The Kanzas news., 1858-01-16
Concluded from Frs paoe.

party by violating its principles? Do you
propose to keep the party united by forcing
division? Stand by the doctrine that
leaves the people perfectly free to form and
regulate their institutions for themselves in
their own way, and your party viii be uni
ted and irresistible in power. Abandon that
great principle, and the party is not worth
saving, and cannot be saved, after it shall
be violated I trust we are not to be rushed
upon this question. Why shall it be done2
Who is to be benefited? Is the South to
be the gamer? Is the North to be the gain
er? Neither the North nor the South has
the right to gain sectional advantage by
trickery or fraud.
But am beseeched to wait until / hear
from the election on the 21st of December
am told that perhaps that viii put it all
right, and viii save the whole difficulty
How can it? Perhaps there may be large
vote. There may be large vote returned.
Laughter.] But deny that it is possible
to have fair vote on the slavery clause !;
and say that it is not possible TO have any
vote on the constitution. Why wait for the
mockery of an election, when it is provided,
unalterably, that the people cannot vote
when the majority are disfranchised
But I am told on all sides, "Oh, just
wait /; the pro-slavery clause viii be voted
down. That does not obviate any of my
objections; it does not diminish any of them.
You have no more right to force free-State
constitution on Kanzas than a slave-State
constitution. If Kanzas wants slave-State
constitution, she has right to it; if she
wants a free-State constitution, she has a
right to it. 1t is none of my business
which way the slavery clause is decided
care not whether it is voted down or voted
up. Do you suppose, after the pledges of
my honor that would go for that principle
and leave the people to vote as they choose,
that would now degrade myself by voting
one way if the slavery clause be voted down,
and another way if it be voted up? I care
not how that vote may stand. take it for
granted that it will be voted out. l think
have seen enough in the last three days to
make it certain that it will be returned out,
no matter how the vote may stand. Laugh
ter.
Sir, am opposed to that concern, be-
cause it looks to me like system of trick
cry and jugglery to defeat the fair expression
of the will of the people. There is no ne
cessity for crowding this measure, so unfair,
so unjust as it is In all its aspects, upon US.
Why can we not now do what We proposed
to do in the last Congress ? We then voted
through the Senate an enabling act, called
'.the Toombs BILL" believed to be just and
fair in all its provisions, pronounced to be
hampshire, Mr.. Hale. only he did not like
the man then President of the United States
who would have to make the appointments.
\, Il IL L. 81
compliment to the President, add to it a
clause taken from the Minnesota act, which
he thinks should be a general rule, requiring
the constitution te be submitted to the peo-
pie, and pass that? That unites the party.
You all voted, with me, for that bill, at the
last Congress. Why not stand by the same
bill now? Ignore Lecompton, ignore To-
peka, treat both those party movements as
irregular and void; pass a fair bill-the one
that we framed ourselves when we were
acting as unit; have fair election, and
you will have peace in the Democratic par
ty, and peace throughout the country, in
ninety days. The people want fair vote.
They will never be satisfied without it
They never should be satisfied without a
fair vote on their constitution.
If the Toombs bill does not suit my
friends, take the Minnesota biz of The last
session-the one SO much commended oy
the President in his message as a motel
Let US pass that as an enabling act, and al
ow the people of all parties to come togeth- !
,r and have a fair vote, and 1 will go for it. |
Frame any other b.:il that secures fair,
honest vote to men of a., y parties, and carries
tut the pledge that the peot 'le shall ;! be LETT
rec 70 decide on their domestl, ihs'l'utlcnS
or themselves, and will go with you WIN
leasure' and with all the energy may ts
ossess. But if this constitution is to Oe
breed down our throats, in violation of tn, I
fundamental principle of free government, l.
nder mode of submission that is mock t
ry and insult, I will resist it to the last. L a
ave ne fear of any party associations being t
evered. l should regret any social or po-
heal estrangement, even temporarily but q
it must be, if cannot act with you and c
reserve my faith and my honor, 1 will t
tand On the great principle of popular SOW a
relgnty, which declares the right of all l
eop.e to De left perfectly free to form and c
e:sulate their domestic institutions in their 8
wn way. I will follow that principle {
wherever its logical consequences may take |
ne, and will endeavor to defend it against {
ssault from any and all quarters. No
Mortal man shall be responsible for my ac l
ion but myself. By my action will COM
,romit no man. i
/,