Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-01
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., March 80.

Mr.. DAVIS, of Maryland, opposed the
admission of Kansas under the Lecompton
constitution, on the ground that it is not
legal and does not embody the will OF the
people. That slavery was in that constitu-
ton, was no ground Of objection. lie con-
tended that an enabling sct-the assent OF
Congress was necessary before Territory
could proceed in the formation of constitu-
tion. In his Judgment, the people should
turn out any legislature that would attempt
to nut in force this constitution.
Mr. CLAY, of Kentucky, explained that his
object in visiting the President in the session,
which had been misrepresented by the press
ia his own county and elsewhere, was to pre-
serve the harmony Of that party with which
be has the honor to act. Ii was impossible to
disguise the fact, however much gentlemen
might profess the opposite, all the difficulties
about Kansas had grown out of negro slavery.
lie was free to admit that some of the north
ern democracy in the opposition honestly
thought it vas not, but he thought they would
find it impossible to convince the country
that such is the fact lie then referred to the
speech Of Senator Crittenden, in which that
gentleman attributed the authorship of the
Missouri Compromise to his father, and
SAID that Mr. Clay never was its author, and
expressly repudiated its authorship, and re-
garded it only as measure of temporary re-
lief, fully inadequate in 1850 to form the basis
OF that compromise. lie quoted from a
speech of Mr.. Clay to substantiate this, and to
show that Mr.. Thomas, OF Illinois, was it's
author. Whilst he believed the question Of
slavery to be the only real ground of
opposition to the admission of Kansas. he
did not mean to discuss it, for he regretted
and deplored the extreme speeches made on
either side, as calculated OIL to widen the
breach and endanger the existence of the
Union, which depends ony on the justice and
patriotism of the North. On this subject he
arr8yed himself under the banner OF his old
friend from Oregon, Mr. Lane, and by the
side of mis- young friend from Connecticut,
Mr.. Bishop 1t appeared to him that the
only proper inquiries for Congress to make
10 regard to the admission OF Kansas we're:
whether there was sufficient population,
whether its proposed constitution was repub-
ican in form, and whether il was the act AMI
will OF the people, expressed 10 lawful man.
ner. The first two were admitted on ell
hands, and be contended that the arguments
against the last one were not supported by
facts.
Mr.. CAMPBELL, of Ohio, read an extract
from speech of Hon. Henry Clay in favor
OF relieving Kentucky of slavery; which
led to courteous Discussion between him
self and Mr. Clay, of Kentucky, in relation
to the position and doctrines OF that dis
tingushed statesman on the question of
slavery and the right OF Congress to govern
the Territories. Mr.. Campbell held that Mr..
Clay, senior, was opposed to slavery and
slavery extension while Mr.. Clay, jr., re-
TERED to the compromises of 1850, as proof
that he was an advocate of the doctrine OF
noninterventon by Congress IN the affairs
Of the Territories, believing that the Mis-
contemporaries line was no longer oper-
alive for tGe purposes for which it was con-
structcd; and contended that no would have
voted for the admission Of State with sla-
very, if it was the Will OF the people of that
State,