Year: 1859

could instead of opposing any one of them.


AS to the Placerville route, Mr.. Broderick


great affection for it never sprang into exis


tence until after it was established, and h


then only took it under his protection to fin'


fault with the Postmaster General for putin!


it in operation. The very joint resolution


that he boasts of getting the Senate to TAX


up after had failed, did not increase th


speed over the time the Post Master Genera


had by contract the power to enforce its con


veyance,it only gave the contractors $4,000


per annum more than they could get unde


their contract 1t was the knowledge O


this fact that induced the President to with


hold his signature; why did not Mr.. Broder
ick state this in his speech9 He should ast
have stated that after he had succeeded b,
his great popularity with the Senate in get
ting up the bill that he was so utterly gnor
ant on the subject that be had to call on
Senator from Missouri ard myself to explain
its provisions and pass it through the Sen
ate.


Again he says he passed an amendment
through the Senate at the last session reduc


ing the time on this route to twenty five
days, but he fails to state was in favor o.
tventy instead of twenty-five days. LIE,
his zeal be what it may in favor of this
route it cannot outstrip mine, and yet unlike
him mine is not diminished for any of the
other routes will also add that the late
Post master General before his death signed
an order diminishing the time on this route
to thirty days from and after the lst Of
April last, which would have been executed
if the Post office appropriation bill had pass
ed. will return to this subject again be-
fore | close


await the further reference which Mr.
Broderick indicates he will make to the Sen
atoria election of 1857, to make statement
that should have published long since bu,
for reasons which | vii! state when | again
refer to the subject; and will now dismiss
him and his speech.


am pleased to have an opportunity to advert
to some Of the leading measures Of the last Con
gress. in which have taken an humble part
1his is no less due to the democracy of California
than to myself; for hold the doctrine that every
American Senator is as much bound to render an
account of his stewardship to the people of the
State which he represents, as is the representa-
tive elected by their direct votes.


| need not remind you of the fact that the po-
sitiOn of our public affairs has been for several
years in the most critical and perilous condition.
A powerful and fanatcal party, preferring "to
reign in hell rather than serve in heaven" has
waged Il relentless warfare against the democratic
party. Their struggle was solely for power, and
and marked by an utter Indifference to law and
order, to the constitution, to just principles and o
truth. In their guilty desire to attain their oh
ject, they even strove to array section of the
Union in deadly strife against the other. Theil
aim was to get possession Of the government, an(
have an opportunity to plunder the public treas
ury. At one period in the progress of this mo
mentous struggle, it really seemed as if the enc
of the conflict would be the total destruction o.
the great blessings of the present. and of the
peace and prosperity of the future of our glorious
republic.


In order to fully understand and appreciata tho
measures supported by the democratic party since
entered upon my present term of service in the
Senate. it is necessary to bear in mind the ante
cedent history of the strange state Of affairs tC
which have just alluded. Without this, no just
Judgment can be formed of what was done, or pro
posed to be done, by that party. The public
mind, without this review of the past, and knOwl-
edge of antecedent struggles would be utterly
unprepared to appreciate the extraordinary me-
cessites which surrounded and pressed upon all
branches of the government, executive, legisla-
tive and judicial. The two first, especially were
in condition to awaken considerations of the
profoundest sOlicitude.


During the Presidential canvass, is well
known to you. we appeared to be standing all the
time upon the very verge of civil war. the
one side was Democratic Executive, struggling
with determined will and careful skill, to avert
this calamity. On the other, it WAS scene of un-
tiring stratagies and cOntrvances to precpitate
that result. We escaped the disaster by electing
the present Chief Magistrate, whose conservative
temper and patriotic mind were at once directed
!. .,,I<
ment would be most likely to preserve peace and
promote confidence in its continuance. Peace to
the country and security to the Constitution
were the great ends to be gained. Upon these
were staked the destinies of this the greatest Re
public that ever was upon earth, and the only
true government of liberty united with order
which now exists. 1t was certain even then. that
the peace and security of which / speak, and
which were necessary to prevent revolution.
would be, under any circumstances, of very diff
cult attainment The complication of affairs in
Kansas was still great-great as the passions OF
men were intense and furious. 1t was in this
state of affairs that the LecOmpton Constitution
was presented by the President to the considera-
ton of Congress. His policy in relation to that
measure was adopted with great care and fore
thought. He believed it to be we'll founded, and
the only means by which peace could be perma-
nently brought back to the country, and safety
secured to ali branches of the government. 1t
was grave and momentOus question in the re-
suits which it's solution might produce. 1t must
be borne in mind, and should never be forgotten
that there was principal source from whence all
the difficulties in Kansas had sprung; that was,
the refusal of the enemies of the Democratic par
ty to exercise the right of suffrage This is a
fixed fact, and every species of logic may be used
and exhausted and still the responsibility of the
troubles in Kansas will be brought home to these
disorganizers. This difficulty was created for
malign and insurrectionary purposes; in fact,
for practical purposes of treason in violation of
law, of order, and contrary to the whole policy
of our institutions. That the majority of those
who vote are entitled 10 govern, and not those
who refuse to vote, however numerous they may
be, is the basis upon which our government rests.
The power to make a constitution was placed in
the hands of the electors of the Territory OF