, 1860-08-29
REPpKL1CAKs ANDTuE CKIT1EN-
nEN BILL.

During the struggle in Congress over the |
L-comptbn Consultation, Mr. crittenden offered
substitute for the bill reported by Senator
Green from the Committee On Territories, the
purport Of which was to submit the Lecomp-
ton Constitution TO avote Of the people Of Kan
kas. Tne Republicans Of the s=naio voted
for the substitute It WAS subsequently intro
duced ii the House, aligh1y modified By
Montgomery, and received tha votes et the
Republicans Of that tody also. Out Of this
fact, Mr: Douglas in his recent speeches has
endcayored 10 convict the Republicans Of hav:
inr Abandoned the theory Of Congressional
Sovereignty in the Territories and 'of having
adopted his principle Of popular sovereignty
in its stead. NosbiDg could be further from
the truth, nor could there. be =: greater per-
version of tie history Of the case than that
attempted by Mr. Douglns.
In The frst-place, the Republicans have a:
Ways held that tho people ola Territory, when
they come to orgnnizs a State Government
have the right to frame their OWL Constitution
and thai the only restraint upon their action
is that clause Of lie Federal CONSTITUTION,
which pro7ides that new States may be ad'
uitted into tho Union on condition that their
Constitution is Republican in forn- In voting.
therefore, to refer the Lecompson Constitution
| back to the ptople OF Kausas, the Republicans
in Congress violated no principle Of their party
! creed.
In tho next place the Republicans were in
minority. Some Of tue Anti.L:oompson Demo
Gratis. who had united with them to prevent tho
csusummation Of the Lecomptou swlsdls, had
given indications ri yielding to the pressure
brought to bear apon tisam. There wan 'tnm-
ncnt danger Of Tbs .sssge Of the LecomPton
bin, ~ repor,nl b.~ Senator Green. They
knew that tba peo:de Of Kansas, by atleast ten
Thousand mnjor;:y were bitterly opposed TO it.
1, VAS ce,tain .1at it would pass the Senate !;
and ther: was great danger Of its passing tho
House. niso, :4nleAs some compromise could be
made T. .aito soms Of the South Amsrcan
members ,si.a tue AnuLacompton Democrats
aud .1c Republicans The crittenden.Nont'
eonscry blu was accepted as such eompEo'
misc. The Republicans, as said aboTe' teers'
;se<a no principle in voting for it; and they
koe u also that, if it passed the House. it could
MT possibly pass the Senate, and 1t II
t.nould ever pass both Houses, they knew
the people OF Kansas. wpnld vote Il
i down. But such combination would
: defeat tho Lecompson bill in tbs House, AMI
that was tho great object which the Republi
cane, ought to attain. They therefore support
.. Cd tho Crit.enden-Montgomerys substitute, and
} ia 90 doing, prevented tho Democratic part.
: from forcing constitution upon the people
Kansas. ahho1rent to uine.tenths Of th
. tae population Of That Territory. Their actio
; received The unqualified endorsement Of th
! Il ,publicans Of the country, and it saved Kar
saa, forsves;-1tom tha blight Of Slavery
) | How tho arrangement entered into BY th
Republicans t. secure this end, was lived u
= 10 by the other parties, and in what light IL
Douglas regarded the action Of the fozntE,
the time, will be seen BY the following axtras
r from speech Of Senator Wilson, delivered {
o Bangor, Ne, few days ago:
u The South Americans, true to their plighte
It faith. stood firm, Int oue.bR4 of the Anu.L
10 compton Democrats !lotetea H. ths,r r, PhEnt;s n;.
& die. In-that hour of-apostsey, rumor said III
:, NonglgA himeelf wavered and was only savt
froca supporting the 'Euglish bill By the ire
= ! win and iuaexible resolution Of the lsments
10 Broderick. Thfs aas our portion we nev'
i E.ftr a fTp
r. central idea: 6ut trfrt pltdged to frt<dom. q,
n. ps ooud tiA peJeet eoasitttney aee<
y. anv rea4ona4. plda 70 s1rs Kansat {ro
ne 1sot.ninQ a Sdre State. That WAS u
Douglas viawe, and he waa frank enough !,
Douglas said to me in the Senate chamber, th
I'd Il uas slana<r to <dy tAak tie Rpu1fie1at 1ot
nv aAeudoning &h<;r principle Of Cpn7T<ssional p
- a;5tsioa - that Il II <tcA eAarge *Aou!d
ne made against tA<ns IN Ms 1rkfsAee ne 'oona
IT, norns il. Great was my surprise. then, Hh'
u: debate with Mr. Lincoln, had made the char
70 which be told me he would proclaim untrue
,nade IN his presen,c. When Mr. Douglas
~tarncd to n sahing gtou in the Eintes Of 50. -
ot to him in substance that We had fought toget
-: -. ee tbs Lecompton bsttle;, thst We had oft
he kid con.ultasions in regard TO that matter .
ne that fel. bound In honor 10 held sacred VT
NJ tran.pired in that great contest. Of persol
an character; but felt ind guant when ssr Il
lhe be had msds char 20 against the Republics
o! which be knew to be unjust. and which 9e
d, presence. Be said that Linoola prsssd h'ns
tes Iard A< had 10 take tha. partition to sare h
'on .tlf.' As Lincoln Is pressing him yery h'
NJ now. suppose be is sgain mat'uc tho cha
to eate himself" -.
llJ, We submit that the e,u,sa Of 1s. Doug
led viewed in the light Of these facts, reflects
hxt 1;,t)a c,edt nnou h:s honor or hix truthfulu,