Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-15
The Oregon Bill.


would vote for the admission Of Oregon.
When Kansas comes in the same manner,
with no disorders and dissentions within her
borders, he would be willing To admit her
also. But Kansas was not here; Oregon
was. There was not any possible connec-
tion between the two, and he would not vote
to establish any. Both would be free States.
He found Oregon here, and would vote for
her admission He could not vote for the
amendment of the gentleman from Pennsyl-
yania, Mr.. Grow, nor for any others of the
kind. which only tend to delay and embar-
rass the admission of Oregon. lie thanked
the gentleman and his Republican friends for
opposing the bill. They stood unveiled. and
had squared up and wiped out the Lecompton
account Of last session.
Mr.. LANE, of Oregon. made a personal ex-
PLANTATION. and denied the charge contained
in an Oregon paper. to the effect that nc had
been attempting to prevent the admission of
Oregon, for the purpose of obtaining double
mileage.
Mr. STANTON, of Ohio, said that there was
no one who did not believe that the admis-
sion of Oregon was only question of time
The idea of excluding her could not he ell
tertained. He argued that the same rule
ought to be applied in this case which was
applied to Kansas. Gentlemen in favor Of
the bill had said that Oregon was to come into
the Union as free State. Her constitution
did not give that evidence. If 4 slave were
brought into Oregon, how was he to recover
his freedom for he could not sue in the courts
of that State. A large portion of the trade
of Hayti was in the hands of blacks, who EN-
ployed blacks to navigate their vessels. If
the property of these negro merchants was
illegally seized within the limits of Oregon.
how, under the provisions of her constitution,
could they recover possession: No State
had right to outlaw any race of people.
1t was contrary to all principles of republl-
can government.
Mr.. STEPHENS of Georgia, was glad that
he had an opportunity of showing the utter
groundlessness of the charge made against
the Democratic party last winter, that the
party applied one rule of admission in one
case, and a different rule in another. lie
held that the people of Oregon could justly
Law claim to admission, under previous ordi-
nances and compacts If the Republican
party had believed that their opponents had
done wrong in regard to Kansas. why
should they now attempt to pursue the same
course, and keep free State out OF the
Union? Two wrongs could not make right
Mr.. S. discussed the question of popula-
ton, and held that if Oregon had but sixty
thousand inhabitants. she had right to come
in under the ordinance of 81. He fully be-
lieved that her population amounted to one
hundred thousand.
Gentlemen ON the opposite side of the
House had found fault with the constitution
of Oregon. because it excludes free negroes
and disables them from suing i'll the courts.
The political friends of those very gentlemen
framed the Topeka constitution, which makes
the same provision.
1t had also been argued that a slave taken
to Oregon could not recover his freedom III
the courts, because he was prevented from
bringing suit for the purpose. This argu.
ment was not valid, for the constitution Of
Oregon expressly excludes slavery. There
were numerous slave States, the constitutions
of which contained provisions similar to that
in the constitution of Oregon, and yet the
slave was not denied the opportunity of suing
for his freedom. The courts were open to
him.
Mr.. S. also discussed the question of alien
suffrage. and held that a State has a right To
confer on aliens all the rights and privle-
ges of citizenship, including that of suffrage.
Mr.. S. alluded to the idea advanced by his
Southern friends. that no more free States
should be admitted. Ii was not tar--It was
not lust. Let justice be done, though the
heavens should fall. He referred in eloquent
terms to the advancement of the country
during the last few years. lie hoped that
all the amendments to the bill would be
voted down. The bill needed no amend
ment.
Mr.. s. spoke of the popular opinion that
Congress is degenerate. He did not believe
il. and reminded the House of the great and
good men who were still living. If it was
believed that Congress is not characterized
BY ability and patriotism, let it be shown to-
dav that such is not the case.
The speech of Mr.. Stephens was received
with great applause from all sides Of the
House.
Various attempts were then made to amend
the bill-to refer it, &c.-but they all failed,
and the bill was finally PASSED, by the follow
ing vote -
YsAs.-Messrs. Adrain, ALL, Arnold, Atkins.
Avery, Barksdale, Barr DiIllhEhuT't, ho'"'h'
Bowie Branch, Burnett, Burns, CarutherS. Case,
Caskie, Cayanaugh, Chapman. Clark Of Missouri,
CLAW, John Cochrane of New York. Cockerill, Col
fnx, Comins. Corning Cox, Cragan, Craig OF Mis-
souri Craipe of North Carolina, Curtis, Davidson,
Davis of Indiana, Davis of Mississippi, Dewart,
Dimmick, Edmundson, Elliott, English, Florence,
Foley Foster, Gartrell. ellis. Greenwood, Hregg.
,iroesbeck Hall of Ohio, Hatch. Hawkins. Hodges.
IIopkins, Howard Horton, Hughes. llnylcr. Jack
.ou Jenkins, Jewett, Jones of Tennessee, Jones Of
Pennsylvania. kilgore, kunkel of Pennsy ANA,
Lamar Lantly Lawrence, Leidy, Letter, Letcher,
Maclay. McKibbin. McRae. Marshall of Illinois.
! Mason, Miller. Montgomery. Morris oi ILLINOIS,
Niblack. Nichols Pcndleton, Petit Peyton. Phelps
of Missouri Phelps Of Minnesota. Phillips. Powell,
! Reagan, Kelley, Rutin, Russell, sandidgc. Savage,
Scott Soaring, Seward. Shaw of Illinois. Single
ton Smith of Illinois Smith of Tennessee stephens.
stevenson, Stewart of Maryland Talbot. Taylor
of Louisiana, Thayer. Vallnndigham. Ward. Wat
kius. White, Whitley. Winslow Wood. Worten-
dyke. Wright of Georgia, and Wright Of Tennes-
sce---ll4,
NAYs.-Messrs. Abbott, Andrews, bingham,
Blair, Bonham, Boycc, Brayton, Bryan. Buthnton,
Burlingame Burroughs, Chafiee, Clark OF Conn
Clarke of New York, Clawson, Cobb, Clark b.
Cochranc of New York Covodc, Crawford. curry,
Davis of Maryland. Davis of Iowa, Dawes. Dean,
Dick, Dodd, Dowdel Durfec. Edie. Farnsworth.
Fenton. Giddings, Gilman, Gilmer, Gooch GOOD
win. Granger, Grow, Hall of Massachusetts, llar-
Ian. Harris, Haskin. Hill, Hoard, Houston. How
ard. Keim, Keitt Kellogg. Kelsey. knapp Leach,
Loyeioy. McQueen. Marshall Of Kentucky. Matte
son, Miles, Millsou, Moore, Morgan Morrill, Nor
rio of penpsylyania, Mor.e of Maine Morse of
New York. Mott Murray. Olin, Palmer. Parker,