasi
necessary to the execution Of this work, too that tho
voice Of the House should be suppressed; that the
committee should spring from ambush, to do i'm.
possible things in violation of the rights of distant
people, in contempt of every maxim of practical life,
and of the principles of the democratic party? Above
all was it necessary that this movement, which has
the allegiance of every republican in the House,
should be headed by a professed democrat, and sup
ported by little corporas guard of followers, OF
the same character? We appeal to the democracy
of the country to vindcate its honor and its name
from the blot which rests upon them by this
act of folly and treachery the part of Mr.. Harris
and his associates.
THE PRESS ON THE SPECIAL MESSAGE.
We publish this morning number Of extracts
from the democratic press of the country upon the
special message Of the President, enclosing to Con-
press the Iecompton constitution. We might lll