Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-01-15

| by Lin Yesterday, t. print The Presidents
| VI ssag' and accompanying documents, with
fifteen thousand extra copies.
Mr.. DOUGLAS said
Mr.. PREsprNr When yesterday the
/ the Presidents message was read at the
Clerk + desk. I heard it hut mpcrfectlv, and
| was Of the impression that the President of
the United States had approved and indorscd
the action of the Lccompton convention in
Kansas. Under that impression, ! felt it my
duty to state that, while | concurrcd in the
general views of the message, yet, so far as it
approved or indorsed the action of that con-
vcntion, | entirely dissentcd from it, and
would avail myself of an early opportunity
to state my reasons for my dissent Upon
more careful and critical examination Of the
message, | am reoccd to find that the Pres
dont of the United States has not recon-
mended that Congress shall pass a law to
receive Kansas into the Union under the CON
stitution formed at Lecompton. 1t is true
that the tone of the message indicates n will
lingness on the part of the President to sign
bill, if we shall Gee proper to pass ono, re-
cciving Kansas into the Union under that
constitution. But sir. it is fact of great
significance, and worthy Reconsideration. that
the President has rcfra II from any indorse-
ment of the conycnt.,n, and from any recon-
mendation as to the course Congress should
pursue with rrrord tn the constitution thnrn
formed
The MESSAGE of the President has made AN
arrumcnt-an unonswcr, BILE orpumcnt in my
opinion-apainst that constitution. which
shows clearly. whether intended To arrive at
the result or not. that. consistently with his
views and his principles, he cannot accept
that constitution. lie has EXPRESSED his
deep modification and disappointmcnt that
the constitution itself has not been submitted
t. the uouplc of Kansas for their acrrut.uc.
or rejection He informs us that he has I'M
qualfcdlv expressed his opinions ON that
subject i'm his instructions t. Governor Wal
kcr. assuming. as matter of course. that
the constitution was So be submitted to the
people before it could have any vitality or
validity. He goes further. and tells us that,
the example set hv Congress in the Ninncsn-
ia case. by inserting II clause to the enabling
act requiring the constitution to be submit
ted to the people. ought to become a uniform
rule. not to ht drpartnd from hereafter in any
ease. On these various rrorositions | orrrc
entirely with the President of the United
States, and | am prepared now to sustain
that uuir,rm ruIr which he asks ms tn nur.
sue in all other eases. hv tnkiur fine Ninno-
sofa proyision as our exainrlc.
I rejoice. ON "A careful rrrus,l of tlo mos
SAGE, to find 80 much less 10 dissent from
than | was under the inprc,sion there was.
from the hastv reading and impcrf.ct hcariu.,
of the message in the first instance. In effect.
he refers that document tn the CONGRESS- or
the United Statcs-a, the Constitution Of the
United STATES refers it-Gr Ms to decide unon
il under our own rcsp,nsihlity. II i, pr,'rcr
that he should have thu, referred il to US a, a
matter for congressional action. and not Il,
an Administration or Executive measure. for
the reason that the Constitution of the I'ni-
ted States saw, that =. ConqresS NAV admit
new States into the Onion" Hence we find
the Kansas question before us now. not as an
Administration measure. not Ms an Executive
measure but AS a measure cominr before us
for our free action. without anv recommonda-
tion or interference. directly or indirectly. by
the Administrator now in possession Of the
Federal Govornment Sip I nronoso to exam
inc this ouestion calmly and fairly, to soc
,vhetbor or nat ,vo can nronorl, rocoiva Kan
sas into the Union with the Constitution
formed at Lecompton.
The President after cxprcs>iup his regret
and modification and disannointment. that
the constitution had not been submitted 10
the nconle in pursuance of his instructions
to Governor Walker and in pursuance or
Governor Walkers assurances 10 tbo noonlo
saws. however. that bv the Kansas Nnhraska
set the slavery question only was reouired to
he referred to the neonle. and the remoinder
of the constitution was NOT Tins ranuirad IN
be submitted He acknowledges that ms a
general rule. on general nrncipies. the whole
constitution should be submitted but occor-
dinr 10 his understanding of thc organic art
Of Kansas there was an imnarotive nIlig,tior
nroval or disannrovoi but no ohlir,tinr T.
suhmit rho whole CONSTITUTION In n,bor
words, ne regards the organic act, the Ne
braska blll, as having made an exception of
the slavery clause, and provided for the dis
position OF that question IN mode different
from that IN which other domestic or local,
as controdistinguishedt from federal questions,
should be decided Sir, permit me to say,
Wlth profound respect for the President of the
United states that ! conceive that on this
point he has committed fundamental error,
an error which lies at the foundation of his
whole argument on thls matter, ! can well
understand how that distinguished statesman
came 10 laIl INTO TINS error lie was not IN
the country at the time the Nebraska bill
was passed he was not party to the con
troN'rSy ana the discussion mat TOOK place
unrlng lts passage lie was then represent
ing the honor and the dignity of the country
WIN great wisdom ana distinction at for
eISn court Thus deeply cngroNsed, his whole
energies were absorbed IN conducting great
diplomatic questions that diverted his attrn-
non lr!m tllr mere territorial questions and
discussions thrh gong ON IN the senate and
tue House ol representatives and before the
PPoPle AT nome, ma'r thes' circumstances
ne may wen nave laIlen INTO an error, radi-
'ai ana iundamrntal as IT. IS IN regard to the
"'l'ct 2I the NEBRASKA hlll ana the principle
asserted IN IT,
Now, sir. what was the princirle cnuncia-
ted by the authors and sl,pportors of that
| bill when it WAS brought f,rwardp Did we
not come before the country and say that we
repealed the Missouri restriction for the rur-
| $50 or ,itntiu,, ,,,J .,.r,.;,,, ,,,. -,