The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-11
THE LEcoNPToN CONSPIRACY.
SPEECH OF k. JOHN A. BINGHAM
~ M Ohio
IN TIE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JANUARY IS, 1853.

or Ohio DO ~ o''So''n''''
IN TIE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
| JANUARY IS, 1853.
Mr.. Chairman 1t is not my purpose to say
anything of the neutrality act of 1918. Enough
has been said in this debate, both on this side
of the House and upon that, in vindication of
that law. Enough has also been said of Gen.
| William Walker, and his raid upon Nicaragua.
Enough, and more than enough, sir, has been
said in denunciation of the gallant Paulding,
for his fidelity to duty in arresting this culprit
and refugee from justice, and sending him back
| to answer to the violated laws of his country.
The President, sir, has pressed upon the con.
sideration of this House question of graver sig
ni6cance, of mightier import, question which
concerns the nations honor aud the nations
life-a question which to day challenges the pro-
found attention of the whole people of this couu-
| try-a question upon which, if the official organ
of the President is to be credited, this House will
soon be required to pronounce its final decision.
1t is useless to waste the time of the House in
demonstrating the position of the President
upon this great question. The President and
lis party not only endorse the Lecompton Con.
stitution, but by argument, by entreaty, and
by threat, seek to induce Congress to endorse
it, and thereby give to it the sanction and the
force of law. That journal which is said to be
in the favor of the Executive, and to reflect his
opinions, has told US recently that the question
of the adoption or rejection of this Lecompton
Constitution will be question between law
and faction. / think, sir, it would have been
more accurate to have said it is question be-
tween Executive despotism and popular lib.
erty.
l do not recognise the right of the Executive
to dictate to this House the manner in which
it shall discharge its official duty. 1t is his
province to give to Congress information of the
state of the Union, aud to recommend to its
consideration such measures of public policy
as he may deem just and proper, but not to
control its legislation.
trust that no member of this body will be
influenced in the discharge of his official duties
here, and more especially in the discharge of
that duty which he owes to himself and his
country in the settlement of this great ques-
ton, by any consideration other than his sense
of right and justice. For myself, I am free to
cay, that notwithstanding the Presidents solicit
tude in this behalf; Notwithstanding the re-
ported announcement by distinguished Sena
tor, that if Congress reject this slave Constitu-
ton, his State will secede from the Union !;
Notwithstanding the clamor of the party of the
President, here and elsewhere-I cannot and
will not give my sanction to this Lecompton
Constitution. This instrument does not ema-
nate from the people Of Kansas. 1t is not their
will. Its provisions are in direct conflict with
the Constitution of the United States, and with
the principles of eternal justice.
1t is conceded, it cannot be denied, that the
reason why the Convention which framed this
instrument refused to submit it to the people,
for their approval or rejection, was, that the
bo,, tod
stion, the monstrous proposition, is now made
by the President, and by gentlemen on this
floor, to establish this instrument as the Con.
stitution of Kansas by act of Congress, and
against the will of the people of that Territory.
Sir, it is the first time in the history of the Re-
public, that the attempt has been made to es.
tablish, by Federal authority, State Constitu.
ton and Government against the will of the
people, and without their consent. State Con-
situations have been framed, and eent to Con.
gress for ratification, without any formal sub
mission thereof to the popular vote but it was
only in cases where the people, beyond all ques.
ton, made the Constitution, by their legally
appointed delegates. This has not been done
in Kansas. No delegates have been legally
chosen there; nor have any delegates been
chosen there at all by the great body of the
people.
NO ueleRateS WHO framed C0lS instrument
were chosen by body of men not equal IN
number to one-fourth the whole number of
qualified voters in Kansas, and by virtue of an
election law passed by usurpers. The Consti-
tuition thus framed is the joint product of local
and Federal usurpation. Let him deny this
who can, or who dare. But for Federal inter.
vention, the Missouri invasion of Kansas would
not have resulted in the election of the first
Legislature in that Territory, and in the enact
ment by that body Of code of laws, 30 afro
cious and unjust, that no man can or dare ap-
prove it. But for Federal Intervention, the
delegates to the Lecompton Convention would
not have been chosen! But for Federal inter
vention, and the presence of Federal bayonets
at Lecompton, those delegates would not have
thus conspired against the liberties and insult
ed the majesty of the people. Now that this
act of infamy has been done; now that the
rights of the people have been cloven down
now that popular sovereignty in that Territory
ministration Senator is reported to have said,
throaled,* by the hands of the Federal Execu.
tve-we are blandly told to affirm this great
crime against popular rights for the sake of the
Union, or, to use the Presidents very express
i've words, for the peace and quiet of the
whole country" Sir, it is not the first time
that acts of tyranny have been dignifed with
the title OF peace measures. The invader has
before now destroyed the vintage, enslaved the
people, plundered and burned their habitations,
and called the desoation, which followed in the
train of his conquest, peacel
We were assured the other day, by the Court
Journal, that all is quiet in Kansas" Sir, if
there be quiet in that distant Territory, it is
not the quiet of contentment, it is not the calm
repose of people secure in their rights and
happy in the enjoyment of them; it is the ftful
lull which precedes the storm. Look to it, We
warders of the Uuion and the Constitution, that
by your act the freemen of Kansas are not
driven to that point at which forbearance ceases
TO be a virtue, nay, becomes crime, and sub
mission the basest cowardice and treason. l
was panied, sir, to hear the gentleman from
Arkansas Mr.. WARNER say in this debate
" that the people of Kansas had not the u,anli-
ness to assert and defend their rights as free.
men, and to form their own Government" and
yet he was ready "to vote now to admit the
State of Kansas under the Lecompton Cons,i-
tn.ion." The frat of these assertions sir,
whether so intended Or not, is, in my Judgment,
a calumny upon that injured people, and the
last is concession that the Constitution which
that gentleman is ready to vote for and sane
ton was not formed by the people of Kansas.
While thank the gentleman for this honest
concession that the Lecompton Constitution
was not framed by the people, beg leave to
say to him, and to all who think with him upon
this floor, that, Notwithstanding his assertion of
their want of manliness, Notwithstanding he
questions their valor, Kansas is peopled with
treemen who know their rights, and, knowing,
dare maintain them. They have the fortitude
to endure; they have the courage to dare
they have learned wisdom in the lair of CD.
preston; and to-day, by their defiant attitude,
bear witness that the fires of persecution
through which they have walked are not wholly