Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-03-27
SENATOR KENNEDY.

We have greatly regretted that Senator Kenne-
dy deemed 1t his duty to separate himself from
Mr Chttenden on the Lecompton question; but
he took different view of that question and
voted for IL. In the course of his speech upon
the question, Mr.. Kennedy gave utterance to the
following manly language, which we most cordial
ly commend:
Sir, am proud to have an opportunity to
stand here In the face ofthe world, upon the floor
of the American Senate, and 10 say that am not
ashamed 10 proclaim that an American nationality
must be preserved; that American interest must
be promoted; that the decisions OF the Supreme
Court must be maintained that alien suffrage and
squatter sovereignty must be repudiated; that
tho rights of conscience must be respected. lam
not here TO vindicate myself from the mere paltrv
charges that may be made In misrepresentation of
what have been vulgarly denominated Know
Nothings In this country. The first and highest
and the hottest principle to me Is the maintenance
of the Constitution Of this country, the enforce
ment Of its guarantees, the preservation Of the
rights Of the States under the Constitution, with
out which You can have no Government you can
have no law.
"These, Mr.. President are some Of the leading
measures Of that condemned and despised party
that / have the honor to represent Is there a
principle here, let me ask that is not in conform
ty with our great charter Of law and of lbertys
Is there one thing have uttered chat is not taught
by that papsrs The distinguished Senator from
New York the other day paid bis respects to my
party by abiding to II an 'ephemsrai organiza-
ton, based upon frivolous and foreign ideas It
Is not so ephemeral as he imagines should be
happy II could say that the principles Of the
gentleman's party we're only frivolous. They might
possibly be characterized by harder term. The
principles which have the honor TO advocate here
to-day are TO be found in the Constitution of the
United States, not outside Of II, nor above Il. I
say this with emphasis but with all respect TO the
distinguished gentleman, and for this reason, l
cannot, In the decision of the present question,
hold the slightest political ailiation with the te-
nets or doctrines Of that Senator
"While have all the feeling that am uttering
now for the Southern interests, and for the South,
born, reared, and educated as have been, in the
South, yet let me say that Senator on this floor
has heart more expanded and more thoroughly
in consonance with all the principles Of the Union
than have. No man win stand here longer than
| will vindcsting the Union. The principles Of
my party are based on one great idea--the perser-
walton Of the Union, by preserving the rights of
she States In the Union. All other questions that
came into lite party platform we're collateral ques-
tons, connected intimately and directly with, and
pointing to, this one particular purpose and OBJ
ject. Knight go further, and say more perhaps
than would be justi6able upon the floor Of the
Senate Of the United States, in vindication Of
party, the members Of which, whom find in this
body, lam happy to say, however few they may
be, are gentlemen who command the respect Of
those who are associated with them here, and Of
the country"