New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-19
FROM WASHINGTON.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN's GREAT SPEECH

Mr.. CRITTENDENS GREAT SPEECH.
From Our Own Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, March II, 1858.
Tie Senate opened this morning without quo.
rum, the Senators not having yet recovered from
the fatigues of the long session Of Monday. Mr..
Hale made statement relative to his approval of
the ToOmbs bill, denying that he had expressed en-
tire satisfaction with it, as Senator Benjamin had
affirmed in his recent speech. Mr. Benjamin
courteously expressed his regret that speaking
from memory alone, he bad misunderstood the Sen
ator from New-IIampshire.
Amid profound silence, and with the universal
attention Of the Senate, which is rarely given to
any set speech, Mr.. Crittenden took the floor at
90 minutes before !. He stated the question to
be whether or not the Lecompton Constitution was
the Constitution Of the people of Kansas. In his
Judgment, it was not. The great majority Of the
people of Kansas rejected it with indignation aud
abhorrence Theyotes that were apparently cast for
it on the 2lst of December, 1857, We're proved be-
yond doubt to be fraudulent. The adoption by
Congress Of the Lecompton Constitution was,
therefore, clearly an attempt to force odious
Constitution upon an unwilling people.
The venerable Senator then went iutO a careful
examination Of the nature and resuts Of the ee.-
ton of the 4th of January, 1858, which he demon.
strated to be in every respect proper and legal and
showing conclusvely, by fair and uuquestonable
vote, that the majority Of the people of Kansas
we're opposed to the Lecompton Constitution.
This question Of the Constitution Of Kansas was
great political question. 1t should be decided on
broad and high grounds, and not on legal quirks and
quibbes, such as were used in petty courts to de-
eide paltIy questions of property. The will of the
people of Kansas should be supreme in this matter.
Could any man deny that there was at least doubt
as to what was the will Of that people in this mat
ter What if vote had been taken under the
auspices of John Calhoun Take twenty votes,
hold twenty elections If need be- rather than force
Constitution on State What objection was
there, what objection could there be, to submitting
the question again to the people Mono wh.tever.
lie could not conceive what motive the Senate
could have for forcing this Constitution upon
Kansas-for this unparalleled violation of
popular rights. The Lecompton Constitution
was not the Constitution of Kansas. 1t
was q fraud, an imposition that had no
claims whatever to be regarded as genuine
Constitution. The President urged its acceptance
BY Congress- en- the ground that it had been framed
by Il leesl Convention and ratified BY popular
vote. But the President knew, aud everybody
knew, that this was not the whole case. The Con-
vention was fraud; the submission to the people
was fraud. The whole transaction, from begin
ming TO end, reeked with frauds OF the grossest,
basest, yilest kind From its earliest inception,
the Lecompton Constitution was the creation OF
fraud and force. The frat Territorial Legislature
of Kansas was an imposition, concOcted BY vio-
lence and usurpaton by armed invaders from
Missouri. AL the succeeding transactions, down
to the pretended ratification of the Lecompton
Constitution, psrtook Of the same character, and
flowed from the same evil and polluted source.
VIII any Senator here deny this Will any Sen
ator affirm that these allegations, these proved and
recorded statements of the origin Of the Lecompton
Constitution, are not true
Here Mr.. CIittenden paused and looked around
the Chamber. Nearly every Administration Sena-
tor was present, but no one ventured to reply.
ResumiDg, the Senator from Kentucky entered
into mastery exposition of the extraordinary pro-
ceediDgs of John Calhoun, eliminating in the last
election, in which Kickapoo and Shawnee and Del
aware Crossing surpassed themselves in fraudulent
efforts TO secure the State Offices. He hsd seen the
report of the Commissioners appointed BY the Ter.
rtoria Legislature to investigate these frauds, and
in that report there the most ample proof OF al
that had been charged against Calhoun and ms
party.
We are applied to TO admit new State into the
Union. An instrument is presented Purportins 70
be her Constitution. But citizens of that Sta'e
protest against its acceptance. They declare tna'
il is not their Constitution. They affirm that II Is
fraudulent instrun ent the result of base devices
snd that it is abhorrent to the people OF the oIa'e
The constituted authorities Of the new State nave
sent to Us their remembrance, formally ahifmhs
the same thing. Can the Senate viii the senate
disregard these protests, aud in the face oi a these
reponsrances, Of all ,hese proofs persist IN forcing
the Leconpton Constitution upon Kansas " hs'
bdVantaAe To tha eountry or A portion vi nc