The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-09-02

We give below an extract from the
speech of Judge Trurnbull delivered at
Chicago, which carries with its weight
of argument, backed up with proof,
which presents to the naked eye the
iuiquity of Douglas SO clearly that no
honest man, it matters not what his po-
litical antecedents or affinities have been
or now are, can sustain the retiring
Senator, in his present inconsistent and
disorganizing course. Let every Doug
las-worshipper read it:
Let us follow this history along lit
tie further. In process of time it was
supposed that Kansas would wish to be
admitted into the Union as State.
Her people, you remember, had formed
one constitution known as the Topeka
Constitution" !" establishing free State.
1t was necessary to meet this with
something, and n bill was prepared in
the Senate of the United States, by Mr..
Douglas, authorizing the people of
Kansas to hold convention and form
constitution. Several amendments
were offered to that bill. Among 9TH
ers an amendment was offered by Mr.
Toombs, of Georgia, and that bill sub
sequently passed the Senate. Now,
fellow citizens, / make the distinct
charge, that there was preconcerted
arrangement and plot entered into by
the very men who now claim credit for
opposing a constitution not submitted
to the people, to have a constitution
formed and put in force without giving
the people any opportunity to pass up
on it. Great applause.] This, my
friends, is serious charge, but charge
it tonight, that the very men who trav-
erse the country under banners proclaim
unpopular sovereignty, by design, con-
cocted bill on purpose to force con-
stitution upon that people. The evi-
dence to prove the charge l made, /
have brought along with me, Ap-
plause. l-because charge of a serious
character like this might be contro-
verted by the men who claim credit for
popular sovereignty, unless / brought
the evidence with me. l hold in my
hand the bill brought into the Senate OF
the United States by Mr.. Toombs on
the 25th of June, 1856, containing a
clause requiring the constitution which
the convention should form, to be SUBJ
mitted to the people for their ratifica-
ton or rejection. That bill wasreferred
to the Committee on Territories in the
Senate of the United States, of which
Judge Douglas is chairman. Judge
Douglas, five days afterwards, reported
back the bill l hold in my hand, making
various alterations in the bill, and
among others striking out tie clause
requiring the constitution to be submit
ted to the people, and he stated that, on
consultation with Mr.. Toombs, he had
made these alterations. Tremendous
applause. .a ra -z
A Voice-To whom did he make the
statement?
Mr.. Trumbull-He made it in the
Senate of the United States, and it is
reported in the Congressional Globe
and, sir, if You are a Douglas man
Same Voice-I am, sir.
Mr.. Trumbull-And you want to
satisfy yourself that he was in the plot
to force a constitution upon the people?
| will satisfy you. Cries of good.
good hit him again, and cheers.]
will cram the truth down any honest
mans throat until he cannot deny it.
Renewed cheers. And to the man
who does deny it, Twill cram the lie
down his throat till he shall cry enough.
Tremendous cheering. -.,
1t is preposterous-lt is the most
damnable effrontery that man ever put
on to conceal scheme to defraud and
cheat people out of their rights and
then claim credit for it. Cries, Hurrah
for Trumbbull; hit him again, down
with all such men, That is not all
my Douglas friend-that is not ALL /,
myself, humble as am, and making no
pretensions other than to have per-
formed my duty to the State that has
honored me by placing me in the Sen
ate, to the best of my ability, pointed
this out two years ago. Three cheers
for Trumbull were given, with great
enthusiasm. stated that it was little
too much to call convention in Kan
sas before knowing what was the wish
of the people, and then to allow the fif-
ty-two men which were to compose the
convention according to that bill, to put
any sort of constitution upon the
people, without allowing them to vote
upon it. say tnafT
A Voice-What did Douglas say to
| it?
Mr.. Trumbull-What did he say.
He was silent as the grave, and voted
for the bill. Applause. 1t passed
the Senate, but was defeated in the
House. Mind you now, this was be-
fore the Presidential election. Cheers
and laughter. 1t was before the thun-
ders of the Fremont vote had rolled
down to Washington and frightened
the men that were there. Applause.
1t was before the free people of Illinois
had swept the plunderers from the
State Capital, and installed in their
places free men and the friends of free
men. Renewed applause. 1t would
not do to risk that policy much longer.
Laughter and applause.
~