, 1860-04-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

| OeMocraffc Erock<-v Smashrd tu The Efah
| D"n--f0tyEamy II ths Light Or s'qxasSer
ff1ssS"sV.-Gnf5tadty AsSfsiaston And
| Urfo Seotf.-1hs 3htsaEo ~eomfnAfSoHs,
| lCos'cs22ndaaca Of the Fl. s. and Trsbune.1
WAsutre1os, Ap:la, 1s5o.
The debate on the Polygamy bill Was re-
sumrd IN the House this morning, and con-
| suued The whole day.
| The "Grecian Orator." Mr. McClernan ], led
OIL In lis speech which bns been for several
days impending. You were nearer right in
your misapprehenslon Of what l sald in regard
to McClernand's position, than in my correc-
tion. In charity, I had supposed that he would
be in favor Of Congress prohibiting the crime
| Of poygamy in Utah, defending the seeming
| departure from Squatter Sovereignty On tho
| ground that in the case Of this Territory aud
| New Mexico Congress reserved the right to de-
prisc them Of their territorial government in
case Of their abusing the authority vested in
them. But was mistaken! lie soused in, and
sank down deep in the mire Of illogical conse-
| qucnces." To the disgust Of nine-tcntLs Of the
Members Of the House, he openly opposed the
bill on the ground that it interiered with the
principles of the Kansas Nebraska bill He in
sisted that there was no instance on record in
| which Congress had ever enacted a special
penal code for specific crime in any Territory,
| and be said The bill under consideration, ii it
should become Law, could never be executed
in short, his argument amounted to the asser-
ton that rs the people there were jritndly to
polygamy, 1heir police regulations would be
friendly, and it would be useless to try to cx-
ecute IN affitndly laws there. The only way to
get polygamy out Of the Territory, he thought,
was to divide it into two territories, the one to
be styled Nevada, and the other JefIersonia; j;
and hc contended that as the miners Of Pixies
Peak on the one aide, and the people of Cali
fornia on the other, being untriendly to tho do
mestic institution, mingled among the Nor
mons, they would eventually extirpate polyg-
amy by the gradual establishment Of unfrieadiy
laws.
Eslr. Lamar, Of Mississippi, took the floor at
the conclusion Of Netherlands speech, and pro-
ceeded in an able manner 10 an exposition Of
the soplistsies Of the Squattcr Sovereignty phil
osophy. lie was listened towitl great atten-
materially impeached the main part Of WcCler-
nnud's testimony, By proving that on several oc-
casions Congress had made and punished penal
offences in territories. Hisremarks took rather
wide range and be improved the occasion to re-
pei the charge made By Douglas acd his follow
ers that their Interpretation Of the doctrine Of
uon-intervention Was that maintained py all its
advocates prior to 1858. lie quoted from speech
cs made in 1912 by Calhoun. Hunter, Butler,
Berran, Westcott and other Southern statesmen
ventiou, they nevertheless insisted on the right
Of Congressional protection to slavery in The
territories. He cited Douglass vote in favor of
the repeal Of the tert torAl laws Of Kansas asian
admission the power Of Conertss TO control
the legislation Of Il territory after having csn-
pre.ty strong case agains. the Squat4eritcs.
Lamar is undoubtedly the best debater among
the Calhonnltes, though not SO clear aud deep
rcasaner as Curry. Ills speech to-day was one
vi llis best efforts.
NOEL, Of Missouri, fo1lowed. Noel is an in.
tercsti,'s character. lie is sui ytAe'is. He is
emphatlca'ly trimmer, and yet lie trims iu
away peculiarly his own, and rather original.
lie trims By theories, His theory for dieposing
Of the Fo]ygamy question have previously
untoldcd TO you. lie advanced m idea in his
speech to-day that is worthy Of cmanating from
ps&ln SO FFotouuu Us Hls--.au loea, " TIC way,
emlneut]y Democratic, and which We may yet
look TO sec incorporated in :he Democratic
creed. "1r," said liz, "any Of our Stafes tol-
'serated poiygamy, md one of its citizens should
Ego into thr territory with 4 number of wives,
he soouLt 1e tntitted TO protection in The snjoy-
",atnt Tiers Of his marriage rtlat.oae." You
see he but followcd Dred Scottish with the
same !aith{nlncss that McCerpand did Squat.
terism-both landed in tile qu:gure OF Sodom-
aud. Gomor7all.is.n. Reagan, Of Texas, whose
brain CONSISTS Of about the same quality Of sub
limatcd mud as that Of which Noells is COM
posed, made an issue with hitn upon this last
point and thereupon q little colloqny arose be-
tween these tro legislative owls, who both, in
the twilight which eser envelopes their senses,
lost the thread Of tle issue between them. and
found themselves agreeing upon point neither
Of tlem had made.
Common-scn<e Yaland;gham, who, though
an arraut demagoguc, has the merit OF some
lowed Noell in defense Of Nc Clesnand's position.
There was. nothing remarkable, however, in
whit he said.
Eli Thayer, Of Massachusetts, taen took the
floor audftpun out his farorite theory, which
may be denon.'nased Squatter Sovereignty in its
anti-tlarery phase. II was the first tine had
ever heard Thaser. ne is certain'y man Of
great ability, and he has happy faculty Of say-
ing whnt he thinks, and the Independence to
m:liptain his opinions against d world Of oppos-
rrs, HeoEpused the bill, and offered an amend
ment dividing the territory Of Utah into two
nands. lie is the sole opposition man who has
yet intirnated any opposition 10 this bill, and
think the Douglasites will not be JEALOUS to
claim him as an ally.
kctt was the next speaker. lie opposed the
bill. lie contcnded that Congress did not OIL
soon'had this prop Knocked from under his ar
gument by the production OF the laws Of Utah
and the reports Of the first three Judges sen:
out there by the President. Ills text spoiled,
L1s speech kind O gin eout." Hetrothed and
,nuted awhile, and then sat down, having made
one Of bis ordinary furious failures:
brief but clear and cogent speech. presented tue
Republican argument IN favor Of this bill. Dur
ing his speech incident occurred in which
your Representative, Mr.. Farnsworth, made
mark which will cause his position to be dis
tinctly understood by my Of the tire-eatcrs WHO
may hereafter desire to try the bul'y-ragging
game On him. The jenkins who interrupted
Mr.. F. in ttis instance, is Albert G., the man
who got up mob to drive Eli Tha5er out Of
Virginia. Mr.. Clark Of Missouri, had been
making some inquiries Of Mr.. 0ln, when, by
permission of Mr. O., Mr. Fu1nsworth qucried
Mr. Clark US follows:
trotn Missouri whether iu his opinion Congress
LAS the right to establish po1ygamy aud protect
ii in a Territory
Mr.. C1ark-l deny That Congress has the right
to establish polygamv or slavery there.
Mr.. Farusworth-Or to protect polygamy
fLeree
Mr. Clark-Congrcss has The right to protect
all relations. all property, ;n any territory be-
longing to the United Statcs.
Mr. Fcrnsworth-Ny question was sugaestcd
by the question which the gentleman himself
prapoundei.
Mr. Clark-Polygamy is relation not author
ICED b. any Statc Of this Union, or any where
else that know Of where dccency and good or.
der prevail.
Mr. Farnsworth- Suppose it did exist in cue
OF tue Suites by authority Of that Stuie:
Mr.. Clark-That would make the world worse |
than suppose t.evcr will be, and no doubt |
than this country ever will be, unless, unfartun-
atcly, the Black Republican party gets the u.s.
cendancy.
Mr. Farnsvorth- question was suggest |
ed By the inquiry pToroundcd By the gentle |
maa from Missouri to the gentleman from
New York, in regard to the right: Of Congress I
to protect slavery in tho Territories. AS slayery
embraces poly Gamy aud adu!tery-"is is the sun, |
of all villanies," Us declared By jain Wesley
it occurred 10 me that Congress might with as
much prcpriety protect polygamy as slavery.
Mr.. Jenkins af VirGinia-Docs the gentle
man declare that!
Nj. Farusworth-Declar what?