Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-06-18
ADMISSION OF KANSAS.
SPEECH or
HON. @. J. GILMAN, OF MAINE,
In the House Of Representatives, May
nth ls1s
SPEECH or

2tth, ls5s.
The House being in she Committee Of the
Whole on the state Of the Union
Mr.. Gilman said
Mr.. CHNKN,N The President OF the
United StAte- sent a message 10 Congress, on
the second day OF February last, with this
statement tha. kansas was ~ much slave
state a. Georgia OF South Carolina. ltwas
then taken tor : antcd, As prOposi,iou self
evident. that there would bc no violent op.
position, on the part Of northern Democrats,
u the admission Of Kansas a. a State into
the Union under the Lee0mpton C0nstliu'
ton. IL MAS anticipated that there would
BE- an apparent reluctance az once and With
facility q take the lcc0mpt5n dose. ShreWd
roliticiars m the llouse. IN the senate, and
ia the Cabinet, know how o. touch she weak
t0ints % northern Democrats. They know
how % remove scruple- aud doubts from the
minds of their northern associates. They
have been successful In this kind OF diplo-
macy heretofore. some ofthrm nave grown
gray m the service They well knew, dur
ius the past half century, how often north
ern men had yielded 20 southern solicitation,
southern arts, and southern manipulation.
They knew iull well that heretofore.
measurvs, sectional, obnoxious, involving IN
danger and doubt the peace and welfare OF
the country, bad BEEN sanctioned by north
ern sotrs sacurei by southern agency. The
President. therefore. with conhdenee OF
success, presented the Lsc0mpion fraud !.
aud early in the season u became evident
that members from New England and the
middle States were ready and willing - vote
Tor measure most offensive in its nature 70
the feelings and senllments Of thciE conssiia-
cuts.
But II was early discovered that more
northern votes we're wanted Week after
week elapsed month after month. Who
will write The history of these weeks and
months? The record 0g Congress, the pub
lie proceedings, can be read by all. The
secret plotting. the silent and insidiJus pro-
ccclincs % thcss memorable weeks aud
months. may not be portrayed - the public
eve. Finally IL became evident that the
Administration. with al its power and with
all IT, patronage. could not induce = lew
northern Dtmlcrats % succumb. Idv-c
fsW Democrats bad mAniully resisted the
persuasion OF the pro-slAyery leaders. There
had been TO many test votes. 10 have
Ablni1nsi their position after making such
= r,s,1ri would have indicted a giarins
want VI principle and consistency. Tue IN
telhrent nini Of the country seemed O. bs
C0nyinced that the Administration would he
overwhelmed with defeat. - much trm-
uess on the part % northern democrats call
ed forth expressions VI appreciation Ani ad'
mirAtion throughout the country. The
Critt,nlsn-Min bill p,ss,i the
H5u,s. approved by Republicans, Am,ri.
cans, AMI Democrats a measure approved
by northern and southern members meas
ure frAusht with poacs aud good will %
Kan~s ana IT. passage ia the House was
haIli win pleasure ana delight by the poo
of .hs United states. TIE SsnAts refused .
sanction the biil The uluse voted 70 al
here. At last 10 became evident - the Houss,
and % thlss who have the clnfisncs og the
Administration. that the Lscompt1n swlntlo
coald NOT Do supported by a mAj1riiy Of tue
nsmbsr. OF the House Ol Representatives.
Slms other scheme must bs dcyi,,l-sons-
thins that will save the honor and pride ol
the south and will satisfy enough of the
northern Democrats % insure success.
IL bad bscn said ty southern gcntlenen
that ID Kansas were not admitted under The
Lsc1mpton constitution, the South would
ra-1rt q extreme measures. The dtss1iu-
toa OF the Union WAS threatened. Sentl-
msnts were uttered well calculated % excite
terror and alarm IA minds unAccust1nci %
yeh-m-ncs Of manner and hgh-s0uniing
ecamati1n-sentim-nts that might DISTURB
the c1u1nimity OF those who DO not know
.ni d not bslisvc that the Cni1n vt the
States j, the security and protecsion OF
slavery. The dark, dismal, aud murky
cloud % dscnion ro-e hd1rc ~. Not one
OF the niuety.two Republicans l0st the pos
session % his faculties the S5nih Am'i'-
cans were c1mp1-'i the D1ugia, Demo-
crats were calm and tranquil the L'comp-
ton monster was slam southern members
dd not abandon their seats. In ~ southern
States wasthe GhsOt disIuI0n rais-i. Bat,
sir. Il something hA3 not beru done q re-
lievs the pro-s,ayery leader, from a most
diarresaSle dilemma, aud the Almini-srN-
ton iron disgrace, how could the southern
nrmbers 70 hack q their constituents with
any hope of their APPRECIATION Or support
james Buchanan, President 0t the United
State, presented Aconstitution % the House
oi Representatives which he knew 20 De a
fraud. lie bad brought down Disgrace up
on himself. upon his Administration, upon
the Republic, by his hass attemptto impose
upon the poople Of Kansas constitution
which they sparned and hated constitu-
ton rrr-enttd az Lec0mptOn by men who
had NJ higher ssnss of duty and justice 'hAn
O. uphold and sustain murdsrcrs Of innO-
cent citizens and drstroyers Of property,
without cause Or pr1vocation. The Presl-
dent Of the United STATE. must be preserved
from a lower depth ot disgrace. Ills deep
laid plots. bis ingenious plans, the skill,
the ds1terity Of his officials in Kansas, avail
ed nothing. The crimes. the Outrasc., COM
nitted under the sanction Of law, availet
nothing The L-cOmpIJn monster was slaiu'
\ iuajlrity of the H0us- Of Representatives,
through weeks and months, wiIhstooi the
pressure aud policy II the Administration
aud resolutely and repeatedly refused u an
sult aud degrade the people u territory
whose only crime had ben that they pre-
fs-rsd a constitution Cor freedom rather than
for slavery. Resllutely and nobly DID the
manrity refuse % present % the intelligent
bot ahasd people ot Kansas the terrible i.-
sue Of lasting disgrace or revolutionary re-
sistancc. The LscOmpton monster was slain.
The desire and purpose u the President TO
create civIi discord. 70 impose slavery upon
an unwilling and reluctant people, was not
satisfied Executive power, % potent -
liNbls 10 b. exerted beyond constitutional
limits. could not compel the lIouse 20 sane
ton a crime and call IL . constitution.
Members from slave States, with all the
risks and hazards 70 which they were ex.
POs,d. gave their votes and their influence
70 uphold the honor Of the Republic, 10 save
the Territory of Kansas from the horrors OF
civil war. and the Union from calamitie'
which threatened - befall IL. No man can