New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-04

OF the United States.
During 1855 the Democrats of the South made
'squatter sovereignty. The new Federal Gov
ernor of Kansas had appointed March 30. 1850.
as the day for election of a Territorial Legislat-
ure; and on that day large parties of armed
rufans from Missouri took possession Of the
polls in Kansas drove away the Free Soil men.
and carried the elections in the interest OF
slavery New elections were ordered in six dis
tricts and again. in of them. border ruffians
from Missouri carried the elections. Kansas
was distracted all that year by bloody ARRAYS
ard the schemes Of the slave-hodng Democracy
to capture the Territory.
The bogus Legislature met in July and I'M
seated all the Free State members except one.
and then elected Territorial officers. The Free
State men were resolved. however. never to sur
render Kansas to slave holder domination. They
held a convention at Topeka. and in November
they adopted Constitution for submission to
the people on March l. 1856. These proceedings
we're closely watched by the whole country. The
Democratic party sustained and defended the
reign OF violence in Kansas.
DEMOCRATIC SETBACK
The XXXIVth Congress met for its first session
on December g. 1859. adjourning on August IL.
1886. Its composition was:
Senate=Whigs and Free Sellers. %: Demo-
Gratis. 81; vacancies. g. total. u.
House-Nathaniel p. Banks. jr.. Of Massachu-
HI; Democrats. ~; Americans, 81; vacancy /;
total. 234.
The Presidents Message. which was not read
until December 81. discussed routine topics. but
reasserted the doctrine of State rights and the
sovereign powers of States. Congress was called
a Congress of sovereigntes."
A noteworthy incident was the election Of Mr..
Banks as Speaker Of the House. The struggle
over his election protracted one and has
become historic. 1t began on December 3, ]o'.'.
and lasted two mOnths-that is to say, Until
February ,. 1886. Mr.. Banks vas finally chosen
by 1O3 votes against 100 for William Aiken
(Dem). of South Carolina: IL scattering j not
voting IL absent. and seat vacant; total,
234. The Free State men Tor as they were soon
to be called. the Republicans thus gained a vic
tory in Congress which enabled them TO appoint
the committees of the House place check On
bad legislation. and influence legislation some
what in favor Of Bleeding Kansas"
Kansas occupied the attention Of both houses
during much Of the session. In the House a
prOvisO was attached to successive aprropria-
ton bills. one after another, to aid In the pro-
lection Of the Free State men of Kansas against
armed violence. The Democratic Senate struck
out the provso from each bill Finally, IN the
Army bill a provso was again inserted by the
House. requiring the President to aid IN pre-
venting invasions of Kansas by armed bancs
and forbidding any Of the money to be expendeo
in enforcing the acts Of the bogus Democratic
.g;siature The Senate struck IL out The
House reinserted it. Both refused 10 Dudge anu
the bill failed entirely.
The debate on Kansas and slavery in the Sen
ate led to a brutal assault on May -. 80, upon
chusetts by Preston S. Brooks Denocratic
Representative from South Carolina The SEN
ATE had adjourned. MI Sumner sat at MS desk
in the Senate Chamber. writing. Prohably
twenty other persons were scattered .bout the
chamber. Mr. Brooks approached; d9e ..a
that Mr.. Summers remarks about Jnuse bu.ier'
of South Carolina. had been perso1iily offensive
and without waiting for Mr.. summers reply
struck him over the head ten or htteeh tln.e e
with a gutta percha cane. Mr.. SUN ier TORE nis
desk from its fastenings the EFFORT To rise ana
fell bleeding and unconscious to the moor MT
Keitt Dem. S. c.. stood by fourishing MS cane
to keep off the bystan1ers. MT. SUMNER Ms NJ
nearly killed He recovered. however Mr..
Brooks was expelled from the House only 10 DE
reelected enthusiastically by his save-hoiding
constituents in South carolina
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATION.
The legislation of this session was purely OF
a routine character. with the exception OF the
proviso in the Army bill and an act increasing
the compensation Of the Members ana senators
IT. Congress.
The nav at that time was s. day and 40 cents
mileage for each Of the two sessions. Forty
years before Congress had voted each member
81 800 a wear and mileage: and nearly every
member who had voted for it had been defeated
at the next election. The increase had theh
been repealed in haste. the compensation there
after remaining So day and mileage. Inc
Senate. in this Congress. now passed Dill TX
ing compensation at $500 year, with mileage
and withholding pay in case of absence so as 20
restrict absenteeism The House raised the sal
airy to $1,000 and mileage. and passed the piI on
August 10 1886. by 100 yeas 46 Republicans
81 Democrats - Americans) to % nays co he-
publicans 81 Democrats. 10 Americans. Such
leading Republicans as Edwin ID. Morgan IN. u
8 Lu,Ior CoIf.x Undl ond Mr. Washburn