New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-13
THE KANSAS QUESTION.
spERCH OF TIE RON JOHN B. HAskIN
OF HHW-YORK.


~ De.oeratic Representative Of tho ~es'eDe'Tr
Nstr,et, got the floor in COMMITTEE % t'e ~n"0
AsVse, and delivered the following speech upon
lie sreat question Row before tho country
Mr.. HA.sIs-M, Chairman, I 90 10. prcp'ee !"
d,scuss the biD nov before The Com'n''fe ''ae
nyseI Of the Latitude u.usl in the Committee OF INC
Whos. intend TO tak Of the wrongs q nans'', A''
tie nehts Of the Northern Democracy WIN 'po pc
That Justice may be done Oh Tbs floor.
I,nn,o.ch the discussion Of one Of The most impor-
a., .n.,iops 90 far 80 the existence Of the National
n.,nacrscy and the Union concerned that ever 70
- ;,durent has been presented TO the consideration
"a docision Of the Congress OF the Nation, with diff
&rree lest may not be able, a. the only Democratic
Representative from the great state Of NewYork OPP
,oeed 10 the LecomptOn Constitution, TO 40 The sub
ret that justice which i deserves. hope i will not
be deemed egostcal in 20 refer tothe position that
lhave occupied in my native STATE as National
Democrat, always standing up for all the constitu-
bonAl rights Of the South. In 1873 II was
my province and pleasure, SO member OF the
Democratic General Committee in Iammany
Hall, 20 offer resolutions ra,fying the nominations
Of Case and Butler; and the occasion, IL was
he privilege Of one of my now Democratic colleagues
this floor 70 offer resolutions in opposition thereto
and in favor Of the views Of those who supported Van
Buren, and Adams Subsequently, ! had the honor
10 Offer resolutions, which wtre adopted by the Com
sonfyeres from that body. After his e1communica-
ton that colleague proceeded 10 the Buffalo COnven
mon and Joined hands with the AbOGtioDlsts and the
high protective tariff men of the North, and advocated
and supported the resolutions OF that Convention,
protesting forever thereafter against the admission OF
any Slave States, and in favor of high protect
I've tariff. During the campaign OF 1873 this col,
league in connection with John Van Buren,, addressed
various meetings throughout the State in favor of the
doctrines promulgated by the Buffalo Convention, and
the election Of their mongre ticket, Van Buen and
Adams, for the Presidency and Vice Presidency, and
abe Abolition State ticket, Dix for Governor, and
Gates for Lieutenant Governor.
To these two renegades and Free-SOl agitatOrs OF
that day, more than to any other cause, may be az
tnbuted the origin and growth Of that Free-SO senti
meDt which found EXPRESSION IN 1878 in one hundred
and twenty thousand votes in favor Of the FrceSoil
candidates, Van Buren, and Adams, i'll opposition 70
about one hundred thousand east FOR the neona cand
dates-Cass and Buter-and which, in 1876, came 10
electDg John e. Fremont. During all this time,
no man in the State of New-YOrk was more Jealous
and answering in the prOmlg cation of sound national
Democratic principles, than myself. The fret resolu-
hoDe that adopted in any recognized Democratic
Committee in that State in favor Of the kansas-Ne-
brsska bill were drawn and introduced by myself and
adopted in the Ilard-Sbel General COMMITTEE in
1854. In the Hard.Shell State Convention, in 1870,
urged upon the Committee Of Resolutions the adoption
Of affirmative resolution in favor of the Kansas
Nebraska bill. The prominent leaders in the Con-
vention and of the party out of it, opposed to
,ndorsiDg that act, fearing that might the
Free Soil sentiment Of the State and i9ure cause;
be Convention and forced the resolution through by
an amendment to the report of the Committee.
In consequence of this stand taken by our wing of
the party and the failure of the Soft Shell State Con-
veutiop Of which the colleague to whom have aud
ed a member, TO put tsef upon the record until
after the Fall election in Janusry following, in favor
OF the national doctrine of popular sovereignty, the
Hsyd.Sh delegation to the Cincinnati Convention /
were enabled to gain admittance to that body upon
Abe ground of national political orthodoxy to the e1-
illusion of the Softs who numerically were much in
Ascendency in the previous Fall election. Judge OF
my establishment and surprise, Mr.. Chairman, when |
found my colleague Mr.. John COchrane acting the
high priest OF the Of Democratic Representa-
Eves Of this House, and my amazementn reading re.
Gently q speech delivered In New-York by John |
Van Buren,, in which he favored the consummation Of
the LecoDpton fraud, by which Slavery is sought |
70 be forced upon the people OF Kansas against the eI
pressed viii Of three fOur1hs of them and IN which he
praised the Democratic party for having been the /
means OF admitting Texas into the Union as Slave
State when il notorious that he and his father and
those who composed the Van Buren, party, strenuous
ty opposed the annexation, and by secret circular
spdeavored TO defeat Polk and Dallas
have reverted to the former course Of these gen.
temen not out of personal hostility but TO show that
ae in nature the change changes the mere
politician when actuated by interest; and to enter my
protest against the power assumed by such Democrats
and apparently recognized by majority OF my party |
upon this floor Of reading out of the Democracy gen.
temen who have been consistent National Democrats |
al their lives. In these loose party tmes the line
Of demaikstion between party rebellion and featy s
% finely drawn and so nearly allied that the word |
rebel has no grating sound upon my ear ana pro-
duces no terror. Had Gen. William Walker whom
the South have sought to herOZe at the expense OF the
noble conduct of the gallant Pauding been successful
in Nicaragua even he would have been patriot.
Success makes patriots now a-days, and in politics,
owing 70 the degeneracy of the times IN which We
i've many poll icans, regret 10 say, prefer success
rather than virtue. Mr. Chairman, / cannot be read
out Of the Democratic party for my vote against the
Leoompton Constitution, conceived as it Was in fraud
and brought forth in inquity preierring to be night
rather han TO be Endorsed when wrong by the nominal
temporary head OF the Democratic Church. Men
" chsnge-principles never Is truthful maxim thst
we should sl live up to- Has occurred SIR, TO
those new.Aedged National Democrats on this h,or
who srrogse " themselves penary power to read out
Of the party consistent Democrats that seven OF tue
twelve Democratic members from New-fork We're
Hard. Shell rebels in that State from September 1888,
down to the election Of this Administration That they
rsbelled against President Pierce and his mpioDs not
because be false to the principles platform upon
which he wss elected but simply for the reason that
he had insulted the National Democrats in SewY0rk
N giving the most important Federal appointments TO
the Free Soil leaders who had contributed TO the de-
teat Of Cas- and Butler thus offering indgnity to
the true men Of the partythose who had credited and
sustained the National Democratic sentiment Of the
North which elected Mr.. Pierceand also for the un-
justifable interference Of his administration in
mg Judge Bronson, thereby striking, as they believed,
. Blow at State rights.
In arriving at the conclusion TO vote against the I'D.
mission of Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution,
have been aided and influenced by desire TO faith:
fully represent the constituency which elected me, and
10 fulfl the pledges which msde them upon accept
ing my nomination To them j am responsible for
my course here; and being honestly convinced that
my opposition TO the admission of Kansas under the
Aecompton COnsttuton-repudated and protested
against, rs is by At least three fouths Of her people
meets Win the approval of a large majority OF my
constituents, whose wishes l am in honor bound TO
obey, shall vote against the admission OF Kansas IN
aer the Lecompton Constitution. Upon the occasion