The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-09-02

no one ever disputed, was an aiter-tuous
change Of doctrine. To liken 1t famiiiariy CUP
nose a man was to 90 about the streets pro-
claiming the absolute right of a child to do al
he pleased and you told him, sir, it will not dc
to let our little boys and girls do Just as they
please they must be governed by their parents
until they have arrived at an age when they arr
capable of taking care of themselves; and you
satisfy him that that is so, and that the best In
terests of the child all require that he should bs
under the control of his parents until be arrives
at an age when he is capable of taking care O
himself After you have satisfied the man o.
| that, who has been crying out for the rights Of
| the child, he turns around and hurrahs for thu
| rights of the child when he's twenty -one
| [Laughter.] He cries, 4" | am for the rights Of
the child--that is, am for the rights of the child
when he gets to be a man." Renewed laugh.
ter. Well, what do you who hurrah for the
| popular sovereignty of the people of a Territory
mean? Do you mean that the people of a Terri
| tory shall elect their own Governor? No. That
| they shall elect their own Judges No. Do
| you mean they can provide for Legislature
| No. Do you mean that they may keep Slavery
| from being introduced among them? No. Then
| what do you mean? ~ mean that when they
| cease to be Territory, and come to be State,
and are twenty one years of age, they may do as
they please" Laughter and cheers
Here is the change the repealers of the Mis-
| souri, Compromise have made in their profession
| They all professed at the time the Missouri
| Compromise was repealed, to believe that Sla-
/ very would not 90 into Kansas. We who were
| opposed to the repeal of that law, which exciu-
ded Slavery from Kansas while Territory, told
| them the effect of it would be to open Kansas to
Slavery, and Slavery would go there. They said
it was no such thing-it SANDER upon
them, for they were as much opposed to Slavery
/ any one-it an Abolition he-Slayery
would never go there, and the Missouri Compro-
mise was not repealed for any such purpose.
This was the profession. [Cries of True,
/ true"
What did we say further? We said Slavery
would be introduced; and, when Slavery got into
the Territory it would be difficult to get it out
| This they denied. What has been the practical
| effect? The moment the Missouri Compromise
| was repealed, Slavery did go into Kansas it il
| there to-day. That is the truth, which cannot
be denied. After Slavery got there, did the peo-
| pie have the right to exclude it2 Did the people
have the right to do anythng2
You are too familiar with the history of Kan
| sas, to require that should go over it tonight
but you all know that, so far from the people OF
Kansas having the right to regulate their own
affairs on the subject of Slavery at the very first
election which was held, the settlers were driven
| from the polls, and Legislature was elected for
them; and what did it do That Legislature
passed law Furnishing man with chains and the
penitentiary who should say Slavery did not exist
| in Kansas If man merely avowed such to be his
opinion, he subjected himself to the penitentiary
| That Legislature, when it met, imposed uncon-
stitutional laws upon the people of Kansas pro-
vided for the perpetuation of its power, appoint
ed its officers for years. took the control of all
| the affairs of the Territory, and, hacked up b.,
| the United States army, perfect despotism was
forced upon people who, it was said, had had
conferred upon them the great principles OF self
| government and popular sovereignty. Loud
applause. These are the facts.
4 Let US follow this history along a little further
In process of time, it was supposed that Kansas
would wish to be admitted into the Union as a
| State. Her people, you remember had formed
| one Constitution, known as the "Topeka Const-
tuition" establishing free State. 1t was neces-
| sary to meet this with something and bill was
/ prepared in the Senate of the United States by
Mr. Douglas, authorizing the people of Kansas 10
| hold Convention, and form Constitution.
| Several amendments were offered to that bill
| Among others, an amendment was offered by Mr.
TOombs, of Georgia, and that bill subsequently,
passed the Senate. Now, fellow-citzens make
the distinct charge, that there was preconcert-
ed arrangement and plot entered into, by the
| very men who now claim credit for opposing q
Constitution not submitted to the people, to have
Constitution formed and put in force, without
giving the people any opportunity to pass upon
| it. Great applause.
This, my friends, is serious charge, but
charge it tonight, that the very men who tray
erse the country under banners proclaiming pop
| ular sovereignty, by design concocted bill on
| purpose to force Constitution upon that people
| ] have brought along with me the evidence to
prove the charge make, Applause j because
/ a Cnnrgo s-st--- -i----A-- ill., IL --:-L.
| be controverted by the men who claim credit
| for popular sovereignty, unless ] brought the
| evidence with me. hold in my hand the bill
! brought into the Senate of the United States by
| Mr.. Toombs, on the 25th June, $50, containing q
clause requiring the Constitution which the Con-
vention should form, tG be submitted TO the
| people for their ratification or rejection. That
bill was referred to the Committee on Territories
in the Senate of the United States of which
Judge Douglas Is chairman. Judge Douglas
five days afterwards, reported back the bill
hold in my hand, making various alterations in
j among others, striking out the clause re-
-'v,nx its submission to the people. He stated
" -~n.uitation with Mr.. Toombs, he had
I'd Ia ~ ,bsso .,,o tons. Tremendous applause.
A vnIcr To rvbor, he make the state
ment?
Mr.. TRUMBULL He made it in the Senate
the United States, and it is reported in the Con-
gressional Globe; and, sir, if you are Douglas
| man
SANE VOICE. am, sir.
I
| self that he was in the plot to force Constitu-
ton upon that people? | will satisfy you
| Cries of Good, good hit him again :" and
cheers | will cram the truth down any honest
mans throat, until he cannot deny it. Renewed
cheers And to the man who does deny it,
will cram the lie down his throat, until he shall
cry enough Tremendous cheering
1t is preposterous-it is the most damnablt
chron'ery that man ever put on, to conceal
ham To .9af- 4
| rights, and then claim credit for it, TCries "Hur.
rah for Trumbull, hit him again. down with all
such men," That is not all, my Douglas friend
that Is not all myself, humble as | am anC
making no pretensions other than to have per
formed my duty to the best of my ability to tn,
State that has honored me by placing me in th,
senate, pointed this out two years ago. TThre,
cheers for Trumbull were given, with great en-
, thusiasm stated that it was a little too mucl
to call Convention in Kansas before knowine
what was the wish of the people, and then t
allow the hfty-two men which were to compos
tue convention, according to that bill, to pu
any sort OF Consultation upon the people, with
out allowing them to vote upon it.
VOICE. What did Douglas say to it?
Mr. IRUMBULL. What did he saw He wa
silent as the grave, and voted for the bill An
plause-] 1t passed the Senate but was defeate
in the House. Mind you, now this was befor
the Presidential election. TCheers and laugh
ter. 1t was before the thunders of the Fremon
vote had rolled down to Washington and fright
ened the men that were there. Applause ]
was before the free people of Illinois had swef
the plunderers from the State Capitol, and in
stalled in their places free men, and the friend
OF free men. Renewed applause. 1t woul
not do to risk that policy much longer Laugh
ter and applause.
!, LECOMPTON.