The Nevada Democrat., 1858-02-03


ords with me in my devotion and service to the
party for the fourteen years that have been
in Congress The assumption is, that will not
bow the knee to power, when that power itself
does not recommend it, and the insinustion is
that am factious. Sir, call it faction; call it
what you please; intend to stand by the Ne
braska bill, by the Cincinnati platform. by the
organization and principles OF the party, and
defy opposition from whatever quarter it comes.
/ predict that sixty days shall not go over
my head before shall be in harmony with
those who are now most relied upon to crush
me aud the principle Of the Nebraska bill, by
the admission of the Lecompton Constitution.
shall be mistaken if, in sixty days, you come
here unanimously demanding the endorsement
of the LecomptOn Constitution as q test OF faith.
The pro-slavery clause stricken cut may make
popular sovereignty look very different in gen.
tlemen's eyes from what it would if it were in.
The pro-slavery clause in, with the exception Of
the Senator from Indiana, the merits Of that
Convention may look very differently to some
gentlemen from what they would if it were out.
With me it can make no difference. l regard
the result of that Convention as trick, a fraud
upon the rights Of the people, and come with
or without slavery, am opposed to the whole
OF it.
But we are told Wa must force the Leeomp-
ton Constitution down the throats Of the people
for the sake Of peace; for the sake Of localizing
the quarrel. How is that to be done? By
passing an act Of Congress forcing Constitu-
tion on the people Of Kansas against the will
Of that people, What next? When you ind
the stubborn, faotieus majority resisting the
government that you have imposed on them,
the President will be called upon to use the ar
my and the navy to put down insurrection; and
inasmuch as this Lecompton faction is only COM
Nnapd of nAFhapa 0na-tanth aBa-kWAntiath 0f
the whole people, and there is not man of
them who dares stay there day without the
United States army to protect him, we should
have special messag' from the President rec
Ommending an increase Of the army, aud the
calling out of volunteers to march to Kansas to
put down the insurrecton, and to maintain the
Government which you force on them at the
point Of the bayonet. That ia the mode in
which you are going to leealize the Kansas
quarrel-by calling troops from Virginia and
from Wisconsin, from Illinois and from South
Carolina, from Massachusetts, and from Missis-
sippi, and stationiug those volunteers around
the city of LecOmpton to protect the Governor
whom you impose upon that people against
their will! Then l suppose there will be per-
feet peace and harmony among them all. You
will restore peace in that way, and localize the
Kansas difficulty No. sir The moment you
impose Constitution on that people against
their remOnstrance and protest, you have ma
tionalized this difficulty. and pledged yourselves
to maintain that Government at the point of
the bsyonet, and with all the power at your
command. You have legalized civil war in
stead of localzing the Kansas quarrel. These
are my convictions. believe that such will be
the consequences, if we proceed in this mad ca
reer of forcing a Constitution on a people
against their will. / hope may be mistaken,
and that such consequences will not result; but,
while such are my convictions, | must be per-
mitted to express them. If my doing so brings
down assaults on me, from whatever quarter,
high or low, from my own section or an Oppo-
site section, | must repel those assaults; but
do not choose to go into any elimination or re-
elimination in regard to consistency on former
phases of this question. / am willing that my
consistency shall be judged of by the public.
think my course is pretty well known, and
am willing that the people shall judge of it. If
the course Of the Senator from Indiana is
equally well-known, let the people Judge Of it
by that knowledge. Ifit is not as we'll known.
have no desire. no disposition, to hunt up old
speeches and old records and old letters 10 show
his Inconsistency. Consistency has very little
to do with this question. The great point is is
it right to force Constitution upon q people
against their will? Am not right in my oppo-
sition to that act OF power and oppression? l
"ohiu argue that question: tuhH W 10 Iu-
TO any controversies with political friends or
even political opponents would prefer that
they should consider me so humble an indvidu-
al that my history Of fifteen years is not neees-
sary to be discussed inasmuch as during the
whole fifteen years have found them loud in
praise of my course as the political iniquities
which they now propose to bring in judgment
against me.
But. sir. ask no mercy in relation to this
matter. | will not provoke controversy with
any body. / shall not shrink from the avowal
Of my opinions and the vindieaton of my char
acter whenever choose to do it, l may not
reply to all 1t may be an object to worry out
my strength by these constant attacks from day
to day. Whenever find it failing will re-
serve myself and then come back and take
raking fire at the whole group. But whenever
I shall feel inclined, will repel the blow at the
time il is struck.