Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-03-12
NJ UMBER 49.


| to civil war.
| You are pledged 10 put down that rcFoln lion
! by the sword Will the people listen to the
thunders of your cannon! Let but one drop
of free-citizen blood be shed there by the
Federal army, aud the countenance of every
Representative OF a free State, in either
House of Congress, will blanch and his
tongue will refuse to utter the vote necessu-
ry to sustain the army in tie butchery Of his
fellow citizens.
Mr.. ThumpsoD.(N. j. in alludlng TO Kan
sas, said that now was the favorable oppor-
tunity to end her troubles bv admission into
the Union. He contended the Lecompton
Constitution was expressing the will Of the
people of Kansas. He replied to the many
arguments against that instrument and in
'stanced cases of fourteen States whose con-
stiiutions were adopted without submission
to the people. If wrong has been suffered
by the opponents of the Becompten cons,i-
tuition, that wrong was in consequence of
their own misconduct, and therefore they
have no rightto complain.
Ifthe Free State part have a large majori-
ty as is pretended, they can change any OBJ
noxious features in the constitution, but if in
the minority, they must submit, ike good citi-
zens, to the will vf the Inajprity. But this
party don't wan, peace They desire the
agitation of the affairs of Kansas.
He contented that it will be infinitely
worse il Kansas is not admitted. He was
| impatient and anxious that Congress should
be relieved from the consideration of the
question, and that the people be left to settle
their own difficulties IN their own way, under
their own State government. Then shall
we have nothing more of bleeding Kansas.
Adjourned.
WASHINGTON, March 4th.- HOUSE,
The Speaker announced the first business
to be Mr.. Honrd's resolution, asking for a
select committee to examine the charges
against the Executive influence upon the
action of members, the question pendi ng be-
ing, shall the resolution be entertained as a
question of privilege.
The subject was tabled--yeas 92, nays
80,
Mr.. Quitman called up his volunteers
bill. He was opposed TO a permanent in
crease of the standing army, and believed
that volunteers were adapted to the present
emergency. In combating the charge that
volunteers inferior to regulars. he con-
tended that the former are governed by high
er considerations than the latter. He alsore-
ferred with pride to the hundreds ofthousands
who, at the first sound of the bugle, had Of
tere their services in the Mexican War, and
mentioned the fact that volunteers do not
desert, while four thousand regulars deserted
in one year.
Pending the consideration of the subject
the HOUSE adjourned.
SENATE.--Mr. Stuart reported adversely
on the bill amending the act of March Sd,
1858, granting bounty land to certain soldiers
&c.
At one O'Clock the Kansas bill was taken
up.
Mr.. Hammond contended that the Lecomp-
ton Constitution embodied the will of the
people of Kansas, forthe Convention was an
assembage of the people in the highest cs~
pacity.
Mr. Hammond said that he understood
that the Senator of Illinois, had declared that
he opposed the Lecompton Constitution on
ly on one roint, namely because he was not
satisfied t hat it embodied the will of the peo-
pie.
Mr.. Douglas replied that that was not ex-
uCtly his position. He thought that there
were other Irregularities, bat would waive
these if he could be assured that the Cons,-
tuition embodied the will OF the people.
Mr. Hammond had understood that Mr.
Douglas maintained that all other irregular
tiles could be cured by Congress, and that
there was the Same ground for difference be-
tween them, but the question is, how can
the will of the people of Kansas be ascer-
| tanned?
He thought that Mr.. Douglas was in er-
ror, in saying that the Lecompton Constitu-
ton was the creature Of the Territorial Leg
! stature, and thought that from tina: error had
probably arisen all his subsequent errors np-
on that subject.
How wus it possible that the Convention
could be creature Of the Territorial Legis-
| Iature! The Convention was an assem- :
bage of the people in the highest possible
act of sovereignty.
| The Territorial Legislature was a more
provisional government, petty corporation
appointed and paid by Congress, without n
particle of sovereign power, and, therefore.
could not intefere with sovereignty
Although that sovereignty was still in
choate, Congress could not interfere with the
Convention, and could not confer upon the
Lagi stature power to interfere with it, fol
| Congress is not sovereign: it has no power
to act outside of the limitations Of the Con
stiiution, and has no right to carry into ef
feet the supreme will of any people, if il
has not been expressed in that Constitution;
therefore Congress is not sovereign, neither
does it hold sovereignty in Kansas; that SOW
ereignty resides in the thirty-one sovereign
States.
He then proceeded to argue that the L.
compton Constitution was legal instrume Eks
even ifi embodied but the will of the minority
of the people of Kansas. Constitutions are
/ often made by minorities. TheConstitutior
of this Union was made Sy minority and il
1910 a minority had it in their hands to altel
or abolish il, for at that time, six out of TWEEN
ty-siX States held numeral majority. He al
luded to the charges of fraude in Kansas. Ht
presumed that there had been frauds on botf
sides, and thought that the least said ab.'u
thematter the better; but the true Office
of the opponents of the Lecomptou Cousti
tuition was the agitation of slavery. They
wanted to introduce an element of discorl
into the Democratic party. 1t is singular
that, while claiming majority in Kansas
they should be beaten at every election.
In discussing the question OF Slavery, h
said the condition of the slave was better thai
that of the poor white laburers at the North
There were more beggars seen on asingle Ga.
in New York than during u lifetime at tn
South; and closed by saying that, il the Soutl
was obliged to surrender the Govcrnmen
arteI sixty years, they would surrender
i ;.,-
calculabe in strength, and the wonder an
A &c, a., IN