The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-22
THE NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON; De- APRIL 1855

tsd and set apart to Freedom and to free labor.
That territory was ours, by agreement Of patriots
south as well as North. We bave seen that COM
promise ruthlessly violated and broker down
nd there has not been moment, since thet fell
aaeasure was sprung upon the Country, thsf ms
prime and secret movers in 1t have not lent al
their energies to make it slave State The
whole scheme was conceived in ain, and brought
.,rth in iniquity; il was reared and nurtured In
flsehood, violence, and fraud, and 1t hes been
aptized in innocent blood, unsil now il 10 Ct
smpted to be crowned by this Lecomptoa Con.
titution, which is only the concluding act IN
his great drama of outrage and wrong upon the
lights of the people of Kansas and Of tpe fret
ctates!
Sir, when we cease to talk about SlkIery in
connection with this Territory, it will pc but
With our livesl
But before sit down, Mr.. Chairman, desire
o advert briefly to one other matter relied upor
by the friends of this measure, TO smooth it
1assage through this House.. 1t is said, thai
Though this Constitution prosides the terms Of
Is own amendment, among which is tae pro.
fision that it shall not be ipterfsred with hl
after 1854, nevertheless, in defiance of the mode
lointed out in the instrument itself, the people
f Kansas may, at any time, IS well before 81
|tssfter the year 1864, alter amend or abolish it
shoh piCdSuiC' EcSuiu Wis NoS1
Stterly illusory, and as entirely subversive Of
those principles of ''law and order" the cham
hionship of which is the peculiar boast OF the
present Democratic" party
i Sir when this Constitution has received the
ianction of Congress, and Kansas is admitted
under it, if it has any binding force at all 1t is
t once the supreme and fundsmenal laS OF the
Jew State 1t is, SO far as Outward ferns are
concerned, the legitimate Government; md, like
II ~ fhoRa
IRE but two modes by which it IAN be ref )rned-
he one through the mode prov lded in ii instru-
nent itself-the other, by revo ution. :.
Mr.. Chairman, in all the 81 eeches + st have
been made in both Houses of Congress- In favor
If this measure, the great bp rden of ;senn all
and the gist of every argumen brought forward
% sustain it, amounts to just this: thai the Le-
COMPTON Constitution has all tie I" form, Of legal.
:ty, |" and thatwe cannot go beh nd these forms,
o inquire into the actual fats, howe. u much
disputed those facts may be- And here Te have
the singular spectacle presented, of tte same
men, who in one breath cont md that he Con-
titution is valid and bindint becaus. all the
forms appear to have besn compli with
and in the next, that it may be, at any 1aoment
/ altered, amended, or absolutely repudh 8ed, and
A new one made in its place, III subvers "a OF all
forms" and against all law. Ii
Sir let me illustrate this point by a.; sference
my own State. The people of Ne, Hamp-
hire have written Constitution. I, IT Con-
stituton provides the mode by which may be
revised or amended" According to the doctrine
Sc. up here, however, the people are OF con-
lined to the mode of reyision prescrib. in the
Constitution. But how are they to accomplish
heir purpose outside the Constitution rhrough
en- act of the Legislature That cannot 10 done,
Ut each member is sworn to support ,Se Con-
titution, and violation of its plain p DIVISIONS
sSould simply be perjury. But shall thep ople as
.emble IN mass meeting, at Concord or J snches-
Ger, and take measures to the end propose12 Who
and what authorizes that portion OF the Sople, 30
assembled, to speak for those who stay home
What authority have they to bind to .se who
prefer the old Constitution, Sir, tha whole
thing is absurd. There is no peacea6le znode OF
reforming the Constitution of State, a, that it
will be binding upon all the people; except
through the regular mode pointed out by the
Constitution itself, and the laws enacted under
it. / admit the right of revolution, that the peo-
pie can rise in their majesty, and by force OF
arms, if successful, trample their Constitution
under foot, and establish new one in its place.
The people of Kansas could do this, il they had
the strength. But who is foo fish enouRp to be-
lieve that they would not be shot down as rebels
and insurrectionists, by United States uoops, if
they should attempt anything of the kiod, after
this Constitution is fastened Upon them? And
this is the reason why by 20 vote of mine shall q
single dollar be appropriated 70 the increase of the
army, until the troops are rembved from Kansas
But Mr.. Chairman, now, IS on former occa-
sions, the hydra of disunion ~ dragged in here
to help force this measure through Congress Sir
let Lecompton be defeated, ami then let he lead
ers of the democratic" party in the southern
States make the disunion issue the de<eat of it,
if they dare. 1t will, in that event. not p,erey be
the Democratic party in the North thai will be
shivered to atoms, but the same party South, on
such an insane ISSUE for such a cause, gould, by
the patriotic sentiment of the Souther, States,
be driven like chat before the whirlwiAd. Gen
tlemen, you tried it in 1850 on an issue stronger
than this, and you failed. Try it again and of
two things you may be sure: first, that TIE Union
will not be dissolved and, second, that whatever
party combinations may rise on its ruins, the
present National Democratic party" will be
known no more forever.
Sir, | know not how it may be, but trust
that on to. morrow this measuretis to b., defeat
ed and if it should be, hope that tl,ose who
make these threats will ATTEMPT to put them into
practical operation. Tha., a. least, would pre-
sent an issue where all true and patriotic men
both of the North and the south, could stand
together and the result woul2 be, the fipal over.
throw of the faction which threatens disunion
and qualification, if every ma. scheme il invents
is not carried out. 1t woult2 result, too, in the
complete extinguishment of hat sham Democ-
racy, which, being the firm a. I'd steadfaat ally oil
Southern notification and d sunion, if not put
down by the American poop e, will finally sub
vert the liberties of the county.