Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-02-13

Air Speaker: It viii be remembered that when res
olutions similar to this amendment (of the member
from Bradley came up week OF two since in this
House, Ltvilh several otherDeuocrats opposed them
stated at the time, that Gid not oppose them, be.
cause l charged that the Lecomptou constitution was
fraudulent or GntirepUblican. took 10 position
upon that question one way or the other. 1 held
that if either Of these objections TO that oonstitu
ton could be maintained, that our Senators and
Representatives in Congress should oppose IT,
was entirely unprepared to say how these things
-Were-sud, therefore, unwilling to instruct our
Representatives 20 vote for measure, which 1 was
not prepared TO approve myself It was only q
question Of time with me, and say the same fol-
those Democrats who voted with me- We had been
here for weeks and months, considering banks and
questions Of State policy generally-ani our otten-
ton had not been turned to the consideration Of
federal pOliics-especially to this Leeompton con.
stitution, which vas an entirely new question We
had no testimony, save newspaper reports-and,
looking to these we found that it was charged from
various ouarters that this constitution was swim
de At one time that thousands Of fraudulent votes
had been polled. At another that when submitted,
it had been voted down By ten thousand votes Even
some democratic papers, were half inclined to give
credenoe to these reports The Washington States
and Louisville Democrat both, we're in doubt upon
this point and il was intimated that even the ad.
ministration organ, was about to change front and
come out against it. Under these circumstances, as
a Democrat what could do. In common with the
Democratic party | stood upon the Kansas bill
which pledged to the people Of that Territory the
right settle the question Of slavery by coDstitu-
tiona provisions adopted by the legally and fairly
expressed will of the people Of Kansas" How was
TO act under this State Of things I would not
vote blindly for this constitution, merely because il
established slavery, for such a course would have
violated the provision Of the Kansas act already
stated, well as that other one which pledges the
Democracy against forcing slavery upon the Ter
ritores" Such, sir, is my vndication Of that vote
It was q mere question Of time l am now satisfied
as TO the points in question; and SHALL therefore
vote for these instructions. The intention of those
Democrats who voted against these resolutions has
regret TO say been misrepresented in some Of the
papers Of this city.
The Nashville Banner has done US the injustice 10
say in substance, that by opposing seresoluions
we refused to endorse President BuchanaE's course
on This subject In my explanation of that vote as
the reports will show stated expressly, that en-
dorsed the course of the President and voted on the
same day for resolutions to that effect. vote
aye
Messrs. VAUGHN, DAVE, and EWING made,
substantially, the following explanation when their
names were called:
We are in favor of the admission of Kansas as a
slave State and WILL under all circumstances, stand
to the rights Of the South; but we desire further
light upon this subject. We have full confidence
South, and we are unwilling to instruct them, with
the limited means of information before US There
is one thing, certain, however, we will never prove
recreant TO Southern rights and Southern institu-
tons We do not desire to be understood as oppo-
sing the admission Of Kansas, under the LecOmpton
constitution, but oppose attaching the amendment
to the Bell resolutions.
Mr. RICHARDSON. I ask permission 10 explain
Our friends want to sWeeten this resolution They
can't take it as it is. have administered physic in
this way SO often, it makes sick to see it. They
are at their old game again. They think if they
sweeten this Bell resolution it will certainly be ia
ken Why not just come up and give US the single
question. If l have got to take the liquor would
rather take it raW-fresh so. As far as this thing
of the admission Of Kansas under the Lecompton
constitution is concerned have said in the report
which l had the honor to make to the House some
time ago. that do not know much about it. 1 do
not believe it is all right; and there is no party no
man, nor set Of men, who are able to force me to
do thing which do not believe to be right. 1 do
not know, Mr. Speaker really, whether it is right
in ITSELF that should vote for this amendment, or
not. l do not knoW-and when l say so, l am as
candid. and sincere, and honest in that, as | ever
was in any thing have ever asserted in my life.
have my doubts about the whole thing If it was
a question upon which it was our duty to act
should still be obliged TO say, do not know which
is the best course 10 take. love the South, Mr.
Speaker / was born in the South: all the interests
have on earth are in the South; all my friends all
my kindred, as far as l know, are in the South.
But there is another interest with which am iden-
tilted, in the contemplation Of which lose sight of
all considerations connected with the South, the
North, the East and the West-aDd that is, the
Union Of these States am for this Union as lis;
and it must be a momentOus question, indeed to in
6uence me TO give vote, one way or the other,
which can have the least squirting towards impair
ing the integrity Of this Union. Upon this Union,
depends everything dear and sacred to the American
people.
do not know anything about this Lecompton
constitution. No man here knows whether it meets
the will Of the majority, not. Do you know it,
sirsl Is there on this floor that knows it
And will you, you, so far invade and nvalidate
the doctrine Of popular sovereignty to force upon
any people constitution which they do not approve?
Whether majority Of the people of Kansas approve
this constitution or not do not know; and if did
know that it approved by majority, still, would
it be right for me, or you, or any man upon this
floor, to dictate what shall be the matter of their
constitution to the people Of any State but oWn
What right have We to prescribe constitution for
any people under Gods sun, but our own? If that
is as it is said to be, slavery constitution, and if
It we're certain that a majority of the people Of
Kansas in favor it. should still have the same
feeling with regard to the passage of this resolution
Il is the earnest desire Of my heart, that Kansas
should be slave State. / hope and trust that she
may be- There is nothing l could do as q freeman
or q statesman that 1 would not do, that is right
aud honorable and proper to be done, to make Kan
sGs slave State. But, Mr. Speaker can any action
of this Legislature have the least tendency, one
way or the other, to produce this desirable result?
say itcannot and it does look to me, with all de-
ference to those who differ from me-aud l say it
with the kindest feeling-it does look to me, that
friends are msddling with matter that does not
concern them. This question belongs exclusively
H. ,rrK n fFo . ~
United States. Whenever have been a member Of
the Legislature, have uniformly opposed the poll
cy Of shOuldering the responsibility which belongs
10 our Senators and Representatives in Congress
It is their duty to represent the State Of Tennessee
and l say, let them take the responsibility and do
what they think ID be right. They much more
petent than we to decide this question; and
appeal again to gentlemen, have you got the facts
upon which to base intelligent action? Are you
satisfied with your own motion? l am obliged to
.hinK there must be something in the bosom Of
every man that must make him hesitate-that must
disturb his reflections, when he comes to give his
vote for this amendment-not knowing fully that he
is doing to others he would have them do to him.
Gentlemen should recoleet that there is q rule of
right and justice which should govern ell rela-
lions, whether social political Let US do right;
and when we do not know what is right, let not
DO wrong. Gentlemen, you cannot sWeeten these
Bell resolutions so as to induce me to take them.
vote No.
Mr NANCY. Mr. Speaker: desire to say word,
nasmuch as was in the minority Of the Committee
on Federal Relations, upon this subject. l signed
he minority report referred to, for this reason
The history Of hausss shows, that on the Dist Of |
December, 1857, the LecOmpton constitution was
carried by vote Of six thousand-sll slave State
men. But, on the fourth of January, 1858, that
Constitution was rejected by vote of ten thousand
Under this state Of facts it does not deyolve upon
his Legislature to instruct our Representatives in
congress, as 1t to me, in the terms Of these
resolutions / claim TO be as much devoted to the |
interests Of the South as any man. My whole
nature, instincts, every thing, make me a Southern
nan IN heart and soul But believe this resolution
this amendments all stuff. This question Of |
slavery il Kansas, I believe, God has taken out of
he hands Of the people, and that it is to be inevi
ably free State. believe that, within two years
lme, no matter under what Constitution Kansas |
hall be admitted, it will be a free State. am in |
syor Of the admission Of Kansas, whether under |
he LecompiOn Constitution or not, solely for the /
purpose OF lOcslizng this question-fOr the purpose
# taking it out Of the Halls of Congress, and leav-
ng it to the people Of Kansas
Mr. SAUNDERS said he should have to vote No but |
lot because he was opposed to the admission of /
Kansas as slave State He did not know how it |
vas but if it true, that the Lecompton Consti-
ution had been regularly formed according to the
[ansas- Nehraska hill still he wouII nat -oto for