The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1858-06-04
VOL. X,
Speech of Hon. S.A. Douglas,
~ OPPOSITION TO THE
Report Of the Conference Commit
tee,


MR. DoUeLAs Mr.. President. hav,
carefully examined the bill reported by
the Committee Of Conference as a substi
tute for the House amendment TO the
Senate bin for the Admission Of Kansas,
with an anxious desire to fnd in it such
provisions as would enable me TO give il
my support. / had hoped that after the
disagreement Of the two Houses upon this
question, some plan, some form or bill,
could have been agreed upon which would
harmonize and quiet the country, aad re-
unite those who agree in principle and in
political action on this great question, so
as to take Il out Of Congress. am not
able, in the bin which is now under con.
sideration, to 6nd that the principle for
which have couteuded is fairly carried
out. The position, and the sole position
upon which have ood in this whole
controversy, has been that the people Of
Kansas aud Of each other Territory, in
forming q constitution for admission in
to the Union as a State, should be left
perfectly free to form and mould their do
meslic institutions and organic act in
their own way, without coercion on tNe
one side, or any improper or undue inau-
ence on the other.
The question now arises, is there such
submission of the Lacompton Constitu!
ton as brings it fairly within that princi-
pie? In terms, the Constitution is not
submitted at all but yet we are told that
It amounts to a submission, because there
is land grant attached 10 il, and they
are permitted to vote for the land grant,
or against the land grant; and, II they ac-
cept the land grant, then they are requir-
ed to take tho Constitution with IL; uud, ,
il they reject the land grant. 1t shall be
held and deemed a decision against com
ing into the Union under the Lecompion
Constitution. Hence it has been argued
in one portion Of the Union that this is
submission of the constitution, and in
another portion that il is not. We are to
be told that submission is popular sover-
eighty in one section, aud submission in
another section is not popular sovereign
10y.
Sir, had hoped that when we came f
nally to adjuscthis question, we should
ha been able to employ language so
clear, so unequivocal, that there would
have been no room for doubt as to what
was meant, and what the line Of policy
was to be in the future. Are these peO-
pie left free totake or reject the LecOmp.
ton constitution? lfthey accept the land
grant. they are compelled to take it. If
they reject the land grant, they are out
of the Union. .r...r-1-~r
Sir, have no special objection to the
land graut as il is. think il is fair
one, and if they had put this further ad-
dition, that if they refused to come in
under the Lecompton constitution with
the land grant, they might proceed tc
form new constitution, and that they
should then have the same amount oI
lands, there would have been no bounty
held out for coming in under the Leeomp
ton constitution; but when the law gives
them the six mil on atr S in the event they
take this constitution, and does not indi-
cate what they are 10 have in the event
they reject 10, and wait until they can
fern another, submit the question
whether there is not an inducement, a
bounty held out to influence these people
to vote for this Becompton constitution?
1t may be said that when they attain
the ninety three Thousand population, or
if they wait until after 1860, il they. &C
qdired The population required by the
then ratio-wbich. may be one hundred
and len thousand or one hundred and
twenty thou sand and form a constitu-
Ton under it, we shall give them the same
amount of land that is now given by this
grant. That may be so, aud may not be
so. believe il will be so; and yet in the
/ House bill, for which this is a substitute,
the provision was that they should have
this same amount Of land, whether they
came in under the Lecomptou constitu'
tion, OF whether they formed new con-
stitution.
There was no doubt, no uncertainty
left in regard TO what were TO be their
rights under the land grant, whether they
took the one constitution or the other.
Hence that proposition was fair submis'
sion, without any penalties on the one
side, or any bounty or special favor OF
lprivilege on the other to influence theil
action In this view Of the case, ] an
not able to arrive al the conclusion thai
this is a fair submission either Of th'
Question Of the constitution itdelf, or O
admission into the Union under the con
stituliou and The proposition Submitted
by this bill.
: Again, sir, there is further contingen
oy. In the event that they reject thi
Constitution, they are to stay out Of thO
Union until they shall attain the requisite
population for a member Of Congress, ac
eording to the then ratio Of representa-
ttion in the other House. ! have no OBJ
lection to making it a general rule tina
Territories shall be kept out until the!
have the requisite population. / hay,
proposed It over and over again. an
willing to agree to it and make il applica
bic to Kansas If you will make it a gen
: eral rule. lti3
But, sir. it is one thing to adopt tha
rule as a general rule aud adhere to II I
: all cases, and it is very different, and
very distinct thing, to provide that if the
will take this constitution, which the peo
ple have shown that they abhor. they ma