The Washington union., 1858-02-05
HFAU UtlIErH


President of the United States transmitting to the Sen
copy OF the Lecompton constitution.
Mr. DOUGLAS submitted the following resolutions
Resolved be requested furnish all the M
within his control on the following points.
The returns and yctes for and against convention An M
held in the Territory Of Kansas IN October 1886
I'd The registration the Territory
under provisions Of the tho said Legislature passed ~
ruary providing for the election Of delegates and
81 The returns in said Territory on u,
eeubes 1857 under the schedule Of the Ieoomlton oonu
out slavery
ath Ths returns held Territory Kanss.
tho ab day January 1883, under the authority pas.e
legislature Of said Territory submitting the constitution oru
comIon convention = yoc Of the people for racaon
Sth the election held in said Territory on the a.
day 5 Of f. lss sf ss s Sea q ans ,ns leVSn %
legislature, specifying the OF each o1ieer to whom cerdp
counted candidate distinguishing tho vo
turned within the ac and IN the mode provided said schedule ana
those subsequently other modes stating wh
at either any Of rejected rs
quenoc not having been returned in time or to tho right o0
proper form, or for any other cause stating specifically viz
6th All correspondence between any the executive dcu,
Denver relating TO Kansas affair I
which has not been communicated 10 the Senate
esoleed That the all the Information desired the t
going resolution not now IN the possession Of the President
any the executive departments he be respectfully m
the proper orders and take the necessary steps TO procure sans
for the use OF the Senate
Mr. d. asked that the resolutions might be Immediate,
considered as he deemed the information asked for TO
essential to the proper understanding of the subject u
der consideration.
Mr. MASON objected and the resolutions lie over m
til to morrow under the rule,
MIR. BROWN then resumed his remarks which h
commenced yesterday, in favor of the admission of Kan
ss and indicating the policy Of the President as ai
down in the recent message In allusion to the speeches
of Messs DOUGLAS and STUART against the Iecompton
constitution he asked whether they would have opposed
that instrument ii it had been freeStatc constitution,
Mr.. DOUGLAS replied that he took his position upon
this subject at time when the probabilities were that
the slavery clause would be voted out His vote would
be given without any reference, direct indirect to the
slavery question: but predicated alone upon the fact that
majority of the people of the Territory opposed
that instrument their fundamental law Ii they want
slavery, they may have It,
Mr.. STUART lest If he remained silent, he should b
supposed to acquesce in the mpntation conveyed by h
remarks of the senator from Mississippi took the opp
tunity to remind the Senate that he had stated distinctly
in his speech that it made difference to him whether
the constitution with slavery OF the constitution without
slavery should be presented here Let constitution BE-
shown him which inibodies the will OF the people Of The
Territory and he would vote for it whether he liked ii
provisions not but, believing that the Leoomptu
constitution against the wishes Of large majority
the people, and being convinced that IT was no longu
debatable question: but had been demonstrated by The
people at the polls he could not vote to force that CON
stitution upon them against their will,
Mr.. BROWN replied that the senators had one way
ascertain what the will of the people, and be h
another and a different way. His way was to ascertain
their will in the mode and at the time provided by law
If ian election held and only two-ffths OF the Eoy
voted for proposition on candidate, and nobody yo
against them, the remainder supposed to acquisc
it. He had colleagues in the other house who wm
elected by minority of the people Of their districts and
yet nobody pretended to deny the legality Of their e
ton.
Mr.. b proceeded to comment on the doctrine Of pop
ular sovereignty. That doctrine had never met his
appreciation and he regarded the course of Brigham
Young legitimate deduction from that pni
Pile Jim Lane and his followers in Kansas think thr
popular sovereigns, and they have right to do
they please even if they take notion to overtum The
lawful government They were only carrying out tN
doctrine when they called meeting at Topeka and
resolved that they the majority and then proceeded
to act upon their resolves Their conduct reminded him
the resolutions of the Purtans Resolved that the @
is the Lords and he has given it to the saints Resolved
that we are the saints faughtor.] If the doctrine
popular sovereignty correct, the movement Of 1ho
W. Dorr was justitable- AS to Mr. DOUGLAS he had no
desire to read him out OF the democratic party it womb
give him great pleasure to have that senator rean
the party and act with it but where did he stand M
he stand with that party! No! On this question he
stood side by side with the republican members, an
against the democrats; and yet this question vita
to the safety of the Union itself If he out Of
party, it was not because he had been turned out bu
he had voluntarily walked out.
Mr.. PUGH inquired whether the senator from Miss -
sppi believed the people of Kansas could alter the c
tuition prior to 1864 He only desired to ascertain &
senator's opinion.
Mr.. BROWN replied that he admitted that right Gh |
should have admitted it, had it been declared dm
every page of that instrument that it should not be ad
ed. All he demanded was that this right should be a
ercsed under the forms of law and not by mob yona
Mr.. TRUMBULL inquired whether the senator woua
admit that the Legislature could pass law to change
constitution
Mr. BROWN said that he had not expected to be aks
to point out to the republicans how the constitution cO
be changed but he would tell them II they have nt
already secured majority in the Legislature when a
next election on let them go the polls like quiet
peaceable and orderly citizens and elect their Legislative
and their governor Then let the Legislature appoint
day when the people themselves elect delegates b
convention which shall change it, The Legislature h y
no power to change word or syllable Of the conIu
ton but they appoint day when the peoples
assemble under the forms of law and elect convedt
which can change the constitution, even asaind n
words of the constitution itself
Mr. WILSON replied at some length stating hab
liked his old speeches. and he commended the study dS
speeches to the senator from Mississippi In the cus
of his remarks he said that he had examined the stM
ment of Henry Clay Pate, which had been adduced by
senator from Missouri (sIr. Polk, and he found twT
absolute lies in eleven lines of that paper He repaN
the old story of frauds in the Kansas elections. and m
from paper where the names of james Buchanan WI II
liam II, Seward John G. Fremont, Edwin Forrest, @'
others represented having voted for the Iecom
constitution.
Mr. GREEN said that to make charges of fraud wth
out having the evidence to subsantiate them was ss'
and calumny lie had sat STILL from day to day, hesTN
these charges repeated and had orborne to reply to ha
but there point beyond which forbcarancc ceased
be virtue and that point had been well nigh reaon
He wanted an investigation of these charges asansg
people Of Missouri. That there had been some frauds
would not deny. There were frauds to greater OF ~ ~
degree In almost all elections but he did not believe
there had been frauds in Kansas to such degree
vitiac the elections there lie hoped the question w