Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-07-10

the vote was a tie Cos to 1857; br
the speaker voted In the affirms
tive, and the motion carried. Th
committee on the part of the hous
was composed of NJ. Ell. English, {
Indiana; A. H. Stephens, of Geol
gia and w. A. Howard, OF Mich
gan. On the part of the senate,
5. Greene, OF Missouri; r. NJ. I
Hunter, of Virginia, and w. II
Seward, of New York.
AS the senate had asked for tn
conference, the managers on behaI
OF that branch of congress were in
formed by Mr.. English that propo
sitions for a compromise must frs
come from them. 1t they had nom
to offer, the managers on the part o
the house had none, and the confer
ence would Immediately terminate
The managers on the part of thu
senate made several propositions
none of which, however, were &C
ceptable to the members ON behal
of the house. The senate committee
then asked the members from the
house If they had any compromise
to offer, to which Mr.. English re.
piled that he had none prepared,
but he had plan in his mind based
however, upon the principle of a
submission to the question of adj
mission under the Lecompton con-
stitution, and an amendment ordi.
nance to fair vote of the people OF
! Kansas; and if the committee
thought it worth while he would
prepare it, and submit it to them at
their next meeting. TheytOId him
to do SO. This is the inside history
of the origin of the great Kansas
compromise measure, commonly
called the English bill, which
finally passed both branches of con-
gress, and became the law.
This law was, in effect, to place it
in the power of the people Of Kan
sas to come into the Union under
the LecOmpton constitution or not
as they might themselves deterin-
inc at fair election, 1t was not a
submission as direct as Mr.. English
himself preferred, as hereinafter ex-
planned, but was the. best he could
get under the complications then
existing and was a substantial vim
dication of the doctrine of "lopular
sovereignty" advocated in his mi
nority report on the Kansas N ebras-
ka bill in the thirty-third congress.
It is impossible for persons now
to realize the agitation and excite
ment in the country at that time,
over the "English BILL" It was
denounced in the strongest language
by many, and as highly praised by
Others. Its passage was hailed with
firing of cannons, illuminations and
public rejoicings in many places.
CONGRATULATIONS OF THE PREsI-
DENT.
The president OF the United
States, Mr.. Buchanan, was highly
gratified, and wrote Mr.. English
letter of congratulatiOn (Which Mr..
English has preseryed), in which he
said:
81 consider the present occasion
the most fortunate of your life. 1t
will be your fate to end the danger
Gus agitation, to confer lasting ben
efitS on your country, and to render
your character historical. ] shall
remain always your friend" /"
THE sERENADE AND REJOICINGs.
On the night after the passage of |
the bill there was a great jollifica-
ton meeting in Washington city |
which serenaded the president and |
Mr.. English, and of which the |
Union newspaper said
4tIt was time of cOngratulation |
among all true-hearted Union men.
About 8 o'clock the Marine band |
passed up toward the executive
in a large omnibus, drawn
by four horses, and was followed by |
an immense cOncour5e. The can
noniers were also out, and thun-
dered forth a salute from their field
piece opposite the north front of the
executive mansion, while the band,
taking its position beneath the port
leo, played "Hail Columbia" Be-
fore they had completed a dense
crowd had cOngregated, and was
increased by new arriv-
ais, until at least 1900 persons were
including quite a num-
Der of ladies. The time, the place,
he eXultant cheers, the loud BOOM
ng of the cannon, the patriotic
strains of the band, all combined to
iorm a picturesque and imposing
scene which will long be remem-
0ered by those who were fortunate
enough to-WitneSs it.
In the course of the speech made
oy the president, he said:
"This is great occasion on which
you have assembled. It's far above
men. The best interests of the coun-
ry were involved in the long con-
est which is SO happily terminated.
hope and believe that the result
will tend to promote the peace and
of our glorious Union"
Mr.. English, the author OF the
lill was, of course, one of the heroes
If the occasion; but we can only
rive few extracts from his speech.
m the course of his remarks ne said:
''Let US all stand together in this
sreat confederacy as equals, each I
tate having the right to regulate its
,Wn domestic institutions in its own
way; and let us apply this doctrine
lot only to Kansas, but to all the
erritOries which may come into /
his Union for all time to come.
That is the doctrine of the demo-
ratio party; and when that party
5 struck down, the best interests of
he country will be struck down.
stop this agitation and let us act,
lot like visionary fanatics, but
PRACTICAL men. Let well enough
lone, and leave the solution of this
natter to time and Providence. II
We cannot stand upon the doctrine
# nOn-interventiOn, where can we
tand in safety?
81 am here as one of the repre-
of a western state. It is
conservative state; it is the one
which gave the largest majority of
.nyone in the north for the presi-
lent. l know that it is the feeling
# the people of Indiana that the in
erests and rights of the south should
lever be trodden under foot. We
10 not intend to surrender any of
,ur rights, and we do not believe
hat the people of the south desire
o trespasS upon our rights; if they
lid, we should rise up as one man ,
O resist 1t, and we would resist it
o the last. While we shall be care
uI to protect our own rights, we
hall be equally careful not to tres
Dass upon the rights of our brethren
n other states. Upon such broad,
grounds as this we can all
tand and if we do, this cOnfederacy
will continue increasing in prosper
ty and glory. We must discard all