, 1860-05-25
SPEECH or SENATOR BENJAMIN.
How DouGlcx Broke His PlfEhted
Eaftll--lils Theftx from Lincoln.


: 3fr. Benjamin (Den., LIS. } aaid, when We met
here in December, the public mind Was greatly
disturbed by the irruptiou Of q baud Of fauatics
into State Of the Gnlon, with the ayowcd In.
tent tn lberate the Slaves. large number Of
resolutions hare been offered, oil refat-
ing to the relation of the General Govern
mcnt 10 Slavery in the States and Territories
The large number and variety Of these rcsolu-
dons required that those who professed TO be-
1"ng to ths came party should meet, in order
tn harmonize and act III concert a meeting OF
Democratic Senators was therefore held 10 ac.
nois, 10 speech Occupying two days, bud pre-
scuted the extrao1 diuarJ spectacle Of 3D.
socAtipE his 0xn claims to the Tresi'
dency, uud denouncing those vho had
dared 10 express their views on subjects
t.ciore the >:euatc. The Senator from Illinois
Democratic purity, and TINT NIL who opposed
him we're rebels. de arraigued other Senators
uui charged them and the representatives OF
seventeen States st Charleston as beng on the
high road to disuuion. After haring thus Us:
s4lled everybody, le announced that lie had
only spoken in self.defense. ind with princefy
MAJ agllauiu,ity agreed to torgie@ thnsa who: as
he said, bad erred more through ignorance than
design. Mr. benjamin then defended the Detu-
rcrati: Senators from tile charge Of hav'ng un-
dertaken TO dictate tn the Charleston Convention
whit surt Ut platform it shonld make. When
the Kansas bill wss before the Senate the Senator
| lrou Illinois called caucus of Democratic Sen
ators every morning TO decide on their action for
tue day The late Senatorial caucus had done
| no more than that. Yet for this it had s,een
charged with seeking to diminish tue Senator
| chance for succees- Mr. Benjamin Eext exam
| ined Mr. Douglas charge TINT seventeen Dem
| ocratic States had adopted platform looking
| to tho dissolution Of the Union, md had dpfoced
themselves under the lcAI Of nr. }ancey, nn
nvowed dieunlonist. 1lis State had roted for
nr1.h x-r{r $rw$ In AA+
tie resolutions, and he denied that the Senator
from Illinois had correctly stated the meaning
| t,f either. NobnIy tera wanted to make slave
code, Il slang term which Mr. Douglas had pick
cd up from the Republicans, nor 10 force slave
RI uron IN unwilling people. The attacks upon
the Democratic Senators were Wanton aud un~
provoked, and he should rerel them. The Sen
utor lad defended h's consistency ut grent
length, which wAs not the issue between them.
The insue WIS that the Senator from Illinois bud
made bargain and had Violated it. To prove
this he SHOULD not 80 further buck than 1856, up
| looked upon by the Democratic party With pride
aud favor. Why WAS it that Senator who had
thus been treated with favor should now be
separated from his former aasociates: Tint be
had passed over in hia speech, and be tDep}a
MINI would supply the deficiency. Mr ben)s
pointing aut the. differences between Dem
ecrats and Republicans, aud Douglas
, l. Democrats. At thut time the Democrat
teing unable TO asree as to the power of th'
, | people of the Territories, it WIS agreed Il
refer tile subject to the Courts md TO abide b,
| tue decision. lie ncvcr lad attacked the Sen
arnr'a consistency 1t was bis consistency tha
\ constituted his great crime-adhes1ng still Il
1 views ~hich lie had agreed TO abandon whe
r the Court decided the question, and which th
t'our had decided against him. This b
: charged was bad faith. The Senator no 1onge
l ro1 at 81, 1Ifb ba
' wandered forth et;er straugs gods. The Sena
tor frnm Illinois had admitted that he nude thl
bargain. sud yet lie bad been engaged sine
d 1851 in trying 10 explain a"aT, in conjunctio
:. with tile Republicans, the decision OF tie Cour
! and to render it useless in case it should b
4 affirmed. lie quoted from The bred scott dt
n cision to shoE that the principle Of right +
t. Stare property in tho Territories was decide
= | by it. On this point lie argued ut great lcpgt
:, =, to show that Congress had fall power orer III
Territories, within The limits OF its chnstltutlos
t. a power; thut the Constitution forbds the pr
10 | liJltibn Of Slavery in the Territories by tot
.re*s.-.nd nj The Terri,oriaa Government d
rived a!I jig powers from Congress
ts the Territorial Legislature could not 4
1c more than Congress ccula. No soorcrwas th
dcciriou 1nade than it wns attacked by Il
Republicans, and the Chiei.J Justice assalled
lsas.ng cnl|nded wstt, the President ct the ut
n led :sllter. The Senator from Illinois got OF
.. his bargain By Saving that he did not agree
y. "hide by the decision in tue Drcd Scott cas-
y" hut when the cuse was carried up from the II
in rstosial Courss 70 the supreme Court ne won
y obey .hat- This was m afiet thought, t1s
,ra auuounced in the canvnas Of 1s5S, wh
rs pressed bf Mr.. Lincoln for q seat in t
lat Senate. To save himself from defeat,
lst introduced bis theory ia to the power
ra the people in the Territories Mr. Ben
min then read from the discussions
0al tween Messrs. Lincoln snd douglas, to sh
OF thu tie former was much marc candid in
|,a- answers than thu latter, and he confessed
Ia vas not such An uttsa Ants-Staycry ran as
'e supposed. Mr. Douglas told us here that
my would abide the decision Of tho Court. but
, | pudlates his words, aud tells his people t
-" lie has 80 arranged The Kansas bill that in sI
LUG | OF the ,dec,sion Hthe people Of the Tcrritor
can keep saycs out. TO be twice deceiree
}. the satne man would be to make them du
and fools. Eren Mr. Lipcola WIS shocke@
3,is protligacy, mud charged him With bad Ia
2u- The election came of, and though Mr.. Doug
,s,r WAS .ucrsestul by the arrangement oI the
isla.i7e Districts, Ar. Lincoln beat him ;e'
viii the popular votc. Mr. Denjam next read f
lay. Mr.. douglass Narp+r's Hagazias asticle
~ thosO shat HI had absolutely eori.d H. Liac6
=" aryum+ntx ef 1855. and e2a;mtI tA<.a AZ disco
is Of lis oun. Mr. benjamin warned Iii. Do
en- LIS that tho tendencies of his doctrines wer
rry drive him back, s.ep by step. to the Black
oit, publican camp. We already find him us,ng
Rrc4 J arguments Anu laoE3nE tne language OF Lie
uch publican party. lie next took up Mr. pougl
els. statcment that the Tennessee RESOLUTIONS
rty lered al Char1eston, were liable 10 two const
.1ions: aud said be had already threatened t
70 to nut construction unfriendly to the So
ver Ue read the resolutions and contcndeathat
mid we're susceptible Of but one fair construc
On and tLa, was full recognition Of the r'g
rcr- a1l c.izcns to ,ase property anto the TERM
tion lie further said The South now demanded I
nee, aui explicit declaration Of principles.
oan. wanted 70 platform Of ooub:fai construc
TIE Senator from Illinois claimed to helol
e; The Democratic party, eud to haze had =
''p," iority with him at Charleston. How was
apnareut mejarity obtalaedf
iE. FraH-1t was expressed BY Tots q
States present.
) nro NR. BEx.Ax1x-Tes. 1twas obtained b
: :, 70 o. those 'tt!e arrangements which are
" Y. t'mea n.nde. but the truth Of histQry will
}. .. ont: 3r. Eerjsmin then e1plsincd how BY
'Tch- iul tactics hey succeeded ia getting rules
owns owns @ Cd ~ Which tic votes Of 1n'nofitics ag
7aifa ! md ufuoritiex in ftis faror nlnuad :. -.