Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-04-11

who have heretofore acted with us to find reason
for voting as they have dOne unless it is-and do
not charge it-that they desire to follow the lead Of
the distinguished senator from Illinois. But after
taking this ground after showing the plots and
plans Of the abolitionists and having shown that
they set the day upon which the frs. blood should
be shed; after tracing the schemes Of this revolu
tionary party, which started in the House Of Rep
resentaiveS and doing it with that effect with which
he can always do anything he undertakes; We now
find him coming here, and taking position which
contend allows this same people, who had formed
their unlawful combinations who had arranged their
plots and plans and fixed the day on which the first
blood was to be shed, to take advantage Of their
own wrong and thus to keep this question open
until after the presidential election Of 1850
Mr.. HARRIS, Of Illinois. The gentleman quotes
some remarks had the honor to make last Congress
in reference to the affairs Of Kansas By every word
and every sentiment then uttered 1 now abide. l
have nothing to add 70 or take from them. The
convictions Of my mind when made those remarks
remain as they we're then but it is not for the gen
tlemsn to put an inference upon those remarks
tending TO show that have changed my position,
and have now become defender Of these whom
then assaulted. The condition and position of parties
have changed and stand now as / stood then, de-
Tending portion Of the people from all assaultsfro
those who have right to assail them. said that
they were not allowed to manage their own affairs
as they ought TO be. l contend now, as then. for
therights Of amajoriyo Of the people ofKansas Then
l maintained that legitimate emigration to Kansas
would have given certain direction to public opin.
ion; that thst opinion had been overthrown by or
ganizatious at the North I defended the people of
Kansas from the effect Of what considered to be
forced organization, cotton up TO the prejudice Of
the best interests Of the country. Now the condi-
ton Of things is reversed; and stand now, as then,
advO 'ating he rights Of the people Of Kansas.
Mr.. SMITH, Of Tennessee. Be short.
Mr.. HARRIS of IlliDoia I have M dignosifion
as the gentleman is asking for his time, to go into
discussion Of this matter now, but trust 1 shall
have an opportunity 10 do so hereafter fully.
The gentleman undertakes to intimate that am
following the lead Of somebody else in the position
| occupy. follow no mans lead. / can state here
that came to this city without having a word of
consultation with any Of my colleagues, either
in this body in the other, either verbally or in
writing. had no more knowledge of their position
upon this question than had Of yours. We came
here representing the sentiments Of our people, and
found ourselves alike in sentiment. I could take
no other position. But the gentleman is urging me
for his time and 1 will say no more here. but will
take some future occasion to place myself right in
this matter.
Mr.. SMITH, Of Tennessee. 1 will now proceed to
show and to prove that the people of Kansas of all
parties desire TO be admitted into the Union under
the Lecompton constitution. After all we have
heard here in those papers which have correspond
ents in Kansas from the Northern States after all
the shreks Of these shriekers, they called in
reference to this question of savery-and if there
is any man in this House who can speak upon that
subject dsinterestedly, l can-What, l ask, is the
condition of Kansas They want peace and quiet
and they want to be admitted into the Union because
they know it would destroy the only element upon
which abOlitionists can feed; because they know
that this is the only way by which they be per
mitted to pursue, in peace and quiet, the common
avOcatiOns Of life. They have wives and children
to provide for and protect, and large number Of
them as l can show are in favor of the settlement
of this question; while gentlemen here are opposed
to it. because, they say, the constitution is out
rsgeous fraud upon the people Of Kansas. Fraud,
where Nowhere. The abolitionists did not vote
because they would not vote notwithstanding they
had fair opportunity to do so, as the record shows
suppose it will be admitted that the pro-slaVery
party in Kansas is anxious to have the State admit
ted under the LecOmpton constitution. hold in
my hand the Herald Of Freedom, republican paper
published in Kansas. A VOICE. 1t has Just been
boughtup.) Gentlemen say it has just been bought
up by patronage. Well, the article shall read is
found in that paper before could have been bought
up Hear what that paper says, speaking of the
New York Herald and all those northern papers
which have correspondents in Kansas:
s s06ols tendeaey of these eroqEjHg papers, from rs
ISt has teen 10 HtIke Kansas CIt those journals haze
DFSsf desire 10 aU0iG. only hope Of saving KAN
to freedom lay through grafton. Their croakings
by presenting glide future, such have full conf.
deRce to expect has only discouraged it BY thousands
And we kHo0 that If any attempt IS made to prevent
the People from ruling iurhs matter they Will not b.
Oed but, by peaceful means through legal FORMS ano
without the Shedding of drop of blood. theT will take
possession oil the government audi DsttGt proceed to
institute measures for sudpantiug it with another"
This does not look as if it had been bought up.
That, sir, is one item from the Kansas papers.
ask the gentleman, now, if the LeaVenworth Ledger
has been boughtup?
Mr.. HARRIS, of Illinois. If the gentleman asks
me, tell him that know nothing about what pa
pers have been bought up. They are being bought
up so fast that l can hardly keep the run Of them
But if the legislature Of Ksnsasrepresents the pub
lie opinion Of the Territory, the gentleman is en-
tirey at fault in his position
Mr.. SMITH, of Tennessee. I have here tho Ledger
the leading free sOpaps in the Territory, and that
too Of the 18th instant and it confirms the informs
lion 1 have received from all the respectable men
have from the Territory of Kansas, and those
who are not respectable are not to be believed on
any occasion. l read now from the Ledger:
Ls the LecOupton Constitution pass and let the rep
esenttVes eeed BE- called together aud elect the two
United States Senator, and the agony Is aAOUsr"
read these extracts to show the wrong impress
sion which has been produced by members here,
who desire to keep Kansas out Of the Union, even
though the Union falls. The article goes on:
"Trus there may b. fiction referring to'Jim Lanss
paryl in the feeStats party, who will not Be successful
and endeavOr to keep this internal niger agitation
from the fact thai they have been ruled out from par
cpatiOn in the EpOs: but that's nothing; they can b.
easily ehoked OF and made to bite the dust sTERN
WILL OF THE PEOPLE"
Now, sir the territorial legislature is free-soil
and there is q circumstance connected with its &C.
ton that this House ought to know. NOtWithstsnd.
ing sll the complaints which have been made of the
laws passed by the first territorial legislature the
present legislature have adjourned without repeal
ing those laws when they had the power to do So
They passed an act to repeal them, and the next
day reeonsdered it, and adjourned sine die without
passing it, thus leaving in force the laws of the
original territorial legislature But sir this paper
goes On to say:
"Denagogues and fanatics of both parties are no longer
in the hearts and affections of the people, and their rant
ings and rosngs will svil nothing The people are sick
tued and disguised with them, and will listen to their
madness no more We want peace for that brings hap
piuess and prosperity"
Here, sir, are the people of Kansas begging to be
admitted into the Union, and to be relieved from the
control of this revolutionary spirit led on by the
New York Tribune and by members of this House
and we refuse their application, Notwithstanding
that we have perfect knowledge that unless we sd-
nit them into the Union, the slavery agitation must
60 until, in all probability, it may affect the in
tegrity of the Union itself.
But sir, portion of the people Of the Territory
Of Kansas have been in astate of rebellion. There
is no question of that and that rebellion was pro
Territory to rePudiate the territorial government
have here the statements of Governor Walker and
Mr.. Stanton from the time they entered the Terri
tory up to the Goth of September last. Governor
Walker states that the Territory was in a state of
open rebellion against the laws of Congress and of
the territorial government Are you not to believe |
Mr.. Walker If you do not believe Walker, cannot |
you believe Stanton? But it is said that these |
were made before Walker and Stanton /
knew what the people Of Kansas were doing. Now, |
sir, have here the speech made by Mr.. Stanton, |
in the city Of New York, few days ago, in which /
he says that when he got to the Territory he found
he people in open rebelon in which he says, also,
hat the free-State party prevented the Sherifs and
other officers from taking the census and regisra-
ion Of voters; and in which he SAYS that they re-
used to obey nylsws passed by theterrioria legis
ature but repudiated them all from the beginning
o the end. This was said in his speech made in
he aity of New York few days ago, in which he
confirmed all the statements made by Walker and
~ himself while in the Territory Of Kansas Now,
f he was not to believed while he was in the Terri
ory is he not to be believed now that he is ont Of
{? I confess sir, that l have but little confidence
n Mr. Frederick P. Stanton. l recollect that he
vas the member who threw the first frebraud into
he democratic party during the administration of
President Pierce in the caucus Of the party, and |
epeated it afterwards in the House Of Repre-