The Washington union., 1858-03-31


r,at majority Of the people were IN favor Of slavery
He did not intend to say that he dill not believe Il
but he did intend 10 say that he had no doubt that t
majority OF tho people not in favor of slavery Int
their position did not 10 the extent OF recording their
votes against it
INTRODUCED
Mr. WHITLEY, Of Delaware, by unan imous consent
introduced bill continuing the pension to Mrs Olns
w kennon widow Of Joseph =. kcnnon, deceased la,.
mdshipman in the United States navy which was read
first and second time by its title and referred TO The
Committee ON Invalid Pensions
DEFICIENCY HILL. ADxissoS or KAssAs
On motion of Mr. LEIcHER. Of Virginia, the House
then went into Committee Of the Whole the state oa
the Union, mr. BoooOk, Of Virginia, ia the chair and
sumed the consideration of the deficiency bill
Mr.. SANDIDGE, OF Louisiana, addressed the commit
tee IN defence of the institutions of tho South and in
reply to the speeches Of Mr. Arxa, Of Massachusetts,
and other republican members who maintained that the
North lis superior to the South morally socially, and po
tcay Mr. SANDIDoE produced statistics showing that
tho South s Mt least equal to the North In each of these
particulars The agricultural productions 0f the South
more valuable than those of the North and their
value increasing yearly
Mr.. WALBRIDGE, Of Michigan, discussed tho appoint
ment Of the select committee which was referred the
special message Of the President the subject of the nd
mission of Kansas. He conceded that the motion Of Mr.
STEPHENS of Georgia, to refer to the Committee on Ter
ritores, was the proper one hut held that the Com
mtee on Territories would not pursue the investigation
which they desired, they had the right 70 refer it
to the select committee and In his opinion tho
construction of that committee under all tho ccum-
stances and looking ut their action tho adoption Of
the resolution in violation Of all parliamentary rule
and order In conclusion, Mr.. WALnRDan gave = one
reason why he should vote against the Lecompton con-
stitution, that it involved violation Of the Missouri
compromise line, established solemn compact be-
tween the North and the South. He might, choice
Of evils vote for proposition by which there would be
possibility of Kansas hereafter coming in slave State
but he would do under protest. and to her from
being made slave State absolutely.
Mr. LElDY, of Pennsylvania, believed that the people
OF free Territory possessed the right " form their
institutions in their way and held that, repre-
senatives they had right 10 inquire whether the
sttution excluded tolerated slavery. He contended
that Kansas should be admitted State upon tho pGn
cpe OF popular sovereignty and cited the progress Of
affairs in Kansas to show that the Iecompton constu-
ton is legal and does express the will Of the people Of
Kansas
Mr.. DAVIS, OF Maryland, opposed the admission Of
Kansas under the Lecompton constitution the ground
that IL not legal and does not imbody the will Of the
people That slavery in that constitution was no
ground of objection. He cOntended that enabling
the assent of Congress necessary before Ter.
rtory could proceed in the formation Of constitution
In his Judgment the people should turn out any legs
ture that would attempt to put in force this constitution
Mr.. CLAY, Of Kentucky, explained that bis object in
visiting the President early In the session. which had been
msropresent the hisown county and cewhere
was preserve the harmony that party with which
the honor to act 1t impossible to disguise the fact
however much gentlemen might profess tho opposite all
the difficulties about Kansas had grown out OF negro sa-
very He free to admit that some Of the northern
democracy in the opposition honestly thought it was not
but he thought they would find it impossible to convince
the country that such is the fact He then referred to
the speech of Senator CRrrENDRN which that gentle
attributed the authorship Of the Missouri Compromise TO
his father and said that Mr. Clay its author
and expressly repudated its authorship and regarded
only as measure Of temporary relief fully inadequate in
1850 to form the basis Of that compromise He quoted
from speech Of Mr. Clay to substantiate this and
show that Mr.. Thomas, OF Illinois, its author.
Whilst he believed the question slavery be the only
real ground OF opposition to the admission of Kansas, he
did not mean to discuss it, for he regretted and dcpored
the extreme speeches made either side calculated
only to widen the breach and enangcr the existence
the Unon which depends only the Justice and tri
osm of the North On this subject ho arrayed himself
under the banner of his old friend from Oregon Mr.
LANE and by the side Of his young friend from Conncc
ticnt, Mr.. Bsnor 1t appeared to him that the only
proper inquiries for Congress to make in regard to the
admission Of Kansas whether there sufficient
population, whether s proposed constitution repub
licnn in FORM and whether it the act and will Of the
people, expressed in lawful manner. The first two
were admitted all hands, and c contended that the
arguments against the last ono 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
himself and MIR. CLAY, Of Kentucky. In relation to
the position and doctrines Of that distinguished states
the question of slavery and the right Of Congress
to govern the Territories Mr.. CAMPBELL held that Mr.
Clay senior opposed to slavery and slavery extension
while Mr. CLAY jr referred to tho compromises Of 1850
as proof that he advocate of tho doctrine Of
intervention by Congress in the affairs of the Territories
believing that the Missouri compromise line no Ion
ger operative for the purposes for which it
structed and contcndcd that he would have voted for
the admission Of State with slavery il it was the will of
the people of that State.
Mr. HARLAN, Of Ohio, opposed tho admission Of Kan
sas under tho Lecompton constitution contendng that
that Territory had not applied for admission and that the
constitution was not made by her people, had any
one been authorized to make constitution for them
Mr. UNDERWOOD, Of Kentucky said 1t was rather
because he the friend OF the nsttuons Of the South
that he should object to the admission Of Kansas under
the Lecompton constitution He entered his solemn pro-
test against that suicidal doctrine and declared that If
it should be Incorporated into the political theory of the
times by the present administration he sould have the
proud that by act of his they did it, He
the constitution not obligatory upon Congress- and
that if the constitution legal there were facts that
rendered it invalid
Mr. HOARD, of New York, presented the free-State
side of the argument he understood IT, in opposition
to the admission Of Kansas under the Lecompton const
tuition
Mr.. STEVENSON, of Kentucky, obtained the floor
when the committee rose and
On motion Of Mr.. PEYTON, Of Kentucky, at Is min
utes past clock, p M, tho House adjourned
sti.ss sa.
By Mr. DrfACE Tho Of Wayne county
Mount Pleasant by the Of Dybnry Falls this Com
tnttee ON the Post 0hce and Post Roads
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ASIATTC FREE COIONIE1N I'M CIyBA