The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-03

nent of the House should lie adopted aud The people
should vote this constitution down and form new one
what guarantee Is there that there would not be fraud
that action, AS well ~ heretofore Mr. b. also alluded
To the extraordinary proposition In the amendment that
makes the President of the United States perform the
function which the constitution in express vests
Congress. We have read the Lecompton constitution
and know that il ia republican in form but this amend
ment proposes to give the people of the power
form constitution and State government and put it In
operation without ever having presented to Congress
AZ all Who knows whether that constitution will BIC
publican and If it is may 1t not contain other features
making 1t entirely inadnssble He had not confidence
enough in the who would be likely to have control
OF this movement in Kansas now, to be willing to give
them any such irresponsible power Indeed he would
not be at all surprised If constitution made in that way
should cmancpate M the slaves in the Territory and cons
cate their value neither would he be surprised 1t should
attempt to interdict to embarrass the execution the
fugitive-save law; and yet the President would be
obliged to admit the State upon his proclamation 1t
gives him no discretion, but makes it imperative upon
him, when the facts certified to him, to
that Kansas Is State in the Union, matter how OBJ
noxious her constitution may be. Mr.. b. closed by say
ing that the amendment presented wide field for dis
cusson but he would not longer pursue the subject he
could not however consent that the vote should be ia
ken without calling the attention of the Senate to these
facts.
Mr.. DOUGLAS remarked that he had hoped that the
question might Ike taken without debate but he could
not let the remarks of the senator from Pennsylvania
pass without word of comment Like that senator he
had desired that this question might be disposed of in
such manner that the great principles Of segovern-
ment and popular sovereignty which all proessed ad
mirc much would be carried out in good faith in
Kansas He believed that if the amendment of the House
of Representatives could be concurred in by the Senate
and become the law of the land this end would be at
tancd the great principle Of popular sovereignty would
receive complete triumph and there would he peace
and quetness not only in Kansas. but throughout the
country Let the Senate with the House. and the
action is final Kansas is admitted into the Union with
power to make constitution to suit herself and there is
end of the whole matter If sincere in
their desire to settle this question and put end to agi
ation, here the to do it, in single hour Then,
why not close the controversy Why distract the
try further upon this question! Why men of the
North, South, East, and West, of all political parties,
unite upon this of Justice peace Cancellation,
and fairness which brought forward by the senator
from Kentucky, Mr. CRrrENDEN and has been endorsed
by the House Of Representatives Them If the Lecomp-
ton constitution mbodes the will Of the people of Kansas
it will become the constitution of the State and If not,
| they will make which will inbody their will.
Mr. PUGH said that he believed fair construction of
the instructions from the legislature OF his State would
justify him in voting against this House bill, well
against the Senate bill for the admission of Kansas and
he proceeded to give the why the proposition
| der consideration was wholly inadmissble. The msn
idea in this proposition to remit the constitution
back to vote of the people but who gave Congress
thority to do that If Congress has authority to require
the people of State to vote second time upon their
constitution Congress equally require it in the
Of old State for the authority is the all of
| them. The States to be admitted an equal
| footing with the original States.
Mr. r. commented on the qualifications of voters
xed by the House amendment being less liberal than
those prescribed by the convention which framed the Le
compton constitution and less liberal than those pre-
scrbed by the constitution itself The House amendment
provides that the qualifications of electors vote on the
constitution when it shall be submitted shall be the
the qualifications Of electors prescribed by tho terri
toral laws of Kansas and those laws require residence
Of six months in the Territory, and permit only native
| and nRturalized citizens to vote
Mr., GREEN suggested that there was still another
qualification under the territorial laws that voter il
challenged may be required take oath that he has
not interercd against the execution Of the ugvesave
| law for two years.
Mr. PUGH remarked that that made the case 80 much
the worse Another objection which Mr.. Z. urged was
that this must inevitably end in the rejection of the
situton entirely and he did not want to profess to SUBJ
NIT the constitution to the ordeal of popuarvote when
the voting arranged that the instrument must
tanly be rejected 1t just like packed jury. II
they opposed to the Lecompton constitution let
them vote it down openly and fairly and not kill it in
directly. Why. If the ten commandments were to be put
to vote under the provisions Of that amendment they
would be rejected and this the If the
sttution should be rejected, there would be new
convention and then all the aspirsnts for places of
whom there about twenty to every one in office,
interested in the defeat Of the constitution In
der to take the chances Of being elected dele
gates to the new convention or to the legislnture
or the State offices which may be filed under new con-
sitution. Then the effect Of the adoption of this amend
ment would be to precpate the people of Kansas who
| have 20 condition of order into new
field of anarchy Believing that 1t would peace
but the contrary, that would increase teod the
anarchy disturbance, and civil which have lately
prevailed in that Territory that it violated every prnc
pie Of the democratic party to which he belonged well
every principle OF representative government and
serted for Congress power which it did not possess
der the constitution and that it fatal overthrow
Of the rights of the several States he prepared to vote
against it, and take whatever consequences might result
| from that course.
| The question being taken, the amendment of the
House was disagreed toyeas 80, nays 23as follows :
YElS-Messrs Allen Bayard, Benjamin Blggs Bgler Bright
Brown, Clay, Evans, Fitch Fitzpatrick Green, Gwn, Hammond
Houston, Hunter, erson Arkansas
Jones' Kennedy Mallory Mason Pearce Polk Pugh
and Yulce-32.
NAYs-Mcrs Bell Frederick Cameron Chandler Clark Cola
Crenden, Dixon Dootc Douglas fesenen Foot
Hale, amn Harlan, King Seward Simmons Stuart Trambu
Wade, and Wlson--23
ABSENT OR vOTNG-Mess Bates Davis Durkee Iendcr-
son, Reid, SUMNER and Toombs-7
! Mr.. SIIDELL moved that the Senate adjourn.
j Mr.. DOUGLAS hoped that motion would not prevail
He thought the Minnesota bill could be passed tonight
The question being taken, the motion not agreed
to yeas ~ nays ~ as follows
YEAsMcsrs. Allen ayard, Benjamin, Riggs, Hglcr Brown
johnson Arkansas johnson Tcnncssee kennedy Mallory Mason
Pugh Sebastian Sdel Thompson Kentucky
New Jersey, Wright, and Yulee.-27.
NAYS-Messrs Boil, Bright, Broderk, Cameron Chandler
Coamer Crcndcn Dixon, Doolc
tor Hamln, Harlan, Houston King seward
mons, stuart, Trumbul, Wade and Wilson ~,
NOT vUTING.Mesrs Bates, Durkce Gwin
Henderson, Reid, Sumner, aud Toombss.
Mr.. MALLORY moved that inasmuch as il was Friday
which usually devoted to the consideration of private
bills the Senate take up the private calendar
The question being taken, the motion not agreed
| to--yeas FL nays 29--as follows