San Andreas independent., 1858-05-08


dowment OF intellect and they feel CALLED by
their degradation Our slaves do not vote
we give them no political power Yours do
vote and being the majority, they are the de-
positories of all your political power If they
knew the tremendous secret, that the ballot
box is stronger than AN army with BAN
ners, and could combine where would YOU
be? Your society would be reconstructed.
your Government overthrown, your property
divided, not as they have mistakingly at
tempted to initiate such proceedings, by meet
ing in parks, with arms in their hands, but
by the quiet process of the ballot box. You
have been making war upon us to our very
hearth stones. How would you like for US to
send lecturers and agitators North, to teach
these people this, to aid in combining and to
! lead them u
| l, sir, am glad that the Senator has spoken
thus. 1t may have the effect of arousing in
the working men that spirit which has been
lying dormant for centuries 1t may also have
the effect of arousing the two hundred thou
sand men with pure white skins in South Car
olina, who are now degraded and despised by
thirty thousand aristocratic shareholders. 1t
may teach them to demand what is the power
Linked with success assumed and kept with skill
| That mouds anOthers weakness to its will
mlelds with their hands, but, still to them unknown,
| Makes even their mightest deeds appear his own"
suppose, sir, the Senator from South Car
olina did not intend to be personal in his re-
marks to any of his peers upon this floor If
had thought so, | would have noticed them
at the time. | am, sir, with one exception,
the youngest in years of the Senators upon
this floor. 1t is not long since | served an ap-
premiership of five years at one of the most
iaoorlous mechanical trades pursued by man
"a trade that, from its nature, devotes its fol-
lower to thought, but debars him from con-
versation. would not have alluded to this,
If it were not for the remarks of the Senator
from South Carolina and the thousands who
know that | am the son of an artisan, and
have been mechanic, would feel disappointed
in me if did not reply to him. am not proud
of this. | am sorry it is true. would that
| could have enjoyed the pleasures of life in
my boyhood's days; but they were denied to
me. | say this with pain. | have not the ad-
miration for the men of the class from whence
| sprung that might be expected; they SUBJ
NIT too tamey to oppression, and are too
prone to neglect their rights and duties as cit
izens. But, sir, the class of society to whose
toll | vas born, under our form of government.
will control the destinieS of this nation. If
were inclined to forget my connection with
them, or to deny that sprung from them, this
chamber would not be the place in which
could do either. While hold seat here.
have but to look at the beautiful capitals
adorning the plasters that support this roof.
to be reminded of my fathers talent, and to
see his handiwork. | left the scenes of nv
youth and manhood for the "Far West" be-
cause was tired of the struggles and the ieal-
ouses of men of my class, who could not un-
derstand why one of their fellows should seek
elevate his condition oh he
level. | made my new abode among stran-
gers, where labor is honored. had left without
regret there remained no tie of blood to bind
me to any being in existence. If | fell, in the
struggle for reputation and fortune there was
no relative on earth to mourn my fall The
people of California elevated me to the highest
office within their gift. My election was not
the result of an accident For years had to
struggle, often seeing the goal of ambition
within my reach it was again and again ta-
ken from me by the aid of men of NV own
class. | had not only them to contend with
but almost the entire partzan press of nv
State was subsidized by Government money
and patronage, to oppose my election. | sim
cerely hope, sir, the time will come when such
speeches as that from the Senator from South
Carolina will be considered lesson to the la
borers of the nation.
HC LCSOHplOu CONSTITUTION VIII pass this
body. If it should pass the other House it will
become law. The South will rejoice at an
other triumph Such triumphs constitute her
defeat Since this Lecompton Constitution
has been before the Senate the Administra
ton has seen proper to attempt to make its
acceptance party test, and its organs have
sought to read out of the party all the Demo-
| Gratis who have had the boldness to denounce
the frauds by which it was created. Among
the men thus sought to be ostracised. are great
captains and generals of the party who so
gallantly fought during the last Presidential
contest, and without whose exertions this very
Administration would have no existence. Let
the Administration take heed that the marty
does not read it out. l deny the right of the
Administration to make party test; it is a
power that exists only in the Democratic mass
es The dlctation of self-appointed party lead
ers shall not be the test of my Democracy.
cannot, as the representative of a free people
consent, by any act of mine, to coerce the peo-
pie OF Kansas to accept government they abb
nor. have no fear that the people of Kansas
will permit this Constitution to be enforced in
the event of its becoming law. If thew do
permit it to be enforced, they deserve to he
subjected to the most abject slavery, and should
be made to work under the lash of those who
framed for them this Constitution. Mr.. Presi.
dent In the views | previously expressed on
the Executive message, | said that the Presi |
dent of the United States should be held re-
sponSible for the difficulties in Kansas. This
remark was considered startling at the time. |
and was the subject of much censure Recent
developments have confirmed me in the cor |
rectnesS of the position then took and from
the expression of public opinion that has
reached me, am satisfied that majority of
the people of the country unite with me in
holding him to his responsibility.
Much has been said about not submitt;no
the Constitution of Kansas to the people. and
comparison has been drawn between il and
the Constitution of Minnesota | agree with
the friends of Lecompton, that it is not an oh.
lection that should be fatal to the admission
OF State into the Union, that such Constitu-
ton has not been submitted to the people If
it be ascertained that the people, as in the case
OF Minnesota, favor admission. Entertaining
these views, would not oppose the admission
OF State with clause in its Constitution toll
Grating slavery, if were satisfied that it was
the expressed wish of majority of the people. |
IL is a conceded fact, not requiring discussion
or argument, that four-ffths of the people of
Kansas are opposed to the Lecompton Consti-
tuition. 1t was fraud from its very inception. |
Every election in that Territory, looking to this
Constitution as result, was founded in fraud. |
Senators who have preceded me have stated