The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-02-27
The Great Conflict In Congress.

we are told the conflict had not yet com
menced. The pickets and skirmishers oni.
had been encaged-the great battle still re
manned to be fought. The Territorial com
mittee of the Senate, having now, however
submitted its majority and minority report
and the bill for the admission ofkansas witt
the Lccompton constitution being regularl
before the Senate, and next Monday fixe'
as the day for taking it up, the great con
flict will then commence in earnest. Sena
tor Green, Of No., will lead off with tn
opening speech, CoIlamer, OF Vermont, vii
follow. Seward will speak on Tue sday, &c.
As TO the temper and duration of this con
Gict we have n variety ofsurmises. \ ma
jority Of the letter writer's appear to be o
opinion that it is to be one Of unexampleG
bitterness, and Of almost endless duration
The correspondent of the Chicago Time
thus discourses on the subject:
! Flippant letter-writers and journalists
whose pens are employed il the interests Of
\ Lecompton, keep asserting that the admis-
/ sion of Kansas under the unsubmitted Con
| sti;utiorr, is fixed fact, that the admins.
tralion can and will press it through Con-
gress Immediately. Let not the public be
humbugged by these assertions. Winter
will close and spring will come and 60, and
summer too for that matter, before the abo-
mlnation will have passed over the Senate.
I The opposition will dispute every inch Of
ground the debate will be the most scorch-
ing which ever took place in Congress.
predict that before it is closed the most vio-
lent Lecomtonist Will be ready and willing
to withdraw from the conflict. The issue
which will be presented TO the American
people will awaken the popular Indignation
To a height, which will make it uncomfort-
able 10 face. Ii is quite probable, and indeed
almost certain that in the course of the de-
bate on the most exciting subject, there will
be bitter things said, and perhaps some
personal collision $; ia such contingency,
If it should arise, the anti Lecoinpion side
of the Senate and House VIII he prepared.
The anti-Lecomptonisrs viii i'm no case be
the acgreSsors, but tn y viii maintain th,ir
rights with steady nerve, &c.
Other letter writers and EDITORS, however.
and they are not a few, take different view.
They represent that there is a general in
clination - soften the contest by concession
and compromise. Thus Speakc- Orr is said
to be ass iGouS IN urging proposition sub
s;antialiy, tAa; Kansas shall be admitted
with the Lecomplon Consli ution, but with
a reservation OF power to the first lesisla-
ture 10 order 4 new vote on that instrument,
and in case OF Is rejection, 10 order Lew
convention, &c.
For ey's Press correspondent alIirms that
in the Senate, the Leconpton party are
showing signs of division on the question
of the power of the people OF Kansas TO
char &c the Lecompton Constitution before
1861, in case of its adoption by Congress.
Some northern men threaten TO become mu-
lsh, unless the power is distinctly recog-
nizcd, and in a shape as to leave no chance
for dispute On the subject While in the
House, the same correspondent aflirms:
There is an overwhelming majority, wnen
the question comes squarely before the
House, who will vote on provision empow-
ering the people of Kansas to change their
Constitution whenever they please 10 60 so,
and when this shall be done, and the Ques-
ton will recuY on Lecompton, as amended,
there will be arraycd against its passage 4
large number ofSouthern members. Under
the circumstances, no Northern member can
refuse to vote for such provision.
Taking this view, which is strengthened
BIZ the recent action Of the Pennsylvania
legislature which has subsequently instruct
ed its senators in favor of the LecompiOn
Constitution with n reservation TO the pco-
pie OF a right at once to change that ins;ru-
mcnt, and there is abundant ground at
least to shake the confidence with which it
was but so lately asserted that Lecompton
was perfectly safe in both houses Of Congress.
As 10 this never-to-be-ended and bitter
conflict, however, the country certainly
shows symptoms of growing impatient with
it. Could the whole country be satisfied of
the fact that John Calhoun had issued GER
of election to the free State candi-
dates in Kansas at ihe 4th OF January eiec-
ton, the North at least, We make not ques
;ion, would send up petition to congress
for the admission of Kansas at once, with
the LecOmpton or any other constitution
1t would certainly be the shortest and we
are not certain but the surest way out of the
woods.