Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-04-17

is giving the Abolitionists new cue, and one
| which will run out the institution of my beloved
section from all the Territories, certainly and en-
danger II In many of the States. m
Mr.. Chairman, desire to look upon this ques-
ton without reference to any section, or how it will
effect any body other than the general good and
peace OF the whole country. If no other plan can
be devised and agreed on, ! may feel myself con-
strained to vote Tor the measure, being urged by
Southern friends and sectional pressure. And i'll
do the GREEN amendment stricken out, it win not
be land say it here,) measure which my sound
Ijudgnentcan approve the better plan III could,
would put the whole responsibility upon the De-
| mocracy, where 1t beongs, for / do believe II
they would relax little, and honestly set their
heads to work with our Southern friends and other
conservative men in this House, this whole mat
ters might be put upon a footing entirely satisac-
tory to the South--to the East-to the West-to
the North-satisiactory TO the people Of Kansas
and without any compromise Of any principle
substantially in the manner indicated by me here
tstore sg
must say that when hear it asserted here,
and everywhere, and the proofs strongly tending
to show that the government Of Kansas was, in the
first instance, ruthlessly snatched from the people,
unconstitutional test oaths applied, by which the
minority, who by fraud obtained the control of the
government, and by which the majority were kept
from participating in the government-when am
| told-and the proof tends that way--that not
more than one-half Of the counties of the Terri
tory were permitted to be represented in the con-
vcntion, doubt the propriety of supporting the
constitution framed thus / dissent from the idea
! that majority of the counties of any State can
make constitution that is binding on the minority
of counties who did not have chance to be rep
resented in the convention. Why have you more
judges than one? 1t is not simply for the sake of
Il h..t t1.nA - r.
| gument, interchange of views. We may be to-
day all inclined one way, and tomorrow a greater
and better mind than any of US, representing but
one district may make suggestion sufficient to
change the opinion Of the whole Congress- We
know that the election of the 4th of January
was recognised by the Secretary of State who
| gave instructions that that very election should
be fairly held, and the votes fairly and impartialy
taken; that vote turns out to be ten thousand
against the constitution. We are told, too, and
assured, that the Legislature of the Territory,
| representing the will of the people, are unani-
mously protesting against this thing; and we are
also told that the whole constitution rests on
fraud, deception, and violence. And, permit me
to say, further, as Southern man. that when see
my Southern friends on the Special Committee in
this matter, declining to obey the instructions of
the House, and shrinking from inquiry, t leaves
the suspicion stronger on my mind that these re.
ports are true. hope that they are not l hope
that the deeds perpetrated there have not been so
horrible as they have been represented; but when
see chivalrous gentlemen from my own section
the Union turning their back upon an nvest-
Jion, and saying that we had better not look
uto these things, take it for granted that there
is more in these assertions than | before sup
posed. But, sir, this Special Committee was d.
rected to do another thing. That was to tell us
whether this Territory had within its confines
ninety three thousand inhabitants. Now, l ask
every man here, ON what figures, and on what
evidence he can satisfy his mind that there are
ninety. three thousand in Kansasi What was the
/ last censusf
Mr.. SHERMAN, OF Ohio. Twenty.three thou
sand.
| Mr.. GILMER- How long ago was thati
Mr.. SHERMAN, of Ohio. Last June.
Mr.. GILMER. Then where, appeal to South
ern men, do you get the requisite nnety-three
thousand populationf But they come forward
and say that the Republicans wanted to have
Kansas admitted under the Topeka constitution,
and therefore they are cstopped. And they aIso
| say that at the last Congress our Democratic
friends undertook to pass an enabling act, and
therefore they are esiopped. Well that may apply
to the Republicans, and may get them out of
court. 1t may very well apply TO our Democratic
Southern fiends and turn th I'm out of court.
But what are they going TO do with the poor
Americansf We say that the Republicans were
mistaken, and that that was only movement Of
intemperate zeal We want 70 know what the
facts are. venture to say that there are not four
individuals there to every single voter. The ex-
perience Of this country shows that in a territory
where there are but few females, and few old or
very young persons the voters are in the ratio,of
not more than one 10 every three or four. Well,
now, take the ten thousand voters and multiply
that figure by three-you have but thirty thousand
Of population there. Multiply it by four, and you
hawa hut fortu h,1s 4. a.. - g..
and you have but fifty thousand. Multiply il by
six-what we all know is far beyond the ratio
and you have only got sixty thousand. And yet
here are Southern gentlemen-mcn who want to
protect the equality Of Southern representation in
Congress-coming forward here in hot haste and
denouncng as an Abotionist every man who will
not consent TO allow the thirty thousand or forty
thousand quarrelling people Of Kansas to come IN
as State, and to send here two Jim Lanes and
somebody else like them, 10 vote in the Congress
Of the United States; and that ell for Southern
INTEREST,"
That mark you, is advancing the great in
| terests of the Southl know there is not a man
here who can say that be has evidence that there
is population Of ninety three thousand people in
the Territory OF Kansas. The fact is not SO; and
| the fact that our Southern friends, having the
control Of the Special Committee, declined to in
qure into that important point, proves that IL is
| not so.
But, Mr.. Chairman, permit me 10 say, in con-
cuson, that not left in the dark and without
precedehts as the proper course TO be pursued in
a difficulty Of this kind Kentucky, after several
attempts, was admitted into the Union and al
lowed TO frame her constitution subsequently, in
her own way. SO ] believe now, that Kansas
should be allowed 10 come into the Union, and
that she should be allowed 70 settle this question
and frame constitution for herself Do this and
Kansas will be sstished--the House win be salts
fed--and the whole Union will be satisfied
A JAnoR's WHE.--At Watcrtown, On. ~
on Sunday morning last, three prisoners, by