The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-02-22
THE LECOMPTON QUESTION

compton Constitution communicated by him to that
body, presented on Thursday three reports in rea-
ton to the subject, representing as many different
| classes OF views between which the Committee was
| divided. The report made by Senator GREEN of
Missouri, presents the views of the maiority of the
| committee. OF the Administration, and of the De-
mocratic party generally; that submitted by Sena-
tors CoLLAMER and WADE reflects the sentiments of
the Republicans, while third prepared by Senator
| DOUGLAS represents his individuality, and the
anomalous ground which the Senator occupies as a
Democrat of suspected orthodoxy, communicated
by the leading organs of his party, yet stouty af-
hrming in the teeth of the President and the party
that his not theirs, is the true democracy of the
Kansas Nebraska act and Cincinnati platform We
suboin the more important portions of the majority
report, which, after extended historical review
OF the whole matter, commencing with the first ac-
QUESTION of Kansas from France by the treaty of
April Both, 1903, and its subsequent erection into
Territory of the United States by act of Congress,
May 3Oth, 1854, and closing with the adoption of
the Lecompton constitution on the 2lst December.
1857, proceeds as follows:
Having thus given historical account of the
matter referred for their consideration your com
mlttee Will briefly review the whole subject, unem-
parrassed by details. They will look at the subject
as 1t originated, it has been for three wears and
as it is
The population of country four years ago.
was principally confined by treaty and by law to
the comparatively small region living to the east of
the river Mississippi Iowa, Missouri Arkansas and
part of Louisiana were found on the western bank
also, on the extreme southern bank, Texas; and
Minnesota on the northern. California and the
settlements of the Oregon were upon the Pacific
coast; in the centre, New Mexico and Utah The
immense country lying between our scanty settle
ments upon the Pacific and western boundaries of
Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas, may be aid, in gen
eral terms, and with the above exceptions to have
been unoccupied. Guarded by the Indian non-in-
tercourse act and by Indian treaties, and without
territorial organization, the country was rendered
by statutory prohibitions, an inaccessible solitude
which pioneer settlers might not legally disturb
Further extensions of settlement to the westward
were thus arrested by law. The western border of
three or four States the western border of the
United States until we reached the top of the Sierra
Nevada, and looked down upon the long and narrow
settlement upon the shores of the Pacific The Dor
der States had become dissatisfied and cIamornd
Tor western expansion the beautiful and fertile
wilderness which, though extending for a continuous
distance of thousand miles, approa ching within
three hundred miles of the Mississippi, was aban-
doned by the government to the exclusive use of
wild semi-cvized and vagrant Indian tribes
Unable longer to resist the demands of the West for
the opening up to settlement of country so con-
uguous, important and valuable, and which had
been neglected so long to become lust cause of
reproach to the government, Congress, in 1854
took into its serious consideration the Justice and
policy of organizing it into Territories.
cation: one was the question or indian occupancy
the other that of African slavery The first was
easily adjusted; the second was the subject of long
heated and angry discussion. More than one hun
dred speeches were delivered in Congress at that
session upon the slavery question. At length the
whole country lying west of Missouri. Iowa and
Minnesota, east of L tah Oregon and WASHINGTON
Territories and north of the 37th and south of the
49th parallels of latitude, was organized into two
Territories, and named Kansas and Nebraska
The law organizing these Territories settled the
slavery controversy, by providing that the people of
them might form their domestic institutions in their
own way, subject only to the constitution of the |
United States; and to enable the people to do so
without hndrance OF any kind, there was inserted
In the act a clause repeating all laws establishing
regulating or prohibiting slaveholding.
This settlement greatly pleased one party, and
greatly dlspleased the other. The defeated anti |
slavery party prOtessed to believe that Congress had
power and ought to exercise it. to exclude slave |
property from territory which had been acquired |
by the joint efforts and at the common expense of
shareholders and non-slave holders.
The victorious democratic party believed that |
Congress had no such power under the constitutions
and that it would be inequitable exercise it. if it
had; and also, that in this particular case such an
exercise OF power would be fragrant violation of |
the third article Of the treaty with France by |
WhlcI the country was acquired
Immediately after the passage of the act. people |
living in Missouri, upon the borders of Kansas be- |
ing well acquainted with the country, poured into
that territory in large numbers, and appropriated
many OF the most fertile. best Watered and best |
timbered tracts. Many of these carried their slaves
with them. On the other hand, prior to the final
passage of the Kansas Nebraska bill but after its
passage became evident certain members of Con-
gress formed secret association. which ultimately
became public, to incte and aid the emigration into
Kansas of persons opposed to the existence of slave
fy, Tor the express purpose of carrying out its
provisions as to cause an exclusion of the slave
property OF the Southern States from the Terrific
ry. This secret combination of politicians to per-
petrate sectional injustice was promptly followed
by public ones, and moneys were collected in
rous places Tor the express purpose of aiding eff
tort to exclude Southern property from Kansas
This sectional and anatical purpose was, in prac-
tee, generally coupled with some more
schemes of money making of highly speculative
character. This effort very naturally provoked
counter efforts, and violent controversies between
the assailants and the assailed followed.
The creators of strife, often is the case, were
Worsted. Of the voters on that occasion this NAV
be said: Many were bad men. The scenes were,
# possible, as disgracetu those which have been
such scandaous reproach to the large cities of
The Atlantic and Pacific States in violently con-
ested elections.
Immediately after the very first election, many of
he voters belonging to each othe contendng parties
md among them the defeated candidate for delegate
% Congress, left the Territory, never to return
Few of the emigrants from the various States other
han those from the adjacent State of Missouri, who
llone had easy and early facilities for making them
selves comfortable, passed the first winter in Kansas
md many of the settlers in Kansas from Missouri
passed the winter out of the Territory. But with
he spring emigrants and disturbances returned to |
Kansas. During the whole of the second year
1859 it is believed the majority of the actual set
lers In Kansas were emigrants from the adjoining
state. But as the mass of the emgrans sent out to
Kansas under the inspiration of the abotionists I
we're poorly fitted for labor in unbroken fields and
lad to draw largely upon the aid of absent and fan
tical friends for support and both the supported
md the supporters were accustomed to wrangng |
md disputatiOn, the Territory quickly filled I
With strife. And as local contention and violence
sod tnnh ,l,,+..
he remote supporters, until the turmoil in Kansas
m one side matured into open defiance of all the
avs of the Territory. The handful of emf c
rants osentatiously furnished even by reli-
,ious men, amid prayers and hymns with destruct-
We weapons, and encouraged to set up indepen- t
lent government This only not put into actu- t
i operation probably, but for the trmness of the L
government officers, backed by the troops of the 4
United States. For nearly three years these turbu
ent spirits thus encouraged by the restless and fan
tcal elsewhere, have kept the Territory in a state
egarded the laws, far it has been possible for
hem to do So When elections held, instead f
II peacefully participating in them, they disturbed
nd annoyed the voters in every conceivable wav, e
nd ended in holding elections upon DAYS and in a |
manner unauthorized by law, and expressly to
ravene the law. C
When at last, to end, if possible these disorders
nd strites, the Legislature made provision for l
ote of the people upon the question whether State
government should be formed by the making and n
dopting Of constitution these organised disturb
rs combined to prevent full and fair So like
'lse when the Convention had been ordered by t
ocular vote of the people to be called, these armed
llschietmakers threw every obstacle in the way of
full registration of the settlers legally entitled to
ote for members of the Convention; and then when d
hese violent, illegal and bloody efforts had been
artally successful, they filled the country with t
heir complaints that the registration, which they t.
ad resisted with arms, had not been full and fair;
nd as the registration not absolutely full and e
omplete, they wished the people of the United t.
tates to infer that the election of the members of
he Convention was neither legal nor fair. The tt
eople having, by direct vote, ordered the calling e
convention to form constitution, the abolition q
gitators and disturbers refuse to vote at the cleo
ion of members of said Convention, and then after
obstinate refusal raised cutlery that the Con- Ii
ention was unustly constituted, inasmuch as they ii
not therein ba fnr,notinn | N