The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-03-18

full hofr,) but gave way for motion th',t the
Commt tee rise.
The Committee accordingly rose, aid re.
ported be consular and diplomatic bill o the
House,
Mr.. J. G. Jones, of Pennsylvania, moved
that u Z bill be engrossed and read third
time, s.rd upon that demanded the py vious
questiss which was seconded.
Mr.. Grow, of Pennsylvania, moved tb 1t the
Housesadjourn which motion prevailed
And ccordingly, at ten minutes befo FIVE
o'cloci the House adjourned.
Rst ION Presented Under the Ruls.-liy Mr..
Landy of Pennsylvania A petition, tumer.
ously sgned by merchants and other tizens
of Phfsdelp hia, praying Congress to emit sr INTO
ccn.-act with Thomas Rainey for transport
ing Il mails of the United States btween
Phiia phia and Brazil.
Friday, Aarch IL, 1853.
SENATE.
The consideration of the Kansas qnestio,
beingS ontinued, Mr.. Chandler, of Miohigss,
delivesed an earnest speech, 10 opposition
to tht-Lecompton Constitution apd its recogni
ton * Congress. He based his opposition IA
that ,trument on four grounds: ]. Because !.
was cSlceived and executed in fraud. 2. Be.
cause, Il did not emsnate from the people nor
embe T their will. 3. Because il was one of a
es.of aggressions committed by the slave
powe which, if not checked, uould end by
suhv ling the Constitution. a. Because its
recoE ition would strike death blow at State
sovereignty and popular rights.
Ms-dunter acknowledged that the subject
was sstvironed with dificulties-which, how.
ever, ere greatly exaggerated by the spirit OF
no, oh tkav
Ing apid summary of the events which had
result in the formation of the Lecompton
Cous ntion, he alluded to the fact that its e.
cogu,,=on was opposed by two classes of OBJ
jec.o, of whom the one deny the legality OF
all It steps which had led to its formation ;
wbiles-the other question its validity, on the
grouel that it had not been framed under tie
sane On of an enabling act, and had, not been
sub!eted to popular ratification in its entire 2.
II. the first of these classes he replied "
argUag, that even if it were true thai Nilsson l.
ans Essd usurped the first Legislature of K, A.
sas, srwould still remain an incontestable f ct
that's Government thus established was tie
only ne under which the people Of that Terzi-
I'D been organized "a a political comnp-
nifty snd therefore was at least !, Government
dc $40, entitled to recognition by Oongre ,s,
and Competent to assume the ,uthoray With
whsssl 1t was invested by the org snic act. (.
he second class of objec ors he replied,
by oe-sying the necessity or ever expetiiency of
enakl.ng acts, whose only effec was to pledge
in ss9vance the assent of Cons .ess to the ad.
misSsoa of State.
". Hunter then proceeded Il review q por
tioIs the argument lately ma, by Mr.. Sew
ard: n the historical and cons itutioaal rela.
tor OF Slavery. He believed that she pub
lie sentiment of the civilized w.jrld was grow.
ing saily more just to the Souei and Its pecu.
liar Institutions. he did not dSabt tb,a it was
the Sestiny of the white man to i1old Il Amer.
lcats continent, but he would hold 4 as the
mss er, and would keep inferios races in their
due ,ubordination. In this way, only ould the
gree mission of Young America be fulfilled !;
and he regretted that, at this stirring aeriod in
human history, the Congress of th United
States should be engrossed BY petit INQUIRY
into the result of an election held at he Della.
ware Crossing, in Kansas.
MIR. Kennedy, of Maryland, N an emphatic
speech, defined his position with resp ct to the
pending question-repudiating the wiole theo.
~ OF the Kansas Nebraska act, and depreca.
ting the repeal of the Missouri Com pl omise, as
wrong in itself and suicidal to the So ath but,
for reasons OF his own, he has deter mined to
vote for the admission of Kansas Under the
Lecompton Constitution. Compelled, to side
with one or the other of the pa rties which have
originated and fostered this sectional contro.
versy, he should, in this instau &c, vots with the
Democracy. On questions of national politics,
he could in no degree affiliate with the 'Repub
lican party, which was sectional, an6 only sec.
tional. In voting, however, fos the admission
OF Kansas, he was mainly infu; ,nced by the de.
sire of putting period to a ,rse than fruit.
less agitation of the Slavery question,
A large number of private ills wore report
ed from standing committee and eight en-.
crossed bills were passed, an. 9ngst them one
for the benefit of the captors o the British brig
Caledonia, in 1872, in which he lass General
Nathan Towson was prominent acs0r.
When the House reached the unfD,shed bust
ness OF the day previous--bs ing fae appeal
ro,i the Speakers decision tgains Mr.. Har.
risf. motion in regard to the Course &c major
ty OF the Kansas select commi aee-~.he Speak.
er stated the grounds on which his decision was
based. He said that, as q mi 1ority of com.
nttee could not legally MAX, q rsoort, they
could claim no question of pri ilege. The facts
desired could not be elected in tn, way pro-
posed. The House could no offc ely Know
he delinquency of committs unit it had re.
ported. The journal of a con mittet could not
De read In the House, as propa Jed. he Speak
'r cited various precedents to susta a his n ,si.
ion, and to show that it was .ot evi q in order
or member to refer in tn Hou 10 to what
lad occurred in committee, m ich lie m to bling
n the whole proceedings of a Committee before
had reported. Mr.. Harris rave lis reasons
or his course, which he had takep undey an
Imperative sense of duty. He sti / bell wed
hat his proposition was one o. priv eye, ,ich
ought to be sustained by the Hou g. In his
Judgment, the Speakers precedent werss not
analogous. He did not propose o iything for
action, nor to presett anyt aing which
ranspired In the committee. room The mi.
lority did not ask to presen ref ort. They
Ampiy asked to be allowed to show fAat the ma
orlty had disregarded the or Ter of the House.
ar. ii. supposed several C, SEES il which he
bought the House ought to ,pterfel e, either to
instruct the committee, or to rec oustruct il
where 1t had disobeyed it's der. To do this.
t should hear the reasons Or the movement.
No committee, Mr.. II. confer led, Is at liberty
% depart from the duty refe red k it but. IA
hey were not likely to repor their own remiss.
ness, this was the only wsg to, reach them.
Precedent might not apply il this case, because
here had been departure 'om the usual rule
Of constituting committees with a majority
friendly to the work before hem. But prece-
dent was often unreliable.
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia was Cot surprised
that the gentleman could d no ssreosdsnt to
suit him, and the only poir of fol ce made nv
him was that in relation to he re-, l;ssnes0 &c
eomml'tee. DE denied thai the alleged remiss-
ness was question of priv eye. 40. q cues.
ton OF the sort might be pr scented eyerp morn.
ing. Mr.. s. considered thi motion re1oIn,;o,,
afy. Inc proper way wouf be to let the com.
u mstIee report, and then ettle The question
,r netIer II was IN accordan e With the order of
the House. In this case, b would SHOW that Il
mao max oeen. Let both repo is be printed, and
Mr.. Jones of Tannanaoa l :,