Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-05-08
d. c., SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1858.

rule to the North, how can you, when thu
next case arises in this country Of similar
nature, resist the application of the same rule
With what face will you stand up and com
plain Of any inequality which may be attempted
to be enforced upon you by a majority Of the
representatives Of this countrya They viii
refer you to your own act, your own vote, as
having established the precedent. What op
portunity would you have to escape from the
consequence of this actr
Gentlemen hug delusion to their bosoms
when they suppose that under this bill, ami
mated by desire to have this grant Of land
or to acquire immediate political position, the
people Of Kansas will be induced TO accept
this proposition, and that we shall then have q
summers sea before us. This is sheer delu.
:, sion. Kansas will reject this proposition. II
you are prudent men, reason with me upon
the supposition Of its rejection, and look then
to the consequences which are to flow from
that fact
What will those consequences be? Every
free State of this Union will at once arouse
itself to repeal the disabling part Of this gerry
6W. All the sluices of that pernicious agita-
ton which has flowed over this country like
lava for years past, will be re-opened. Repeal
will be the shibboleth of party in the next
election Of the North. The free States will
say to you, "in April Kansas had population
enough to be slave State; in December fol-
lowing she has population enough to be a free
State"
So help me God if were a northern
man I should feel it my duty to open that
direct attack. / would feel that you had at-
tached a condition to the passage of this mea-
sure which degraded me from that equality
about which you know we have talked SO
much, and upon which we have insisted so
strictly. And until that equality was restored,
should exert myself, were a northern man,
up to the full point of my capacity to have it
restored by all legitimate means.
What will be the next effectp This House
will, in the next Congress, be filled by men
sent here to rectify this wrong, and the South
will be compelled to accede to that demand or
to resist Her pride may be wounded; her
sensibilities are to be affected; and then the
next movement of those who play to her pre-
judices will be to drag her over the precipice
of dsunion, in that moment when she smarts
under the effects Of stung and wounded pride.
1t is exactly because see these consequences
ahead, that am to-day. firm and steady in OPP
position. | look forward on the path before
us, and see it leads to that alternative which
have said is most likely to occur, and my
duty and patriotism alike demand that should
resist this bill, aud advocate that equality
which is equity between all sections of my
country. | take that position, and cheerfully
shall rest upon it, satisfied that am right,
and l shall be sustained in it by patriotic
constituency. ........ ......r, r,..
Sir, it were bootless to return to the Senate
bill; but, as am upon the floor, will recapit-
ulate in brief terms-fJr do not want to de-
tain the House-the heads and points upon
which my own opinions have turned thus far,
and by which my course has been guided.
heard the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. STE
PHENsl yesterday PROFOUND the question to the
gentleman from Maryland Mr.. DAvIsl whether
he believed the Territorial Legislature which
called the convention in Kansas had the power
to call conventioni do not know what re-
sponse was made, but desire to say to the
gentleman from Georgia, and to the country,
that that very point is the hinging point upon
which my convictions on this matter turn.
do not believe that the Territorial Legislature
possessed the power TO initiate a convention to
such degree as to bind either Kansas or the
Congress of the United States. believe that
when that convention was assembled, and when
it had drafted constitution, the want of the
pre-assent Of Congress prevented the instru.
ment from binding Congress; and il IL did not
bind Congress, il could not bind the people Of
Kansas. If had time, could demonstrate
that proposition. And, sir, when the people
Of Kansas sent up to us, through her Delegate
upon this floor, who has legal status here
by the resolutions of her Legislature, which is
legal body-through her vote on the 4th eI
january, regular or irregular-through the ter.
ritorial Governor, who was the Federal ap.
pointee-and through the territorial Secretary
-JIOuKu uil t1bSO CuHiihcio NhS Sfo1ht NioeihS'
declaration, eve are not willing that this con.
stitution shall be the fundamental, political law
Of the State;" believing as l did, and as yet
do, that the Legislature which initiated it had
no legal right to do 50, that the President who
consented had no jurisdiction, and therefore his
consent yielded no additional power, tfelt my
self bound to pause, and listen to the voice Of
the people. Sir, no specious sophistries could
dissuade me, and no casuistry betray me. After
all, it finally comes to this, whether we are to
obey the dictum Of the convention or the will
ofthe people. While | had liberty to act, while
IL was within my congressional function to act
did not hesitate to take that position which
had tendency to give the fairest chance to
the people OF Kansas TO make a constitution
TO suit themselves, before establishing relations
with them by law, under which relations
might be called upon next week to compel them
By force Of arms, to obey that instrument as
their constitution.
But, sir, will not dwell on the Senate bill
or the amendment Of the House, but shall con
fine myself to this report Wehave had a con
ference; and say that, in my opinion, the con
ferees have submitted the question so that thu