Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-04-15
31olittraI.
ADMISSION OF OREGON.
SPEECHES or
HON. CLARK b COCHRAN +
OF NEW YORK. AND
ION OF OREGON.

HON. BENZ. sTANTON. OF ONO.



Differed IN the House Of R,yrescniouros February
II and ", 1859.
Mr.. CtArK b. CocHnANr | am opposed TO The adj
mission Of Oregon into the Union as Sate Mt the prcs
time and under the Constitution presented and dee
sire 70 assign very briefly my reasons for the vote pro-
pose to give.
Ny opposition TO the measure rests upon three puuc
pal grounds.
l. Her admission would be palrabe nfraetion Of hc
rule established by this very Congress In hecase NJ kau
sasi an unjust and most uudcserycd discrimination IN
favor Of Oregon and plain and dangerous violation VI
the equality u the Territories.
The English bill, which stands to-day legal barrier
against Kansas, and is claimed by the Federal Executive
in his message absolute prohibition upon ihe fi5ht
Of Inc people Of that Territory 10 make application or
admission into the Union, provides that "whenctcr,
and not before, il is ascertaued by census dul ana
legally taken that the population NJ said Territory
equals exceeds the ratio Of representation required
for member Of the House Of Representatives OF me
Congress OF the United States she may then proceed
In the mode prescribed TO form Constitution pepafa-
tory for admission into the Union state Under the
existing ratio Of representation, the population requisite
for member Of the House Of Representatives s at
least ninetyhrcc thousand four hundred and twenty
The population Of Oregon cannot be much more ihan
ono-half OF the required number and several thousand
less than the population Of Kansas.
What has Oregon DONE 90 cnttlC her 20 superior rights
or consideration What peculiar reasons are There
demand 20 know, why Territory on che Pacific coast
shonld he admitted 70 special grace and favor 20 The
clusi1n Of her sister Territories this side NJ the Rocky
Mountains Does this House propose 90 violate its own
rule to naugurate the example Of applying different
rules 20 different Territories and mus by way of re-
wards anu pnnishments, aim 20 control and conform NE
the powers that be shall vote for such dscfiminu
tom 90 tho last degree unequal in,idous, and unjust
There is but one way Of saieiy-eqnaliy c,cn-anaed
justice
.. Ms second ground Of objection is that thc admis-
sion Of Oregon would be unjust 70 the Safca already
the Union and especially towards Che larger and older
States.
As to this point the argument contained in the annual
message Of the President is clear and conclusive ihs
ought Dc received good authority by the other side
OF The House. and commend 10 the favorable cuu.ii
Grafton of the friends of The Administration this fuor
ext % ro u .lf
document about the only green spot u the " wide
waste OF Executive expansion and iniy and glttiu-
y rrpnsc upon H. Here 1t is The President says
'Ihc Federal Government has ever BEEN liberal rl-
rent 10 thc Territories, ana generous contributor 90
the useful enterprises Of The carly settlers IL hns paid
the expenses Of their Go crnmcnts and Leqs'au,c S.,
scuh,s ont Of the common Treasury add husrtll.tcH
mrn rom heaNy charge Nhd'r Wese eitoumai ,s.
nothing can be better calculated 90 rrt1rd their mffr
'prngrtss Than 20 divert them from thcr useful cuI
'mls, by premaiu,cly exciting angry POLITICAL contests
among themselves. for the benefit of aspiring leaders.
1t is surely hardship for embryo Governors Ncnaors
and members Of Congress. 10 wait until The number 90
iuhnlants shah equal those Of single Congressional
district They surely ought not 20 De permitted Go rush
inti the Union with population less than ouehalf of
several Of thc large counties in the interior of some Of
tho States. This the condition Of Kansas WHEN 10
made application to be admitted under the Topeka Gone
suution besides, IL requires time to render the
'mass Of population collected in Territory al.
homogeneous, and 90 unite them ON anything lkc "a
fixed policy. Establish the rule and an will look fore
ward 10 IL, and govern themselves accordingly
"But justice 10 the people VI tue several States ic-
'qures that this rule should he established by Congress.
Zach State is entitled to two senator's and al least one
'Kcprescntatye 10 Congress should the people Of the
States fail 70 elect Vice President the power devoires
upon the select this officer from the high
c, candidates on TIC list In ease Of the death
'of the President, the Vice President thus elected
'hy re Senate hrcomcs Ptsitcnt OF the United States.
'On ui questions % lcrslan The Senators from the
smallest States of tho Dnoh have equal vote with
those from the larFt5t The may be said ia regard
40 the ratification Of treaties aud Executive appoint
'mcnts All this has worked admirably in practice,
whilst Il coniorms ia prtacipc with the character Of
sgovrrrrurut instituted hy sovereign States presume
American citizen would desire the slightest chang,
in the arrangement SILL is il not unjust aud uncqua
'to the existing States 70 invest some forty fifty thou
'sapd people collected in Territory with the attributes
'of Sovereignty, and place them equal footing will
Virginia and New York in the Senate Of the Unite,
Inc population of the district which have the homo
20 represent this floor, very considerably exceeds
hundred thousand.
II Oregon is received into the Union upon her prcscn
anpicaiinn she will Immediately become equal in repre-
scniat1n with district in this branch of Congress
and in the Senate Of the United States, equal to The
whole State Of New York, with a population Of NOR
than three millions and half
Before she justly aspire position Of such pow
or and consideration in the General Government, wou
there be any injustice in requiring her show affirm
atiVcly-not BY giving us the amount at which she ma
have appraised her property or the result Of her uncer
tain and unsafe spccuaons the laws increase an
dimnution but, in the language Of the "English act
"by census daig and legally fakeR' that she has d
least sufficient population to entltle her 70 one nete
Of the House Of Representatives, under the existing
ito NJ representation
The rule established by the English bill, II made np
prospective, would be eminently fair aud just. Nor
than this, sir i would be- in my Judgment measur
OF proprety and repose. Under the practical working
Of such rule II made general, and equally and pcrsis
anty administered the permanent policy Of the canr
try, The growth Of the Territories would be healthy ste
Dis, and peaceful There has been no time since has
been a member OF this House that Iwoud not have Vo
ed for such rule, il made Of universal application.
am prepared TO vote loy such rule to-day and now
We did not, this side Of the House, my fricn
from Ohio Mr. Nicholsl seems TO suppose object m
rule Of population in the English bill because the n
In aflf IN
the FIRST time to the Territory Of Kansas, and
by the mode of It's use, an odious and offensive dscm
nation against free State because il stood in the In
gsh bill threat to compel the people Of that Ter
tory 10 embrace Constitution which, in their heart
hearts they profoundly abhorcd That they thus abho
red it, We then know and declared. Aud the event h'
proved the truth Of the words uttered ia their nam
aud more than justified our confidence in the inconupt
bic integrity and love Of Freedom Of that noble and o
hearted people. II was for these arraignt
and condemned it, let say 10 the gentlemen from Oh
aud from Massachusetts,.
The only deceut pretence which could be urged in .
dcation Of its introduction into the Eneish bill hy 81
friends of that measure was that the REQUIREMENT IN
self was sound and safe and regret. sir, Oh
the rule then established having performed it, Office,
rather, having failed to perform Is Office, is TO
abandoned in the house Of us friends, and by those
had the honor Of its paternity.
II the rule good for Kansas, it is safe for Oregon
aad do propose, Tor myself however others mn
feel constrained To sanction, by my vote any
discrimination and inequality as this measure confer
plates.
objection is an insupeTablc oueis found Ia tine Cons
tuition with which Oregon presents herself for udmssi
into the Union The Objectionable clause stands
the instrument, separate aud compact paragraph
refined nhumauity Of the studied and extraordiu
~ character venture to affirm that in point of ne,
less and gratuilous habarity, it is without parallel
the whole history Of civilized States and is in my jue
nent plain inffaetion Of the letter and spirit Of
Federal Constitution.
The gentleman from Indiana will not succeed, / .
prehend in averng the public attention in port
OF the COniederaey from the intrinsic atrocity Of this
VISION by raising tho stale cry Of NEGRO equality
is not question Of negro equality or nferIorty
but Of common and ordinary humanity Aud let
say here 10 Of my friends this side Of the ou
that after you have given, by your votes effect and
ity TO this provision Of the Constitution, let hear
more OF the wrongs Of Slavery. 1t is infinitely better
any man. whether white OF black, 10 be a slave, than
outlaw and an outcast, pursued, hunted, and bomelc
without country, security, OF friends excluded from
COURTS driven from the soil and cast, mere worthl
waif. out upon the Of life exposed 20 every so
and smitteu by every wave. III were compelled still
exist, and forced 10 choose between the alternatives
would say, give me chains aud shelter. Here 4.
provision hear It, and whether there be any qi
ton Of negro equality in it,
No free negro or muatto not residing In this 81
sat the time OF the adoption Of this Constitution 81
coME, reside on be, within this State OF hold
real estate, make any contract or MAINTAIN A
SUIT therein. And the Legislative Assembly shall n
wide by penal law for the removal by public officer
all such free negroes and muattocs, and for their eH
'tual exclusion from the State and for the plaishn
persons who shah bring them into the State, or
ploy hGrh0r them therein
Now. sir, we are appealed to, even on this side Of