The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-03-25
THIRTY-FlFTH CONGRESS-,
FIRST SESSION.
Tuesday, March Is, 1858.
SENATE.

In the debate in the Senate on the 10th ult.
on the Kansas question, Mr.. King, of New York,
delivered an elaborate speech against the Lee
compton Constitution. He recited at length
the progress of events in the Territory of Kan.
sas, and reviewed the political professions made
by the Northern Democracy during the last
Presidential campaign. 1t was notorious that
the friends of Mr.. Buchanan at the North had
promised that justice should be done to the
Free State majority of Kansas, and without
such assurances he could not have commanded
the vote of a single Northern State. The plat
form and principles of the Democratic party
had long been susceptible of two interpreta.
tons = one intended for the North, and the
other for the South. 1t was by such species
OF double-dealing that it had prevailed at the
last election.
The Presidents change of policy in respect
to the popular submission Of the Constitution
of Kansas seemed to have been inspired bv the
| clamors of the South in its complaints against
| Gov. Walker; and, considering the nature of
the present question, he was constrained to
regard it as one of series of measures devised
by the Nullfers of the South, for the purpose
OF overturning our free Government, or of pre-
| cipitating dissolution of the Union. he had
no fears, however, of. the latter alternative.
| The people of no State would tolerate the de-
signs OF these scheming politicians. The Hart
ford Convention, and the supposed completely
of the old Federal party in its alleged unfriendy
purposes against our National Union. had
forever rendered the very name of Federalist"
term of political reproach, in spite of the
eminent services rendered by that great and
patriotic organization in the earlier days of the
Republic. If the Nashville Convention, and
the completely of the Democratic party in its
avowed objects, had not wrought the overthrow
OF modern Democracy, it was only because the
people of all sections regarded that Convention
as nothing more than a sham, which, as such,
frightened nobody, and was already wellnigh
forgotten.
Mr.. Mallory, of Florida, defended the policy
of the bill, and defined the rights of the South
in relation to African Slavery. He endorsed
the views OF Mr.. Benjamin and Mr.. Hunter, in
their reply to Mr.. Seward. Nothing had seem
ed to him more surprising, in the extraordinary
speech of the last named Senator, than the lev
GOODNESS with which he announced propositions
that he must know would be revolving to the
sensibilities of the South.
He thought the rejection of Kansas would be
fraught with dangerous consequences, which
| 1t would require all the wisdom of Congress to
avert, as it would be hardly possible to convince
the South that Kansas had not been rejected
purely and simply because she asked admission
as slave State. In view of the dwindling phs.-
sustained }se at the North who had heretofore
might might nUrseTt' rUnpoirUci 10 tr,rse a,
new point OF departure, for she could not refuse
to see that her enemies were every day gather.
ing in strength around her. From the past
| progress OF the anti Slavery party, it was easy
| to predict its final success He agreed with
Northern Senators in the opinion that the pre-
ponderance of the South in the Union was
already lost, and, if he thought that the right,
Of his section depended upon mere numerical
strength, he would already despair of the
Republic. The South could not keep pace
with the North in the march of expansion. 1t
was idle to deny the fact Hitherto, the South
had swayed, in the main, the destines Of the
country. When the scsptre should have passed
into the hands of the North, it remained to be
seen whether she would prove competent to
WELD it. Should that event occur the South
would be only the more jealous of her rights
and the more viglant in their defence.
MIR. Pugh, of Ohio, in an earnest speech,
defended the legality and validity of the Lee
compton Constitution, though announcing that,
in obedience to the instructions Of the Legisla,
ture of his State, he should be constrained to
vote against the admission of Kansas under
thai instrument.
After entering into an elaborate historical
review of the nature, obligations, and force of
enabling acts, and after reviewing the success.
sive steps which had attended the formation of
the pending Consultation, and which seemed 10
him legal and proper throughout, he proceeded
to defend the amendment which he proposed to
attach to the bill, to the effect that nothing
therein contained should be construed to DENY
the right of the people Of Kansas at any time,
in legal way, to alter, reform or abolish the
pending Constitution, at their pleasure.
Wednesday, March IL, 1853.