The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-03-29
Fir. Douglas Speech.


gives an interesting sketch of the speech and
the incidents attending it.
Tho anxiety to hear the eminent Senator
was so great that every portion Of the Senate
Chamber appropriated to the public, was
closely packed BY dense crowd two hours
before the Senate assembled for the evening
session at which the speech was delivered.
A littlc before Z o'clock Douglas entered,
and was greeted with loud applause by the
galleries AS soon as the Senate came TO or
der, motion was made and carried TO admit
the ladies TO the floor. The doors were i'm
mediatsly opened and great throng poured
in. Without any preliminary form, except
the reading Of the title of the bill for the ad-
mission OF Kansas, Mr.. Douglas rose. lie !
looked pale and careworn, and his voice ut
| first was feeble and uncertain. As he went
on il acquired It's customary ring and force,
and he spoke with all his wonted animation
To the argument that the Constitution |
could be changed, Mr.. Douglas replied, that
made no difference whatever. The principle |
| involved was the same, whether you forced |
the Constitution on Kansas for day or Tor /
year or tor ten years. You set q precedent
which unprineipled men hereafter would use
10 the perveTsion and destruction of our lib
critics. But he argued that the Constitution
could not be changed. The clause prohibit
: ing change before 1864 was sufficient bar TO
nj! change before that time. But no matter
for that. You have no right to force that
Constitution upon Kansas for a day; for AN
hour, no, not Tor an Instant. Neither have
YOU n right TO intervene and construe or
change a Stats Constitution. lfthis privi-
lege be conceded TO Congress, farewell to State
rights, farewell to State sovereignty, farewell
to all restraint upon Federal power. Your
States will become provinces OF Lo more ac-
count than so many counties.
Mr. Douglas then went into an elaborate
argument against the right of Congress TO
place reconstruction on the constitution that
should be binding on Ka nsas.
8 Nh. Hammond, Of South Carolina, in
!. CURED, ii Congress h ad no right to look into
CONSTITUTION TO cCnstrue it, how could Con-
gress determine neither or not u Constitu-
ton was repu hiican III form!
Mr.. Douglas replied that Congress had
! right 20 LOOK into Constitution in order to
govern It's own action, but not to construc 10
so as to bind the people of a State.
e Mr.. Douglas next entered into an exami-
nation OF Pugh's amendment. lie was ut Il
D loss to know what object was to be accom-
4 plished by the amendment. lie could con-
ceive but one motive, and that was to lead
y the people TO suppose that they had got Sc
It cured to them o right which they had not
really got. II was intended merely TO OBJ
i viate an objection, without really removing
e. that objection. He held that Congress had
no right TO make any such proviso as that
10 contemplated by Pugh's amendment. lie
Of warned those who were induced TO support
Il that amendment In hopes Of catching little
~ popular favor for the preparation of the
It enormous fraud of the Leccmpton Constitu-
If ton, to beware of the precedent they were
" setting.
& Mr.. Douglas next inquired whether the
/; people of Kansas he'd been perfectly free tc
frame their own Constitution. lilo begged
,e the Senators from the South TO reflect what
= would have been their feelings and their ac-
ton if the case had been reversed. If three
ne tourths OF the people were Shareholders, and
by fraud and violence, q Convention, com
CT posed three-fourt Of free -soilcrs, had GO
together and framed an ahti-slavery Consti-
tuition, and had sent il to Congress, and haC
attempted to force it upon Kansas, wha
K, would you have said! Would You have
n thought it fair and honest TO force such
Constitution upon Kansas!
.. Mr.. Hammond, of South Carolina, ros
n and said, rs the Senator from Illinois haC
: looked ut him, he would like to reply. l
at the slaveholding majority had had an pc
III portunity to form o Pro-Slavery Constitution
~ and had neglected it, but had left the forma
g. ton of the Constitution to Free Soiers, h
M would not have complained, but would hav
~ voted to admit the State.
as THAT'S good. cried Mr.. Toombs, shat
;or good answer"
Mr.. Douglas promptly showed that it wa
N, not good answer, because it assumed FAC
yp vital 10 the question ut Issue, which fact In
=, utterly denied. The majority OF the peOpl
IN in Kansas had nat an opportunity to frame
mt Constitution, or to vote upon it for ratitica
ton or rejection. When they were allowed
OF to vote, they were defrauded out of their ma
,d jority by false returns. In the first place
nineteen counties were DISTINGUISHED.
n ''That amt true" cried Mr.. Toombs.
"It is true" responded Mr.. Douglas; ii
has been proved conclusively.n
Mr.. Hammond here again interposed, an
eA said that Slaveholding majority woul
OILS have submitted even under these circum
if stances. H.t- rrrr .....
nd They would have submitted, did yo
,,, sayl" inquired Douglas, in tone Of aston
-" ishment. N. f-ffr r.s ..'-.f
me Eyes" replied Hammond.
n "Then all can say is,n rejoined Douglas
red THAT they are the most Submissive of men.
;,1 The audience laughed at this, and the gal
' leries applauded the manner in which it wa
uttered Mr.. Mason, OF Virginia, arose j
'ck great wrath, and said If the offence was re
TO peated the galleries should be cleared. T
~, which Mr.. Brown, of Mississippi, indignant
80 ly added, 'The Senate is not theater."
S. Mr. Hammond presently again interpose
ow, with his insane notion, about submission
wn but Mr.. Douglas told him with some impa
vas thence that he was too i'll to waste strcngt
~, and voice in replying to questions that la
N0' just been answered twice already.
Mr.. Douglas next launched forth into
most searching ard scathing exposition
ab- John Calhoun and his returns, and especial
per lis late letter to the editor Of the Washing
or- ton Star, declaring that he should Issue Il
certificate to the free State candidates. Tn
Ids' part of his speech was terrible specimen
Ills invective and sarcasm, and completely Gu
get ried the audience whit, so that the chamb
% resounded with laughter, in spite OF Il
0 frown and menacing giances of Mr.. Masol
eek Dropping John Calhoun after shaking hi
.ys: sufficiently, Mr.. Douglas rcsorted to the pur
lti- ly slavery aspect of the question. fit we
red lot for slavery, would there be any attem
real to force this Constitution upon Kansas? If
sral Were not for slavery, would there be in eth
nim House single objection to sending til
Constitution to the people of Kansas for
fair vote!
Turning his attention next 10 the Was
o"i ington Union, he said that paper for son
and months past had been every other day rea
r, it ing him out of the Democratic party, callii
ito him renegade, deserter, traitor. T
course of the Union was determined by pc
mp sonal hatred. lie had refused to vote for {
ome confirmation OF the editor of the Union