The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1859-03-25
SPEECH OF
HON. ALEXANDER II, STEPHENS,
OF GEORGIA,


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, FEBRUARY
10, 1889.
The House having under consideration tht
bill providing for the admission of Oregon
Mr.. STEPHENS, of Georgia, said:
Mr.. SPEAKER | do not know that I can say
anything that will add force to the argument
already made in behalf of the admission of Ore
gon. It IS my purpose, however, to contribute
what can to that end. And f / fail in my
wish, il will be because my ambition is not q
quail to my zeal. Apart from considerable MS OF
public duty and justice 10 the people claiming
this admission, there is another consideration
which enlists my entire energies for the bill
that, sir, is the opportunity it affords me, as a
southern man, and one acting with the Demo
cratic party, TO show the groundlessness OF the
charge made last year, that We were in favor
of putting one rule 10 a State applying with a
Slave-State constitution, and another and a
more rigorous rule to a free-State application !;
that we require larger population for the ad-
mission oi State not toleratgng African sla-
very, than one permitting and allowing it
The gentleman from Ohio, MIR. STANToN,l who
has Just taken his seat, has rPasseried that
charge, in substance. Sir, repudlaied it when
it was first made, and ] repudiate It now
The position of Kansas and that Of Oregon are
totally dissimIar; and whatever consideration
Of duty, looking TO the peace and quiet Of that
country, as well as the general welfare, may
have induced me and others, 10 put the popula-
tion restriction upon any further application
from Kansas, like considerations of duty, of a
higher character, acting as we now are, under
existing obligations which we cannot ignore,
forbid that the same representative ratio rule
should be extended to Oregon. As ! stated in
nv opening remarks. under existing compacts,
under existing laws affirming and extending
what all regarded as a most solemn compact,
the ordinance Of 1877, it is, in my judgment,
a high obligation to admit Oregon so soon as she
has sixty thousand inhabitants
Now, sir, before going into details, | wish TO
reply to the gentleman from Ohio, MIR. STAN
TONI who has Just taken his seat. Ii | under
stand him, and the gentleman from Massachu-
sets, MIR. GoociTl who asked that significant
question OF the Delegate from Oregon aud Sena-
tor elect how he would vote in The Senate on
the repeal of the population clause in the Kan
sas bill of last session both of them would be
willing TO vote for the admission OF Oregon,
proqiupd that representative ratio required of
Kansas should be repealed. They occupy this
strange position because the Democratic par
ty dad Kansas al the last session, as they assume,
a wrong, they will do Oregon like wrong at
this session, BY way of retaliation.
Mr.. STANTON. The gentleman misunder-
stands mr.
MIR. STEPHENS, of Georgia. | cannot be
interrupted have heard the gentIeman's ar
gument: 50 has the House; and the gentleman
and the House will hear mine. Let them stand
together understand the minority of the
Committee on Territories, with the gentleman
from Pennsylvania Mr.. GRowl al their head,
signify like Willingness.
Mr.. GROW. No, sir; ] stated distinctly
that would never go for the clause Of the con-
stitution have indicated.
MIR. STEPHENS, OF Georgia. Do not inter-
rupt me. state the gentIeEnan's position as il
appears in his minority report. The only thing
he complains OF in it is the discrimination, as
he calls it. in The Kansas conference bill. The
only amendment he proposes TO this bill is a
repeal of that. Not word in his report against
the obnoxious clause in the Oregon constitution
against negro equality. That he passes over,
and evidently seems TO rest his entire opposi-
tor 10 this bill 10 the existing law in reference
to Kansas What has brought ''this change
over the spirit of his dream" [ do not know. 1
of the other side aCtuated by more liberal,
iuster, and more magnanimous sentiment
They cannot see the logic, or the moral OF the
position OF TIE gentleman from Pennsylvania;
that because, in his assumption, this side OF the
House did wrong last session, therefore he will
do wrong this. To the majority on that side,
acting with the gentleman from Pennsylvania,
l would put the question, how can two wrongs
make right II it were granted that injus-
tice was done Kansas, how can that be rlghted
by&epeatng ii towards Oregon? That side of
the House will permit me 10 tell them, that by
their votes to-day they will spike every gun
they have RED against the Democratic party
for their alleged injustice done TO Kansas. If
the Democratic party did wrong to Kansas, (but
shall show that the cases are totally dlSslml-
laT,l The Republican party seems disposed to-
day to follow suit, and do the same wrong they
complain oil 10 Oregon. If they are sincere in
their belief, and not governed solely by oPPo-
sition and antagonism, would it not be the
Wiser, the BETTER, the nobler, and more states
manlike course Tor them to come forward and
Set Us an example of doing right, as The two