The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-03-18

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glory.
Recurring briefly to the pending bill, he then
proceeded to deprecste its passage as a wrong
without parallel in the history Of civil govern
ment, and which became only the more odious
because perpetrated under the technical forms
of law.
Mr.. Sebastian, of Arkansas, read speech in
favor of Lecompton.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration Of
Executive business; and after some time spent
therein, the doors were opened, and the Senate
adjourned.
Mr.. Mason, of Kentucky, asked to be excused
from further service on the Committee on Ac-
counts.
Mr.. Rufin, Of North Carolina, said he had
| sought the floor to ask TO be excused from the
| same committee. They could not act with
| honor, unless the House would fix the number
| of the employees and their compensation. He
! would not go into that committee.room again
until that matter was definitely decided, whether
the House excused him or not. 1t was the right
| of the House TO have committeeman who would
represent its views For his part, he would
never consent to audit accounts in the loose
way they were now expected to.
| The House excused Mr.. Mason by vote of
| yeas LOG, nays II.
| Mr.. Ruffin, of North Carolina, also asked, as
a question of privilege, to be excused from
service upon the same committee.
The regular order of business was called for;
| and
| Mr.. Houston, of Alabama moved to recon-
slider the vote exeusing Mr.. Mason and the
motion was entered.
Report of the Kansas Committee Mr.. Ste
phens, of Georgia, asked leave to submit q re-
port from the select committee on the Presi-
dents Kansas message; but objection was
| made.
should object to the reception of that report at
any time, unless upon a regular call for reports
from select committees.
Mr.. Stephens remarked that there might not
| be a regular call for the next two months.
The army BiU.-The army bill was taken
up as the special order of business.
Mr. Curtis, of Iowa, advocated the bill, urg-
| ing the necessity of putting down the Mormon
rebellion in the most prompt and efficient man
ner, and that no available force was so well
suited for the purpose as volunteers. There
was now no question but that Utah was in
state of absolute rebellion, that the treason had
long been brewing, and that hostilities had al
| ready commenced.
The morning hour having expired
Mr.. j. G. Jones, of Pennsylvania, moved
that the House 60 into Committee Of the
Whole.
The House went into Committee, and Mr..
Florence, of Pennsylvania, was appointed
chairman.
Mr.. Foster, of Maine, resd speech from the
Clerks desk, in opposition to the admission of
Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution,
scarcely any portion of which was audible in
the reporters gallery.
MIR. Taylor, of New York, advocated the Lee
| nOnnt0n Constitution Tho Eroa Q.oto
had shown themselves to be lswless rebels, and
troops were necessary to put them down and
protect peaceable citizens. The Topekaites
we're now threatening rebellion, and their
treason was promoted by pecuniary aid from
| Eastern cities.
The Constitution of California was forced
upon the people by minority, and yet Mr..
Douglas advocated it. All the irregularities
charged against K snsas were chargeable against
California or other States which had been ad-
United. The secret of the change in the dis.
tinguished Senator's views was the Slavery
Constitution of Kansas. That made him cry
fraud fraud Let them hope that the aberra-
ton which made him abandon his past prin-
cipes would be only temporary.
| He did not justify all the conduct of the Pro-
Slavery party, but rebellion and treason could
not be charged against them. He believed
Northern anti Lecompton Democrats were hon.
estly misled, and hoped they would credit him
with honesty. His object was to protect and
perpetuate the Union, and if he erred it was
with good intentions.
Mr.. Haskin, of New York, avowed his hos.
| tility to the Lecompton Constitution, as a Ma
tional Democrat from the State of New York.
The arguments in favor of Lecompton were
grounded only on technicalities, and even these
failed. Frauds would, at any time, vitiate a
contract. The South would gain more than it
would lose by the rejection of Kansas. North
ern Democrats had never countenanced agrees
sion upon the South, and never would. If party
lines were oblitersted at the South, might they
not well be at the North, especially in defence
of popular sovereignty? A great change had
come over the President within few months.
| Once the exponent of popular sovereignty, lie
was now its enemy, and at variance with great
statesmen both of the North and South
The Kansas people were justified in not vo-
ting under the tyrannical laws of the usurpers-
they had his sympathy. Congress, like court
of appeals, had right to examine the record,
and, if justice required, reverse the action of
John Cslhoun's Convention. They ought to
order rehearing aud new trial. If the main
tenance of Lecompton, with all its frauds, was
consistent with Southern honor, it was not con-
sistent with the honor Of Northern Democrats.
Mr.. Hughes, of Indiana, here raised point
bad no right to read printed speech; which
was overruled.
Mr.. Haskin continued He defed all the
efforts of ofice.holders and all edicts of the
President to stop agitation. Jefferson, Mon.
roe, and Jackson, were sgitators. Opposition
TO agitation was the child of darkness. He was
proud of being an sgitstor against the Lecomp-
ton Constitution-he was not one to crook the
pregnant hinges of the knee" The South, bav-
ing gained vantage ground by the bred Scott
decision, was now seeking to evade its bargain
in the Kansas Nebraska bill but he insisted
upon the honorable ful6lment of the compact.
He would never vote for the admission of a
State until its Constitution should be ratified
by the people. He was still the Presidents
friend, but would not, even to crafty him, vote
to sanction a stupendous fraud Corruption
stalks abroad he appealed to honest Demo
Gratis to oppose and rebuke it. This was a strug-
gle of patronage against principle, and he
apprehended the Administration was doomed
to the fate of DR.. Guillotine, who persisted by
the instrument of death he had himself invented.
Instead of reading Northern Democrats out of
the party, the Administration would find the
people reading it out of the country.
Mr.. Dowden, of Alabama, said, the Kansas
question had been before the country four years,
and it was now before Congress for decision.
he proposed to speak of the results to follow
that decision. BE desired first, however, to
place upon record bis protest against the I'M
warrsntable assumption of power exercised in
the arres. of General William Walker and his
followers, in Nicaragua, By Commodore Paul.
ding.
he then reverted to the Kansas question,
and conteuded that the rejection of Kansas
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