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

le tion. Thirty millions of excite
je people are not easily quieted, and
If question which could agitate
e whole nation was not likely TO b
l. removed without struggle an'
{. some sacrifice of opinion.
;. These things will all be conSid
!. cred by those who are disposed t,
judge fairly. Wise and patriotic
e men could well approve Of a meas
# ure, originating under such circum
: stancesg which they would hav,
; objected to is an original PROPOSE
t tor. i am free to say that if tn,
e bill had been an original PROPOSE
f tion, depending alone upon my APP
: proval to shape into law, Ishould
!. without sacrificing its substance
2 have changed in some respect some
+, of its provisions. 1t was no time
: however, to cavil about non-essen,
{ tial points, or unimportant words
3 no time to manifest a cRptiOus OF
} dogmatical disposition. A little
j might well be yielded to the iudg-
: ment of others, if necessary to
achieve a successful result in mat
ter of such importance.
Perfection in every respect was
not claimed for the conference bill.
Its friends set up no unreasonable
or extravagant pretensions in its
behalf, and they now have the proud
J satisfaction of knowing that it has
realized all they ever claimed for it.
1t was enough that it contained the
substance, and was the very best
that could be secured at the time
and under the circumstances which
then existed. tlr
In that spirit it was agreed to in
committee; in that spirit enacted
into law. Itsprang from the me-
cessity of the case, and was sup
ported in the hope of reconciliation
and peace. If those who gave it
their support erred, it was in yield
ing too much in the praiseWorthy
effort of removing a dangerous ques-
ton from the national councils and
restoring harmony to highly ex-
cited people,"
Under this law the question of
/ admission under the Lecompton
constitution was, in effect, referred
back to the people of Kansas, and
they voted againss it, just as Mr..
English and almost everyone else
expected they would do. Even so
bitter a partisan as Mr.. Greeley
then was, admitted, in his history,
| that the vote cast on the proposition
submitted by the English bill twas,
in effect, to reject the Lecompton
constitution.
Thus the result was accomplished
which Mr.. English had eOntended
for from the beginning, and there is
no Inconsistency in his record upon
this subject. On the final vote
which admitted Kansas as a state,
he was still member, and voted
for her admission.
FOURTH ELECTION TO CONGRESS-.
The popular current in the north
was still strongly against the demo-
cratic administration, and the 'tEng-
lish bill'' entered into the ensuing
political campaign, and came in for
the usual amount of miSrepresenta-
tiOn and abuse.
Mr.. English had again been
brought forward for reelection, ana |
the contest in his district assumed q /
national importance. His political |
opponents made extraordinary eff
forts to defeat him, and there was
at one time some disaffection with
portion of his political friends who
thought he ought to have voted for /
the admission of Kansas under the
Lecompton constitution. This dis
affection finally subsidized, resulting,
probably, in part, from letters writ
ten by tile president himself, in
which he spoke in the highest
terms Of Mr.. English.
LETTER FROM PRESIDENT BU-
t.. CHANAN. ~
In one to Mr.. English he said: 81
omit no opportunity of expressing
my opinion Of how much the coun-
try owes you tor the English amend
ment, Having lost the bill of the
senate which preferred, the coun-
try would have been sad condition
had it not been relieved by your
measure. It is painful even to
think of what would have been the
alarming condition of the Union
had congress adjourned without
passing your amendment. | trust
you will have no difficulty in being
and reelected II /
had a thousand votes you should
have them all with a hearty good
WILL" tt it3 s,r
In fact, although Mr. English had
at one time firmly opposed a lead
ing measure of the administration
the president was well aware it was
from conscientious convictions, and
always manifested the most friendly
feeling for him. These kindly rela-
tions existed to the end of Mr.. Bu-
chanan's life.