The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-05-26
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, Nav IS.

SENATE. SeWard'S resolution OF
inquiry into the British outrages in the
Gulf, which was yesterday postponed, was,
to-day, unanimously adopted
Mr. Douglas moved to take up the bill
for the admission of Oregon into the
Union as State. The yeas and nays
were called-ayes %, nays %.
The chair {Mr. Breckinridge) voted
aye, and consequently the bill was brought
before the Senate.
The pending motion was Mr.. Trumbull's
that the consideration be postponed till
December next.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick spoke in favor of post
ponement in order that an enabling act
may be passed and a census taken.
Mr.. Douglas replied that every step in
the formation of her constitution and ap-
plication for admission was legally sub
mitted and ratified by the majority of the
people of Oregon. Why then should she
not be admitted? Simply because she has
not the requisite population. He belev-
ed that Oregon had more population than
Kansas. 1t would be better to test ad-
mission by direct vote, for the motion to
postpone to December is merely equiva-
lent to keeping her out. He was opposed
to drawing distinctions between these two
inchoate States of Oregon and Kansas
opposed to saying that one has a right to
come in without sufficient reputation and
without an enabling act, and that the other
| shall not. Oregon has fulfilled every re-
! E,1 ~.
Message. She is prepared to come in
and has submitted every step of that prep
aration fairly to the people and has avoid
ed every one of the informalities which
were~urgcd as objections to the admission
of Kansas.
Put then these two inchoate States on
an equality and Douglas is ready for the
general rule which he has struggled for for
years-that in future all new States must
have the requisite population To en-
force that rule strictly in all time coming.
1t is unjust to the people of Oregon to
keep them in suspense, unaware of their
condition, whether they are to be admitted
or not. With reference to other subjects
introduced into the debate he cared moth
ing. The sovereignty Of State has
right to exclude Chinamen if SO DISPOSED
and so with free negroes and so with
slavery. A State has right to admit or
exclude them, and Douglas denied the
right Of Congress to decide on that ques-
tion of policy. When State comes for
admission she has right to come with
any constitution that does not violate the
constitution of the United States.
Mr. Trumbull argued that Kansas be-
ing admitted pacific measure, she being
on the verge of civil war; was no reason
why the rule should be relied on in favor
oe Oregon.
Mr.. Douglas replied that if admission
on easy terms were held out as the reward
Of rebellion, Oregon could resort to that
as we'll as any other, but the citizens OF
: Oregon are an industrious, law abiding
: people, and for that very reason if for nc
other, shoald have the restrictions relaxed
The important interests of the Pacific
slope required more representatives in
Congress.
. Mr.. Seward protested against making
the admission of Oregon dependent OIL
the analogy between it and another State
He was determined in voting for its pres
ent admission apart from the question o
l being free State, by the fact that geo
graphically and politically Oregon is in
dispensable to the completion and round
: ing off Of this republic; she is just a
e indispensable to the completion of tn,
0 Union as New York or Louisiana. W,
&. struggled too long to get it, and hav,
: cherished it too much to permit it to pas
4 under the influence of Britain or Russia
: Every man knows it is to be admitted SOM
day, now Or some time hence. What i
S there to prevent it now.
t Mr.. Green knew that the feeling O
o emancipation did not exist in Missouri
: except to the most limited extent anon:
n a few individuals. He knew the object O
the movement of the Senator from New
York, and desired to meet it on the thresh
hold. 1t was intended to stir up and ia,
y the flames of discord-to send, not peace
t but sword. The sentiment Of Missouri
= was in favor of peace but not emaneipa
S ton. Slave labor is profitable therein
= and the number of slaves has increased
C Some further remarks were made, afte
which the postponement of the bill t,
:, December was lost-3S against l 6.
e The bill was then reported withou
l. amendment, except unimportant ve:ba
9 amendments, and finally passed by vot
3 of 35 against IT.
:, Yeas--Messrs. Allen, Bayard, Benja
5, min, Biggs, Bigler, Bright, Broderick
II Brown, Cameron, Chandelier Colamel
: Dixon, Doolittle, Douglas, Foote Foster
l. Green, Gwinn. Harlan, Houston, johnson
Il of Ark, johnson, of Tenn, Jones, King
= Polk, Pugh. Sebastian, Seward, Shield.
e Simmon, Slidell, Stuart, Toombs, Wright
: and Yulee.
l. Nays-Messrs. Bell, Clay, Crittender
" Davis, Durkee, Fessenden, Fitzpatrick
e Hale, Hamlip, Hammond, Henderson
e Hunter, Iverson, Kennedy, Mason, Trum
e bull, and Wade.