Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-05-08
WASHINGTON

Mr. ii. MARSHALL. Very dpropos. While
| apply ONE verse to the gentleman, Mr.. Coz, ]
hiscolleague, whois in the same category, makes
another for himself [Laughter.l Nay it DO
has opitaph!
Mr.. COX. Whilst the gentleman is taking
ordersan singing hymns, letme ask him where
is his party, to which he would invite us
do not seeiit in the House. ls it the Republi-
can party, or is it the American party?
Mr.. II. MARSHALL Ny party is the Amer,
lean party-the party Of the Union. gt
Mr.. COX stand up for the Democratic
party, which always makes compromises, as our
fathers made them in the Constitution, and as
they have been made for the perpetuity of the
Constitution.
If the gentleman will allow me, further,
have made some concession. The gentleman
knowsit Where see the substance of thing
! will not to the disruption Of my party, upon
which ! think SO much depends, run after the
shadow
Mr.. II. MARSHALL. Iwant the gentleman
from Ohio to understand distinctly, as well as
the other gentlemen with whom it was my
fortune to act, that am not here to impugn
motives, and that am not here to challenge the
purity with which any gentleman has changed
his convictions; for, sir, as claim integrity of
purpose for myself will yield the same claim
to others.
Mr.. COX. Does the gentleman say that
have changed my conuictions?
Mr.. II. MARSHALL. I will not say that
the gentleman has changed his convictions; but
certainly he has altered his course.
Mr.. COX. wish the gentleman to under
stand distinctly, that from the time that the re-
port from the conference committee came in,
have had it under consideration. had the
matter presented from both sides. We are two
hundred and thirty-four members here, of di-
verse opinions, and when we adopt a measure,
it cannot be expected that all who favor it, do
SO with the same opinion of it We must yield
some of our opinions. The gentleman must
admit that he didindrectly impugn my motives.
When come forward and attempt to sustain
this compromise as the very best could get,
do not, by any MEANS say that it conforms to
my best judgment; or that it is as perfect as
could wish it. 1t is the best, under the circum-
stances, for the country and the party.
2 Mr.. H. MARSHALL. All I have to say
about this matter, can be said without any
further interruption.
desire, before we take the vote on this bill,
frankly to state the objections have to it. The
bill does substantially submit the Lecompton
constitution to a vote Of the people of Kansas,
notwithstanding tho declaration of my friend
from Georgia lMr. STEPHENS and notwith-
standing the declarations which have been made
in another place, that in the drafting of this bill
there was an attempt to preserve the principle
of non-submission. If you were to put to the
people of Kansas the proposition that the
moon was made of green cheese and say to
them that they might take the question Of ad-
mission NTH that proposition, aud if they
voted in the affirmative on that proposition,
they should be admitted under the Lecompton
constitution; but if they voted in the negative
on that proposition, the Lecompton constitu-
ton should be considered dead, it does not re-
quire any very severe logic to deducc the con-
cIusion that, in fact they had an opportunity,
through an immslteridl proposition, to vote
on the question Of admission, ..,.t..
ButI object TO the manner Of submission. It
seems to be intended to save the pulses ofgentle-
men here at the expense of the history Of the
country, and at the expense Of the sense Of the
people of Kansas. Yourequire them to vote for
the rejection Of this proposition, shichis imma-
terial in ITSELF and to conceal the fact that they
are voting against the Leeompton eonstitu-
tion. Why take this coursei What motive
have you, except that, by the manner of this
proposition, you seek to conceal from the coun-
try that you, who vault so high, have, IN fact,
come downp .r ....-,.. .......... .....
To another branch Of that report am de-
terminedly opposed, because it presents a con-
dition that is degrading TO the people Of the
North. ask the people Of the South TO hear
me. We Of the slaveholding States are in this
Chamber in minority Of fifty. Suppose that
this Lecompton constitution, instead Of intro
ducing slave State, introduced a free State,
and that the majority Of the representatives Of
this country had sent that constitution back
with this immaterial proposition attached to
it, saying to the people of Kansas, take these
lands, and you can come in as a free State;
but if you attempt to come here with slave
State constitution, you must come under n
legal census, showing ninety-three thousand
inhabitants; come here with slave constitu-
tion, and you must show regular papers !"
would not my fellow-citizens Of the slayebold-
ing States have rejected such q proposition
with indignation and scornf By what sort
of ethics, in this council of equals, can we,
who are legislating for all sections, attempt to
propose one thing to tho North, which we
would consider ourselves insulted by, If pro-
posed to the SouthS Sir, the men who send
me hero do not send me here to play the sec
tionalist; they do not send me here rs stew
ard TO see hoD much can get for the Stare
States, and hoo much can wrOst from the
free States Whenever they want to degrade
me to that position, shall be here no longer.
| have learned in the school Of morals in
which was raised, that among equals, 1t Is
not fair aud proper to propose what you would
not be willing TO accept; and as southern
| man.--no not AZ a southern man, for | never