The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-29
THE CONFERENCE BILL IN THE HOUSE

tatives was made yesterday in that body. by Mr..
Henry Winter Davis, Of Maryland one Of the small
class of politicians who desire distinction south
ern men with northern principles When we say
that it was one Of the most notable exhibitions of
this sort that has been known in the history Of the
House. it will be conceded that we say great DEAL
Theidea had struck Mr.. Davis that mortal thrust
might be given the bill of the conference committee
for the admission Of Kansas, in exposed and vu-
nerabe part. Mr.. Davis fancied that the bill mbod-
led violation of the immortal principles of State
rights and, what did Mr. Davis take it in his head
to do. but himself to protest against the bill
assault upon those sacred principles Think Of Mr.,
Davis championing State rights!
Mr. Davis was 60 entirely confident that the stab he
mcditaed would be fatal to the BILL that he landed it
nevcry other particular with abandon
that was quite alarming 10 the backrcpublican side
Of the House. He ready to 60 for the bin with
al his heart, but for single objection. ut provided
"a mode Of submitting the land ordinance to the peo-
pie Of Kansas which involved the admission or re-
lection by the people, of the Lecompton constitution
II conceded in that provision, all that he had con
tended for in the whole discussion Of this vexed sub
ect He did not for the fact that the vote to
be taken on the land ordinance He did not care for
the form in which the submission was to be made. 1t
provided for a vote by the people of Kansas vote
that involved the rejection acceptance by them of
the LecomptoD. That was all he wanted and he
would 60 for the bill but for palpabie fly that he
plainly saw lying imbedded in the bosom of the am
Der. The amber was the right thing he admired
it he approved IL; it just the sort Of article he
wanted but there fly, a bottle-g fly, that,
somehow or other had got into the middle of it, which
had, by some unaccountabe freak Of nature got
there, which he could not stomach, and against
which he solemnly protested a*
Z Of course the House was all curiosity to know what
kind of fly it was they had not discovered it with
the naked eye all the glasses they could bring to
bear on it had not revealed it, expectation was on
tiptoe to know what sort of fly this was that Mr..
Davis had discovered Nothing could have been
more provoking than the mode of angling with the
patience and curiosity of the House which Mr.. Davis
resorted to. The exordium of his speech was pro-
vokingly long and verbose. He got off the greatest
imaginable number of sophorisms in the course of
his introduction to his momentous objection. His
introductory platitudes, indeed would have boon al
together uncomfortable, but for the gracefulness of
their delivery; gracefulness which we have no
doubt had been deliberately rchearsed and modelled
after that Of Cicero and Sheridan if we may imagine
those great orators to have figured in Byronic collars
and in the cut and garb of nice young men about
town. g 80 gs ,f. m a
MFR. Davis most cruelty tantalized his impatient
hearers before broaching the exact objection he
about to make to the bill. He would ask the
Staterighs men of the South if Congress could i'm
pose condition upon sovereign State seeking adj
mission into the Union. He would ask if case
could be shown in which Congress had ever imposed
conditions upon new States. He challenged q re-
Spouse, and he would take the silence of members
as concession that Congress could not At this
point it was mildly suggested to Mr. Davis that no
himself had been in favor of enforcing the Missouri
proviso which imposed upon all States that should
be formed north of the compromise kne free-soI as
the condition of their admission into the Union Mr.
Davis hummed and hawed at this reminder, but raj
lied by asserting that that condition imposed
upon the Territories north of the line until they
should be formed into States but that after they
were form "a and admitted az States the proviso was
to be imperative. Mr.. Davis was reminded, how
ever, TINT the language of the provso enacted TINT
slavery OF involuntary servtude should be forever
prohibited Mr.. Davis was nonplused and OBJ
jected to Interruptions which he himself had cha-
lenged. 49, = $50 49,, ~ ssJ \
N Butall this was inducement to his main point.
When he did succeed in reaching the point Of his
argument against the BILL it found to touch that
clause of it which borrowed from the Critten-
den amendment, was copied into the Montgomery
substitute and which provided, among other PROPOSE
tions submitted to the people, that ain no case
should nonTesdents be taxed higher than residents
Against this clause Mr.. Davis entered his most sol
emn protest al trammclling the State with de-
grading condition, invading the sacred precincts
of State rights and fatty violating the constitu-
ton Of the United States which the members of the
House sworn to support. - tt
Mr.. Daviss eventual revelation Of the objection
he had held so long the heads Of the
friends Of the bill, sensby relieved The apprehen-
sions they had begun to feel. When the mountain
in labor had delivered itsclf safely Of the mouse,
there was the ivccst state Of satisfaction apparent
on every countenancc. @
The friends Of the bin determined to do the best
s.. ~ aatAla asu tsa u1s M o