Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-04-07
Closing spsech Of
SENATOR DOUGLAS,
ON THg
LECOMPTON QUESTION.

Der, was received with loud aud enthusias-
tic applause, which be deprecated by sha-
king bis head aud mnkirg gestures to
stop. There was not one foot Of vacant
room in the galleries. anl the reporters
were oveuun by invading holdar raisitns.
All the seals on the flor we're occupied
and the windows near the roof were flied.
The spectators gallery WAS nearly all filed
by ladies, most Of whom remained over
recess at 4 o clock and continued through
the whole sitting until II
On motion Of Mr.. Gwin the ladies were
ADMITTED to the floor, and 10 a few min
utes it was crowded with them.
NJ. Dor0LAs said know not that my
strength Is sufficient to enable me to pro-
.,rrt nv remarks on the bill under consid-
."rdrm. | trust may he pardoned for
briefly reieuing To my course on the Sa>
very question. Referring to the Missouri
COMPROMISE line, Mr. Douglas stated that
when in Congress at the time it was pro-
posed TO admit Texas, he examined iuto
the question of that ge graphical line,and
although unable to justify it-yet he was
unwilling to awaken heart burnings, aud
the Slavery agitation. Hence, in the
proposition to admit, he cordially acquies-
ced to the insertion Of clause with the
ayowed purpose of extending that line to
the Pacific. When New Mexico was &C.
quired, the S nate adopted on his motion,
a proposition to extend the line to the Pa
cife Ocean. The record OF his vote was
here read by the Clerk, This PROPOSE
ton was adopted by l2 majority hence
that proposal to decline Slavery by geo.
gtaphica line to tie Pacific was abandon.
ed by Congress. He would not discuss
now whether that course was wise or un-
wise he would leave it to history.
Most Of the Southern men, lie said vo-
ted for the repeal Of the Missouri Com.
promiso-most of the Northern men
against it. 1t was argued it Slavery was
mLjust, impollic and lujudic Gus north Of
that line. it was so south Of it. The ar.
rument was difficult to answer. In fact.
the only answer that could be given was
that the line had its origin in patriotic mo.
tves, and for the sake Of peace, harmony
and concord ought to be adhered to-
For that reason he fe't as much as any
man when its repeal plunged the country
into M agitation that caused the wisest aud
purest patriots in the country to tremhle
flr its existence. We all rcmber. said lie,
the agistion Of 1850, and 1851, when the
Sa. uf Ashland was called from retire.
nent to add tie weight OF his experience
10 the councils Of the country, aud with
the assistance of Daniel Webster. General
Cass, aud other patriots formed new
compromise, and restored peace to the
country again. Had that Missouri Lire
been extended to the Pacific, Slavery agi-
tation would have been closed forever, and
emigration would have sought one side Of
the line or tue other, according as they
preferred. He thought ii there was to
have been any advantage to one section
over another, it would have accrued to the
South fr S mharn men voted for it al.
ror~I 50 4 u.nr. whie Northern men not
.oy went sas u,j il bot proposed instead,
a law to prevent Slavery IN the Territories.
These compromise measures,said Mr.. Doug
las, are familiar 10 the Senate aud the
country. Congress eventually decided that
new Territories should choose their domes-
tic policy for themselves. For want of
power to carry out his own measures, he
agreed with the new line policy, with
tie view of healing sectional strife, and
restoring peace and harmony TO the coun'
try. His objocl was to locaize, not ma.
tioualiza Slavery. But the measure caus.
cd great excitement and Indignation, and
he felt it necessary to go before the people,
and he made speech at Chicago, defn-
ing as lie did now his position, The peo.
pie of Illinois, ON sober reflection, appro-
we'd his course, aud the Legislature, with
great unanimity, passed the resolutions to
that effect. Subsequently as Seuator Of
that State and member of the Democrat
ic party he felt it bis duty to apply to the
Ktnsas Nebraska bill the principle which
had been substituted for the geographical
.lns. The Wing party adopted that poll
,cy in their platform in 1s52,and the Dem
ocrats did the same and elected General
Pierce. Hence both parties were pledged.
TO it. The exact words Of that principle
are, that it iS not intended to legislate SIa-
yery into any Territory, but TO leave the
people to regulate their own affairs. Now,
said Mr.. Douglas, the question arises, is
the Lecompton Constitution in accordance
with the principles of the compromise of
1853, and in accordance with the organic
.acti Have the people of Kansas been
left 10 manage their own affairs in their
own WY, subject only to the constitution
of the United States? Does the Lecomp.
ton constitution emboly the will of the
people of Kansas? If it does, you have
the right to admit her into the the Union,
and 10 waive any irregularity that may
have occurred in minor details. The
whole action of this House turns on this,
whether or not they have the free expres-
sion of their bill in that act. But what ev'
idence have we that it is so. He would
refrain from going into report Of how
many votes were FRAUDULENT, but supposing
item all legal, how can we accept it as the
will of the people when they could only
vote for, and not against it, and at the
subsequent election against it there were
10000.
This was evidence to his mind that lie.
compton is not the expression Of the will
of the people. 1t has been said that the
election of December 2l, was legal, and
that on January 4, was not legal. Where