American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-03-25
cONGREssIoNAL.

WAsMKoroz, March 23.-SKNArE-
The Senate reassemblcd at seven o'clock.
Mr.. Douglas on entering the chamber.
was greeted with applause, which lie de-
Precaled by shaking bis head and making
gestures 10 the multitude 10 stop.
Nots foot Of vacsn, room was left in the
galleries, and the reporters were oYerrun
by the Invading "border rufiians. All The
seats on the floor wero also occupied, and
the windows near the roof were filed.
After slluding to the repeal Of the Mis-.
souri, Compromise, he said that Congress
had eventually decided that new Terrific
ries should chose their domestic policy. for
themaelves.
He was one OF those who, for the want
Of powr Il carry out his own measure,
agreed with the new line Of policy. with
the view OF healing the sectional strife, and
restoring peace to the country. The OBJ
lject was 10 localize not nalionalze slavery.
Tho Peopll Of Illinois approve Of bis
course. and the Legislature passed res
olutien to that effect.
As senator Of that State. he felt il to
be bis duty to apply the Kansas Nebraska
Bill, tie principal which has been substi-
tuted for the geographical line.
Now said Mr.. Douglas. the question ar
rises, is the Lecomp'on Constitution in ac-
ccrdance with the principles Of the Com
promise Of 1850 and in accordance with
that organic act. Have the people been
left to manage their own affairs in their
own way, subjected only to the Consttu-
tion OF the United States Does the Le-
comton Constitution embodv the will Of
the people of Kansas? II it does. you
have right to admit her into the Union
under it.
The whole action Of this House turns on
this. whether or not the people have had
fair expression OF their will in that act
but what evidence hav we that is so? Al
subsequent election the vote against it
was 10000. This was evidsnce to his
mind, that the Lecompton Constitution is
not sn expression Of the will Of the people.
Il has been said that the election of De-
cember 9lst was legal. The Legislature
possessed as much power on the4th OF Jan
nary as it did on the 2lst of December,
and on the Goth of February. If you can
Ijudg this Constitution by the technical
form Of law by which it was voted down,
you are called on now to give it vitality
but il you approach il in spirit of states
manship, you fnd that it was not the en-
bodiment Of the will Of the people; hence
deny your right to make it the Organic
law-and il ii becomes so it will be by the
act Of Congress, and not by the viii Of the
people.
We are told that the Constitution may
be changed, and that it is a small matter.
The principal is the same, when you set
the example Of violating the principles oil
free government for day, as for a year,
and give precedents to INSCRIPTIONS men.
1 Further. it is said that the people may
change their Constitutions when they will
and they had no right to tie their own
hands until 1864. He did not agree thai
the people cannot tie their own hands
He held itas fair Interpretation that when
one mode of chrnging it vas prescribed
every other mode was prescribed, and il
could not be altered until 1864. fit is
the will Of the people, and il it is not, you
have no right to bind them toit for sngle
, hour.
What right has Congress to anuul the
provisions prohibiting a change until 1864
, II Congress can change one clause, it may
annul or alter another and another. until
the whole instrument may be subverted
You have no right to annul it, or alter, oil
construe il. Be 1.-THE peoples act and
+ deed. Farewell to States Rights and State
Sovereignty when Congress undertakes tt
construe State Constitutions. Statet would
become provincee. with no more indipeu
dence than their counties have now.
! The latter portion of his speech was de-
, voted to the Washington Union, atlribu
ting its hostility to his declining to vot,
for the publisher as public painter
= Mr.Tombs went iuto n severe attack
: Mr.. Douglass course ia relation to til,
Missouri Compromise and asked how man,
, Of his present confederates then voted will
him. He then reported on the Dougla
party; w'o as they had said no slavery
! Constitution could be imposed upon tn
T, people against their will, they had no OBJ
a jection to cram ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS tn
peoples throat.
Mr.. Toombs then followed Mr.. Doug
las at great length, characterized the gen
tlemen who voted with Mr.. Douglas as by
pocrites. &c. Mr.. Stuart briefly remon
atrats6 against the improperly Of applyin
1 terms so ill-advlsed to senators who ha
only followed what they believed to be tn
| line of their duty.
In personalities,when argument has fail
a ed, the Senator form Georgia had certain
ly won the laurels.--Adjourned.