The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-04-06
SPEECH OF
HON. HENRY WALDRON,
OF MICHIGAN,
On the Lecompton Constitution.
Delivered In House of Representatives, March
2Oth, 1855.

On the LeCOmpJOn COnStiyubiOn-
Delivered In House Of Rsgrese"'at've"' March
/ am aware, Mr.. Chairman, that the
discussion on the Lecompton constitution
has been prolonged in this Hall until it
has, to a certain extent, lost novelty and
interest; and, if Il consulted my own feel
ihgs, I should content myself with silent
vote on the proposition which the Presi-
dents message brings to our notice; but
the vote that cast here is the expression
of men with whom this question is one OF
deep and engrossing interest; and, in JUS
tico to them, l would avow publicly the
views and convictions which control that
vote.
The special message of the President,
and the constitution which it endorses, are
documents in every respect worthy Of each
other. An instrument like this Lecomp-
ton contrivance ought to be accompanied
by exactly such a message. There has
been exhibited in the construction of that
instrument shameless disregard of even
the appearance of honesty, which is paral-
leled only by the bold and reckless state
ments Of the message. There has been in
every movement of the trainers Of that
constitution cool and wanton violation OF
popular rights, which is appropriately fol-
lowed up by deliberate perversion of
truth, and reckless suppression of facts.
The conspirators at Lecompton treated the
citizens Of the Territory as slaves, and the
Executive of the nation denounces them
as rebels. 1t was not enough that these
men should suffer wrones ut the hand OF
usurped authority, but there must be ad-
ded to them opprobrium, accusation, and
insult; and the Executive now steps in, 50
that no part is left unacied in this pro-
gramme Of outrage. There is symmetry
in the design, as well as harmony in tn
execution. No trifliug matters Of form or
fact are allowed to interfere where congen-
ial tastes and common purpose draw men
together; and Buchanan and Calhoun strike
hands in mutual Animation Of each others
work. The citizens of this broad land will
pcruse this message with vi ried emotions.
A few will exult over it with exceeding
Joy. The men who indorsed its author in
the last canvass as zone who had never,
by vote, or speech, or act, panied the most
sensitive southern heart" will be delighted
with il; for it establishes their political sa-
gacity beyond doubt, and affords them re-
ncwcd evidence that their confidence has
not been misplaced. There are Others
who will join with then in admiration Of
lis ability. The armed mon who invaded
Kansas in 1855, and elected, over tho
heads Of its people, Territorial Lceisla-
turc, will be delighted at the earncstucss
with which the President rehu ;cs tho free
state men for attcn pting to establish n
government by force; and they will breathe
freer and easier wien they find that there
is at the head of affairs an officer who is SO
conscicntiously the advoc tie of peaceful
and legitimate suffrage Tho President
will also have his admirers among the past
Legislators Of that Tcritory-the men who
were kind enough 10 leave Missouri at the
call of their ncighbors. and take the inter
ests of Kansas unier their guardianshir.-
These men will lie horrifed, in common
with the President, at the usurpation which
he charges upon tlic free state men-the
usurpa,ion Of mon who would govern
themselves! Then there are the disintcr.
ested patriots in that Territory, who man.
ufacture poll-lis;s out of Cincinnati Direc.
tories. How sensibly will they appreciate
the dcnunciations Of fraud that are hurled
by the President at the heads of the To.
pekaites, and how gallantly are they vim
dicatcd against tbs calunnes Of their Sian
derers! And then, last Of all. there are
tho southern apostles. who. under The lead
of Atchison and Titus, undertook mission
ary labor in that Tcrrorv. Will what
holy urction will they roll =, It oy.. h,av.
onward, when they read ,hc concluding
paragraphs of this message, where the
President 40 sincerely recognizes his ohli-
cations to his conscience and his Maker.
To these invaders aud usurpcrs, Mr.
Chairman, this message affords said and
comfort" with them it will find much ia
vor; but there are Others in the Democrat.
ic household who will not so readily sub
scribe to its reasoning and conclusions.
There were, in 1856, men at the North
who were so fervently deyoted to the in
terests Of freedom that they werc thrown
into spasms at The sight Of "Dunn's bil'-
men who denied with an air of virtuous
indignation that slavery had shadow Of
right in Kansas. or could acquire it with
out the consent Of its people. What are
these men now told by the President for
whom they voted! Why that Kansas is
just as much n slave state as Georgia or
South Carolina, made so by the Federal
Constitution and despite the wishes of its
people; and this doctrine is now the stand
ard Of Democratic faith; the test of Dem
ocratic orthodoxy! And, then, there are
the innocent mortals at the North who vo.
ted for Mr.. Buchanan because they wanted
to make Kansas free stato-the men who
marched under the banner of buchanan
and Breckenridge" and kept step to the
music Of "Frcc Kansas" What an air of
injured innocence and misplaced confidence
will these men assume when they read this
message, abounding, as it does, in doc
trines which forge and fastcn upon the Ter
ritories the fetters OF oppression. Well
may these men ask, is this the feast to
which we are invitedl Is this the De
mocracy of which we were the advocates9 ,
Why, Mr.. Chairman, the Democrats Of
my state were told during the last canvass
that the nomination Of James Buchanan
xu.. n ,,;.t,ol .ob,Lo of Al. -. L..