Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-03-25

Referring to the Missouri Compromise, he
said it would have been better to let it stand.
The South could gain nothing by it, nor
the North, but it was hallowed as bond
of the Union; its accomplishment was hail
ed as one of the greatest acts of that great
leader, Henry Clay. 1t brought peace to
the country, by legalizing Slavery. and it
should not have, been broken. He was
growing older aud less susceptible to new
Impressions, and would have been content
to have rested upon that Compromise
Has its repeal brought us peace?- the re-
verse of peace, it has brought us trouble.
Turning to Kansas, he said he would vote
for. her admission, If he thought it would
bring peace, but he did not believe it would.
1t is said that the admission will localizc
the question of Slavery in that Territory.
/ He did not believe it. If that question is
to be debated, it will be debated here, but
it must be debated in the right way There
should be no excitement. Why should
his friends at the North use such invcctivcs
-he must say of the most atrocious kind?
Why should we not live in peace, and har-
mony, as our fathers did? We arc uni.el
in language and blood.
Are not the great destinies of the future
forgotten, while this petty subject of dis
agreement is nursed into colossal proper
4 tions?
Abiding to previous debates. he said he
was much gratilicd in learning from them
the comparative resources of two sections
of our country. The Senator from South
Carolina had detailed the resources of the
South and the gentleman from Maine had
given those of the North; and while listen
| ing to them, ii seemed to him that this was
/ tho most natural Union in the world. Ii
either of these sections was apart, it would
make nation of which any man may be
proud to be citizen. What magnificent
Union it makes when you put both togeth-
er! Were this discord but lulled, what a
/ summer sea lies before us Of boundless pros
perityl
In conclusion, he said he should vote on
| the question as Senator OF the United
States of Amcrica--not as a sectional man.
He owed allegiance to no se;'ion. The
course he would approve would be to pass
a law by which the Constitution shall be
submitted to the vote of the people, AMI il
it be ratified, he would admit Kansas into
the Union.
Mr.. Crittcnden's speech crcatcl sensa-
ton. The House was nearly empty, and
nearly all the Republican seats were vacant.
The lobbies and galleries of the Senate were
densely crowded.
Mr.. Trumbull then rose, and after com
plimenting Mr.. Critten,len's speech, pro-
cecded to state his objections to the Lee
compton Constitution. lie said that we
are in the midst of great strife. Pass this
bill, says one party, and there will be a civ.
il war. Reject it, says another, and there
will be dissolution of the Union. But
for the slavery question lying at the bot
tom of the question, he apprehcnded few
would be opposed tothc admission of Kan
sas under the Lecompton Constitution
He said the immediate cause Of present
difficulties. was the passage of the Kansas
Nebraska Act. lie then reviewed the
slavery question since 1850, previous to
which nc said the policy was non-interven
ton. That policy gave peace the country
He here quoted from General Cass to show
the state of the country at that time. Will
the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise tn,
agitation commenced. Many who votet
for that repeal. he thought, did not forese'
the consequences that have since fiowe,
from it, but from that day to this the Hall
of Congress have not ceased to echo speech
es on slavery. .ftI 8s sIii fsle ea5 ai
Mr.. Trumbull then discussed the Dret
Scott decision, controvcrting the views o
the Senator from Louisiana, benjamin
and following at great length the cases ci
ted by that Senator; thence proceeding Il
the general question, he denied the doctrin,
that the Constitution of the United State.
extends slavery into tho territories, con
tending that the Constitution does not it.
self operate over the Territories. exceptin,
by act ofCongrcss. Congress has the pow
er but Just SO much power as the Constitu
ton gives it. He here quoted various dc
cisions to show that Congress has sucl
power to legislate for the Territories. Th
sovereignty ofthe Territories. he contcDde,l
lies according to these decisions in Con
gress, and Congress can legislate to prohib
it slavery in the Territories. Shall the in
dividual political decisions of the Judge
in the Dred Scott case overthrow these lie
cisions, extending over a periol of fift,
years? Congress. then. having the powe
to make all needful rules. and believing. a
he did, that Slavery was not beneficial. h
thought that Congress ought to prevent it
recognition in the Territories, SO that al
new States shall bo free. $. sf14
Coming to Kansas. Mr.. Trumbull reca
Ipitulated the outrages and frauds wilicl
occurred in that Territory, anil which cul
j minated in the Lccompton Constitution
and this Constitution-the creature of frau,
, lis sought to be maintained by the .ple
, ofalegitimacy. He denied its legitimacy
The Kansas Nebraska bill, he contendcd
, was not an enabling act. The Lecomptol
Convention was not legal convcntion.-
He looked on this Kansas question as n,
, insignificant one. He did not know wha
would follow the passage of this Constitu
, tion. He could not foresco the consequen
ces, nor would no be responsible for them
, but he knew what would follow its rejec
|, ton; there would be peace and qnietncss
{ All that Kansas asks of Congress is I,
cease legislation. Her people can get don,
very we'll now. They have rescued thei