Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-09
EVENING SESSION.

| EVENING SESSION.
The Senate reassembled at O'Clock, p. m,
| and resumed. as in Committee of the Whole,
| the consideration of the bill Is. No. l6D for
the admission of the State of Kansas into the
! Union.
Mr.. BELL. Iregret that the speech of the
! honorable Senator from Georgia. was of such
a character and tenor as necessarily compels
| me to go more into the detail on this subject
than | had supposed would be proper after tn"
very full investigation and discussion which
| have already taken place ON most of the ma
| terial points connected with it.
Unless, this bill, when it is But to the test of
a final vote, shall assume some different shape
! | shall be compelled to cast my vote against
| it 4; and after what has been said by the Sena-
| tor from Georgia, | feel it necessary to make
a record of the facts of this case, as | under
| stand them-nOt such record as | can hope
will stand as long as society lasts, in the Ian
! guage of that Senator; but such as think
| will stand the scrutiny not only of the present
! but of future time.
need say but little in regard to my posi-
ton in relation to this subject, now or hereto
fore. | will say, that | may claim TO be i'm
! partial between the parties that divide upon
| it. | owe no allegiance TO either of them, nor
am | swayed by any pride of consistency
| which some may feel, leading them to support
and parcel of the original mOvement-Of the
| repeal of the Missouri compromise. The
honorable Senator from Georgia treated this
question as directly connected with the Kan
sas-NebraSka act of 1854. The contest at this
time he regards as involving principle and
policy embraced in that act. | did not be-
lieve, after examining that measure maturely
and looking at it in all its aspects, that it
would ever bring any solid benefit to the
I fI,r hon.
norable gentlemen who took different view
of the subject, but l did not believe that it
would lead TO the permanent establishment of
any principle OF any practical advantage to
the South ; but, on the other hand, that it
would prove injurious to southern interests.
| think so still.
With regard to the present question, lay
down as the basis OF my conclusion as to
what ought to be DONE that the solution of it
which promises the speedest termination of
this dangerous slavery agitation is the true
one. This dangerous agitation has continued
long enough. There has been no mitigation
OF it in the last four years. There have been
intervals of apparent repOse, but it was
just such rcpose as foreboded increased dis
order and commotion. 1t is time to terminate
it,
The question is, what is that solution which
promises the speediest and most permanent
remedy for these difficulties? Divine that to
me- whoever can, and | will follow his
lead. How shall we cut this Gordian knot of
Kansas politics? Shall we cut it by the
sword? Shall we first subdue the rebelliOus
faction said to exist in Kansas by arms, or
shall we attempt to unravel this tangled skein
by some more peaceful means? The Presi
dent assures us that the best and believe |
am warranted in saying, from the language
of his message, the only mode by which this
dangerous slavery agitation can be quoted,
and peace he restored to the whole country. is
to admit Kansas under the LecomptOn cOnsti-
tuition; or, at all events, that to adopt this
course will localize agitation, and leave the
country and the Halls of Congress free from
strife upon this exciting subject.
The President. furthermore, appears. from
the tenor of his message, to consider that Con-
gress is under an obligation, binding it in
good faith to admit Kansas under this consti-
tuition. He states this proposition in his mes
ssage. ''that the organic law recognized the
right of the people of the Territory, without
an enabling act of Congress TO form a con-
stitution, is too clear for argument" The as
sumption then is. that this is a constitution
formed in pursuance of authority derived
from the organic law of Kansas, enacted by
Congress. He adds, that - it is Impossible
that the people could have proceeded with
more regularity in the formation of a State
constitution than the people of Kansas have
DONE
In another passage of his message, he
speaks of this constitution having been
- fairly submitted for the ratification of the
people, Hence the conclusion, that to reject
the application of Kansas to be admitted into
the Union under these circumstances would
be violation of plghted faith. 1t is also said
that such rejection would be justly coasid red
as an outrage upon southern rights and feel
ings, inasmuch as the only objection that can
be taken to this constitution bv those who
would reject it is, that it recognizes slavery.
That is the position assumed by the President
and those who support his policy upon this
subject, with this addition. that we have no
right to go beyond what appears on the face
of the constitution, and the official authenti-
cation of the public acts and proceedings
which led to its formation and subsequent ra-
tiicaton by the people; and that whatever ir-
regularlties or frauds may have occurred or
been practiced connected with Its formation
or ratification, are altogether foreign to the
question before us; and so of the question
which has been raised a. to whether a maiori-
~ of the people of Kansas approve the con-
stitution or not. All such inquiries are repu-
dated Irrelevant Such is the issue made
up and presented on the part of the supper
tiers of this measure. On the other side il is
said that the Lecompton constitution has
been formed in pursuance of no legal authori-
er in the Territorial l. gislature /; that il does
not reflect the will Of majority of the peo-
Pile; that great Irregularities took place in
the election of delegates TO the convention that
formed il that the constitution was not fair
~ submitted 10 the people for their ratifea-
ton; and, upon these grounds, they say il
would he an outrage on the rights OF the peo-
pie of Kansas 10 impose this constitution upon
them. Now, how are the facts. Has this con-
stitution been formed in pursuance of legal
authority derived from the organic act Of Con-
gress, This | understand 20 be the main pil-
lar on which the argument rests, that Con-
gress is bound 10 admit Kansas under the Lee
compton constitution. without inquiry Us to
the truth Of any alleged Irregularities OF frauds
connected with it, or as 10 whether the malori-
" of the people approve it OF not.
/ noticed that my friend from Georgia az
gued the general question to-day on the as
sumption that that act did give 90 the people
of Kansas the power 10 form constitution
but he Afterwards said that Congress was not
bound To accepts the constitution when formed
under such authority though he did con-
tend that Congress would be bound. provided
is had passed al enabling act and the people
Of the Territory bad accepted and acted un-
der il. Ii Congress would not be bound 10
accept a consultation formed under territorial
authority, derived from the organic law, what
i that bat an admiss6oa that the organic law
does not eoatain the power claimed. II the
power Is given by the organic law, il il in the
place II an enabling act, and would be juss a.
binding GA Congress when the people OF Kan
sas accepted IL As would be an enabling act
accepted by the people OF the Territory. With
all dae Difference aad respect 10 the opinioas