The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-10

other borc him have been distinguished consistent
political action and yet by single act have bghtcd tio
good effect of all their anteeedcns aud destroyed Their
political future. Without intending anything personal
but by of illustration, would say that Arnold wa
esteemed true and loyal officer and had done hc state
some service until he committed treason against ms
country Will it be urged that his treason was therefore
Justified? have heard much during this debate OF
" reading members out of the party Sir no formal
prucanto is required for that pmposc-they are out
by the operation of their are in the position
of the soldier who in the hour Of battle, deserts to the
enemythc penalty follows 1t is idle to suppose that
when gentlemen proclaim the result OF their act VIII be
to break down the national party and elevate sectiona
one with its attendant consequences and are doing all
they can to attain that object they remain when the
act is completed in full communion with the party they
seek TO destroy Their proper place is with the oppos
on and time will place them in that association
History is full of examples of conflicts between indvidn
ais and the party, but each instance has resulted in
signal failure OF the assailant. The contest In such
cases is unequal that between a mere guerilla
band and powerful and well organized army Men,
individuals apt to exaggcrate their power when
directed against organization. In struggles with the
democratic party, but pgmes contending with
giants; they may be compared to the fly on the wheel
the fly is crushed and the wheel rolls on. whenever q
great ssc in the present arises involving per-
haps the very existence of the Union it Is the duty OF
every who has at heart the welfare OF the nation
to sustain the administration in its patriotic course ana
more especially those who hold their seats in this hon
oable body and elected upon the same platform
with the present distinguished chief
in tho step they about to take in the opposition You
concce the great purpose and mission of the national
democratic party you concede it is the great uiwark
that alone arrest the ascondcncy OF scctionalism
you conccde that such triumph result IN separa-
ton of the States bringing in its train calamties that
may be conjectn but not foretold and yet you stand
ready to strike the parrcda blow Should this measure
be defeated by your votes and the disaster flow from it
which has been predicted you cannot fail to be regarded
hereafter the parrcidcs OF the republic.
Mr.. Chairman, the northern national democracy stand
and will continue to stand hereafter by the princi
pie established by the Kansas Nebraska act and those
enunciated Cincinnati We insist that the Territories
well States have the sole right to determine their
local and municipal matters and that each should bic let
alone to manage them in their own way. This course
must ultimately force the slavery agitation out OF Con-
gres notwithstanding the embarrassment whch has thu
far attended the application of the principle to Kansas
The present difficulty has grown out OF tho premature
immigration forced upon the Territory by slavery asita
tors which went there not to cultivate the soil but to
foster the excitement which has of late uscd the
whole country, and of which all, believe, are heartily
tired This rule adopted will not produce like consequen
ces again There may be struggle when consti
tuition with slavery sprcscncd but believe public senti
will determine that tshal be bar to admission on
that ground. Once firmly established and acted upon In
good faith slavery will be left to the law OF climate and
soil to control it, This law which has been silently work
ing since the adoption of the constitution has caused tho
abolition of slavery In six of the original States, and
either abolished prohibited it in nine of the States
since admitted and which has now brought to rs two, II
not more free States for admission into the Union there
by destroying the equilibrium between the slave and free
States imposes, in my Judgment, higher duty upon the
national democracy of the North than has hitherto
listed to that the compromises of the constitution
maintained and the rights of the States secured Its ac
ton in the past guarantee for the future All that the
southern States demand is to bo allowed to control their
affairs and equal rights with the other States When
State seeks admission, if the people desire slavery
Congress should at accedc and admit Inc national
democracy fully committed upon this point and will
redeem the pledge
Mr.. Chairman, my colleague, mr. HAsKIS, in his re-
| marks uses the following language:
honestly believe that patronage becoming the
Of the rcpabhc not ten democratic members from the free states
| presented to u.s."
hold that member of this honorable body should
make vague charge of this grave character against
his associates from belief unless founded upon
fact II the integrity and honor of any gentleman has
yielded to the seducons of patronage and power it is
proper and due to the dignity Of this honorable body that
it should be known and the person or persons named
therefore call upon my colleague Mr. HAsKIN to give
this information, and the facts upon which his belief is
founded my respect for this honorable body fobds that
should characterize this charge in such terms it de-
scrves await his response make great allowance
for excitement incident to debate The remarks of my
colleague, however, having been prepared in advance
and read from printed copy, indicates prcmcditaton and
dclbeation While my colleague makes assault on the
one side the honorable member from Illinois, Mr. MoR-
mrs. in saying that the northern who vote for the
admission of Kansas under the Lecompton constitution
going to their political graves do not quote the
naVlnB renaTkS DcIOrc lne,) pays
high compliment, for which, ono, i thank him.
II shows his conviction that have been guided by
| higher motives than selfish considerations
Sir have heard it stated ON this floor, and held in Ter
rorem the northern Lecompton members, that the
Kansas Nebraska act epublicanizcd the last Congress
Without desiring to refer in detail desire to state fact
not generally understood The whole country has been
made long since of the division in the democratic
party Of the State of New York from 1853 to 1856 1t is
to be dcplorcd but nevertheless true that had the hard
and soft vote been united upon single candidates in 1854
would have secured eleven more members in the last
Congrcssseven by majority vote and four by plural
ity-makng total Of fifteen and given to the demo-
cratic party in Congress decided majority may also
say that the twelve democratic members from that State
in the present Congress returned upon the principle
contained in the Kansas Nebraska act g
In times gono by the parties in this country d
ved into the democratic and whig party Many glorious
battles fought between them, and many brilliant
this floor upon the great questions which, from time
intellectual encounters the of Calhoun Clay Web
ster Benton, and host OF others, to me In all
the giant efforts of these satcsmcnamd all the heat
ZEAL and bitterness of debate aud party warE,rethcre
was common bond hctwoen them, and that tho
love Of the Uii i. The whg party was national it
glorious to battle with tit ga foe worthy of
steel In its triumphs, however much might differ
from its policy the country rested upon its nation
aty. The great issues between them were decided by
the people in favor Of the democratic party and the
tcntions ceased The great leaders of the whg party
Clay and Webster having lived the period allotted to
man, and devoted their whole lives from their manhood
to their graves to the service Of their country full OF
honors passed away to the siont tomb, amid grcved