views of a minority of said Committee on Ter. Finally, at 111 o'clock, P.m., of Friday, 12th, ritories, proposing, without argument, the two after a continuous sitting of thirty-six hours, following amendments : I the House, on motion of Mr. Richardson, ad1. Amend the section defining the boundary 1 journed. of Kansas, so as to make “ the summit of the May 13th.-The House sat but two hours, Rocky Mountains” the western boundary of, and effected nothing. said Territory. May 15th.-Mr. Richardson withdrew his de. 2. Strike out of the 14th and 34th sections of mand for the Previous Question on closing the said bill all after the words “United States," debate, and moved instead that the debate and insert in each instance (the one relating to close at noon on Friday the 19th instant. This Kansas, and the other to Nebraska) as fol. he finally modified by substituting Saturday the lows: 20th ; and in this shape his motion prevailed by Provided, That nothing in this act shall be so con- a two-thirds majority-Yeas, 137; Nays, 66– strued as to prevent the people of said Territory, through the properly constituted legislative authority, from pasging such laws, in relation to the institution of Slavery, as they may deem best adapted to their locality, and most conducive to their happiness and welfare; and so much MAINR.- Thomas J. D. Fuller, Samuel Mayall-2. of any existing act of Congress as may oonflict with the NEW HAMPSHIRE.-Geo. W. Kittredge, Geo. W. Mor above right of the people to regulate their domestic rison-2. institutions in their own way, be, and the same is here MASSACHUSETTS.-Nathaniel P. Banks, jr.-1. by, repealed. CONNECTICUT.-Origen S. Seymour-1. New-YORK.-Gilbert Dean, Charles Hughes-2. This appears to have been an attempt to give PENNSYLVANIA.-Michael C. Trout-1. practical effect to the doctrine of Squatter ORIO - Alfred P. Edgerton, Harvey H. Johnson, AnSovereignty ; but it was not successful. drew Ellison, William D. Lindsley, Thomas Richey-3. INDIANA.-Andrew J. Harlan, Daniel Mace-2. May 8ih.-On motion of Mr. Richardson, the ILLINOIS.-John Wentworth-1. House - Yeas, 109; Nays, 88-resolved itself MICHIGAN.-David A. Noble, Hestor L. Steveng-2. into a Committee of the Whole, and took up WISCONSIN.-John B. Macy-1 VIRGINIA.-John S. Millson-1. the bill (House No. 236) to organize the Terri. Total-21. tories of Nebraska and Kansas, and discussed it -Mr. Olds, of Ohio, in the chair. Mr. Richardson, having thus got in his resa. On coming out of Conimittee, Mr. George W. lution to close the debate, put on the previous Jones, of Tenn., moved that the rules be sus- question again, and the House-Yeas, 113; pended so as to enable him to move the print. Nays, 59-agreed to close the debate on the ing of Senate bill (No. 22, passed the Senate as 20th. aforesaid) and the amendment now pending to Debate having been closed, the opponents of the House bill. No quorum voted-adjourned. the measure expected to defeat or cripple it by May 9th.--This motion prevailed. After de moving and taking a vote in Committee on bate in Committee on the Kansas-Nebraska bill, various propositions of amendment, kindred to the Committee found itself without a quorum, those moved and rejected in the Senate ; some and thereupon rose and reported the fact to the of which it was believed a majority of the House-only 106 Members were found to be | House would not choose or dare) to vote present. After several fruitless attempts to ad- down; and, though the names of those voting journ, a call was ordered and a quorum ob- on one side or the other in Committee of the tained, at 9 P.N. At 10, an adjournment pre- Whole are not recorded, yet any proposition railed. moved and rejected there, may be renewed in May 10th.- Debate in Committee continued. the House after taking the bill out of commit May 11th.-Mr. Richardson moved that all tee, and is no longer cut off by the Previous debate in Committee close to·morrow at noon. Question, as it formerly was. But, when the Mr. English moved a call of the House: Re-hour for closing debate in Committee had fused ; Yeas, 88; Nays, 97. arrived, Mr. Alex. H. Stephens moved that the Mr. Mace moved that Mr. Richardson's mo- enacting clause of the bill be stricken out ; which tion be laid on the table : Defeated. Yeas, 93; was carried by a rally of the friends of the Nays 100. bill, and of course cut off all amendments. The Mr. Edgerton, of Ohio, moved a call of the bill was thus reported to the House with its House. Refused: Yeas, 45 ; Nays, 80. | head off; when, after a long struggle, the The day was spent in what has come to be House refused to agree to the report of the Com. called “ Filibustering "- that is, the minority mittee of the Whole-Yeas, (for agreeing) 97 ; moving adjournments, calls of the House, ask. Nays, 117–bringing the House to a direct vote ing to be excused from voting, taking appeals, on the engrossment of the bill. etc., etc. In the midst of this, Mr. Richardson / Mr. Richardson now moved an amendment, withdrew his original motion, and moved in which was a substitute for the whole bill, being stead that the debate in Committee be closed substantially the Senate's bill, with the clause in five minutes after the House sball have re admitting aliens, who have declared their insumed it. tention to become citizens, to the right of sufThe hour of noon of the 12th having arrived, frage. He thereupon called the Previous QuesMessrs. Dean and Banks raised points of order tion, which the House sustained-Yeas, 116; as to the termination of the legislative day. Nays, 90—when the House adopted his amend. The Speaker decided that the legislative day ment-Yeas, 115 ; Nays, 95-—and proceeded to could only be terminated by the adjournment engross the bill —Yeas, 112 ; Naye, 99-when of the House, except by constitutional conclu- he put on the Previous Question again, and sion of the session. Mr. Banks appealed, but passed the bill finally-Yeas, 113; Nays, 100at !wugth withdrew his appeal. las follows: YEAS-113. | B. Morgan, William Murray, Andrew Oliver, Jared v. Peck, Rufus W. Peckham, Bishop Perkins, Benjamin FROM THE FREE STATES. Pringle, Russell Sage, George A. Simmons, GERRIT SMITH, John Wheeler--22. MAINE.-Moses McDonald-1. New-JERSEY.-Aleco. C. M. Pennington, Charles SkelNew-HAMPSHIRE-Harry Hibbard-1, ton, Nathan T. Stratton-8. CONNECTICUT.-Colin M. Ingersoll-1. PENNSYLVANIA.-Joseph R. Chandler, Carlton B. Our. VERMONT.-Nons. MASSACHUSETTS.- None. tis, John Dick, Augustus Drum, William Everhart, RHODE ISLAND.-None. James Gamble, Galusha A. Grow, Iouac E. Hioster, NEW-YORK.-Thomas W. Cumming, Francis B. Cut Thomas M. Howe, John McChilloch, Ner Middlesbarth, ting. Peter Rowe, John J. Taylor, William M. Tweed, David Ritchie. Samuel L. Russell, Michael O. Trout Hiram Walbridge, William a Walker, Mike Walsh, Theo. 114 R. Westbrook-9. OHIO.- Edroard Balı, Lerois D. Campbell, Alfred P. PENNSYLVANIA.-Samuel A. Bridges, John L. Dawson, 4, Edgerton, Andrew Ellison, JOSHUA R. GIDDINGS, Aaron Thomas B. Florence, J. Clancy Jones, William H. Kurtz, Harian, John Scott Harrison, H. H. Johnson, William John McNair, Asa Packer, John Robbins, jr., Christian D. Lindsey, M. H. Nichols, Thomas Richey, William R. M. Straub, William H. Witte, Hendrick B. Wright-11. Sapp, Andrew Stuart, John L. Taylor, EDWARD WADE NEW-JERSEY--Samuel Lilly, George Vail-2. -15. OHIO.-David T. Disney, Frederick W. Green, Edson INDIANA.-Andrew J. Harlan, Daniel Mace, Samuel B. Olds, Wilson Shannon-4. W. Parker-3. INDIÁNA.—John G. Davis, Cyrus L. Dunham, Norman ILLINOIS.-James Know, Jesse O. Norton, Elhi B. Eddy, William H. English, Thomas A. Hendricks, James Washburne, John Wentworth, Richard Yates-5. H. Lane, Smith Miller-7. MICHIGAN.-David A. Noble, Hestor L. Stevens-2. ILLINOIS.-James C. Allen, Willis Allen, Wm. A. Rich WISCONSIN. -Benjamin C. Eastman, Daniel Wells, jr." ardson-3. MICHIGAN.-Samuel Clark, David Stuart-2. Iowa.- None. CALIFORNIA.- None. Total-91. SOUTHBRS STATES. VIRGINIA, -John S. Millson-1. NORTH CAROLINA.-Richard C. Puryear, Sion 2. Rogers-2. DELAWARE.-George R. Riddle-1. TENNESSEE.- Robert M. Bugg, Wiliom Cullom Emor. MARYLAND.-William T. Hamilton, Henry May, Jacobson Etheridge, Nathaniel G. Taylor-4. Shower, Josbua Vansant-4. LOUISIANA.-Theodore G. Hunt-1. VIRGINIA.—Thomas H. Bayly, Thomas S. Bocock, John MISSOURI.-Thomas H. Benton-1. OTHER SOUTHKRN STATES.- None. Total_9. NORTH CAROLINA.-William S. Ashe, Burton Craige, Absent, or not voting-21. M. Shaw-6. N. ENGLAND STATES.- William Apploton, of Masg.-1. SOUTH CAROLINA.-William W. Boyce, President S. NEW-YORK.-Geo. W. Chase, James Maurice-2. Brooks, James L. Orr-3. PENNSYLVANIA.-None. ILLINOIS.-Wm, H. Bissell-1. MICHIGAN.- None. WISCONSIN.-John B. Macy-1. LOUISIANA.-William Dunbar, Roland Jones, John Per Total from Free States-9. kins, jr.-3 KENTUCKY.-John C. Breckinridge, James S. Obris. MARYLAND.-- John R. Franklin, Augustus R. Sollors man, Leander M. Cox, Clement S. Hill, John M, Elliot, Benj. E. Grey, William Preston, Richard H. Stanton VIRGINIA.-Fayette McMullen-1. -8. NORTH CAROLINA.- None. TENNESSEE.-William M. Churchwell, George W. Jones, DELAWARE. ---None. Charles Ready, Samuel A. Smith, Frederick P. Stanton, SOUTH CAROLINA.-Wm. Aiken, Lawrence M. Keitt, Felix Zollicoffer-6. John McQueen-3. ALABAMA.- None. KENTUCKY.–Linn Boyd, (Speaker,) Presley Eroing—2. FLORIDA.-Augustus E. Maxwell-1. MISSOURI.--Samuel Caruthers 1. Texas.-Peter H. Bell, Geo. W. Smyth—2. Total-69. ARKANSAS.- None. FLORIDA.- None. TEXAS.—None. TENNESSEE.-None. LOUISIANA.-None. Total from Slave States--12. Whigs in Italics. Abolitionists in SMALL CAPITALS. | Democrats in Roman. MAINB.-Samuel P. Benson, E. Wilder Farley, Thomas J. D. Fuller, Samuel Mayall, Israel Washburn, jr.. 1 May 23d.—The bill being thus sent to the 5. Senatě (not as a Senate but as a House bill), NEW HAMPSHIRR.-George W. Kittredge, George W. was sent at once to the Committee of the Whole, Morrison–2. MASSACHUSETTS.-Nathaniel P. Banks, jr., Samuel L. and there briefly considered. tends the right of suffrage to RHODE ISLAND.—Thomas Davis, Benjamin B. Thurston those who shall have declared on oath their inten. CONNECTICUT.-Nathan Belcher, James T. Pratt, Origen tion to become such, [citizons) and shall have taken at oath to support the Constitution of the United States, and 8. Seymour-3. VERMONT. - James Meacham, Alvah Sabin, Andrero the provisions of this act. Tracy-3. Negatived-Yeas: Bayard, Bell, Brodhead NEW YORK.-Henry Bennett, Davis Carpontor, Gil. Brown, Clayton, Pearce, and Thompson of bert Dean, Caleb Lyon, Reuben E. Fenton, Thomas T. I 41. Flagler, George Hastings, Solomon G. Haven, Charles Vugnes, Daniel T. Junes, Orsamus B. Matteson, Edroin' The bill was then ordered to be engrossed 10. for a third reading-Yeas, 35; Nays, 18, as! (Dec. 318t) his Annual Message, and next (Jan. follows: | 24th) a special message with regard to the conYeas--For Engrossing : | dition of Kansas, in which he thus alludes to essrs. Atchison, Mo. Mason, Vay I those who think Slavery not the best institution to make a prosperous and happy State, and to those who opposed the repeal of the Missouri Brodhead, Pa., Pearce, Md., restriction : Pettit, Ind., This interference, in so far as concerns its primary causes and its immediate commencement, was one of the incidents of that pernicious agitation on the subject of Dawson, Ga., Shields, Ill., the condition of the colored persons held to service in Douglas, III., Slidell, La.. some of the States, which has so long disturbed the reFitzpatrick, Ala., Stuart, Mich., pose of our country, and excited individuals, otherwise patriotic and law-abiding, to toil with misdirected zeal perversion and abuse of the powers of Congress. The persons and parties whom the tenor of the act to organise the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas thwarted in the endeavor to impose, through the agency Wright, N. J.,-35. of Congress, their particular views of social organiza. tion on the people of the future new States, now perNays-Against Engrossing : ceiving that the policy of leaving the inhabitants of each Messrs. Allen, R. I., GILLETTE, Ct., State to judge for themselves in this respect was ineradi. cably rooted in the convictions of the people of the Union, then had recourse, in the pursuit of their general object, to the extraordinary measure of propagandist colonization of the Territory of Kansas, to prevent the Foot, Vt., Wade, Ohio, free and natural action of its inhabitants in its internal 'Walker, Wis.-13. organization and thus to anticipate or to force the deter. Democrats in Roman; Whigs in Italics; Free Demo mination of that question in this inchoate State. erats in SMALL CAPS. The President makes the following referThe bill was then passed without further ence to the action of the people of Kansas, division, and, being approved by the President, who, claiming the right “ peaceably to assert became a law. The clause in the 14th section, ble and petition for a redress of grievances," which repealed the Missouri Compromise, with did so assemble, and sent a petition to Conthe Badger proviso, is as follows: Igress, to permit them to form a State Govern. That the Constitution and all the laws of the United ment, with the Constitution submitted : States which are not locally inapplicable, shall have the same force and effect within the said territory of Ne Following upon this movement was another and braska, as elsewhere within the United States, except the more important one of the same general character. eighth section of the act preparatory to the admission of Persons coufessedly not constituting the body politic, or Missouri into the Union, approved March sixth, eighteen all the inhabitants, but merely a party of the inhabitants, hundred and twenty, which being inconsistent with the and without law, have undertaken to summon a conven. principles of non-intervention by Congress with Slavery tion for the purpose of transforming the Territory into a in the States and Territories, as recognized by the legisla State, and have framed a constitution, adopted it, and tion of eighteen hundred and fifty, commonly called the under it elected a governor and other officers, and a Compromise Measures, is hereby declared inoperative representative to Congress. and void; it being the true intent and meaning of this March 12.-In Senate. Mr. Douglas, of mi. act not to legislate Slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people there:nois, from the Committee on Territories. made of perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic in. a report on matters relating to Kansas affairs, stitutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitu- lin which he says: tion of the United States; Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to revive or put in force The act of Congress for the organization o the Terany law or regulation which may have existed prior to ritories of Kansas and Nebraska, was designed to conthe act of sixth of March, eighteen hundred and twenty, form to the spirit and letter of the Federal Constitution, either protecting, establishing, prohibiting or abolishing by preserving and maintaining the fundamental principle Slavery. of equality ainong all the States of the Union, notwith standing the restriction contained in the 8th section of Dec. 3, 1855.--The XXXIV th Congress con- the act of March 6, 1820, (preparatory to the admission vened at the Capitol, in Washington.-Jesse D. of Missouri into the Union,) which assumed to deny to the people forever the right to settle the question of Slavery for themselves, provided they should make their tempore of the Senate, in place of Vice-Presi-| homes and organize States north of thirty-six degrees dent William R. King, of Alabama, deceased. and thirty minutes north latitude. Conforming to the A quorum of either House was found to be cardinal principles of State equality and self-govern. ment, in obedience to the Constitution, the Kansas. present. Nebraska act declared, in the precise language of the But the House found itself unable to organize Compromise Measures of 1850, that, " when admitted as by the choice of a Speaker, until after an un. a State, the said Territory, or any portion of the same, shall be received into the Union, with or without Slavery, precedented struggle of nine weeks' duration. as their constitutions may prescribe at the time of their Finally, on Saturday, Feb. 20, 1856, the plu- admission." rality-rule was adopted-Yeas, 113; Nays, 104 He then refers to the formation of the “ Emiand the House proceeded under it to its one grant Aid Company,”* which had been organhundred and thirty-third ballot for speaker, 1 Vized on the principle of “State equality" by when Nathaniel P. Banks, jr. (anti-Nebraska) the people of Massachusetts. This proceeding of Massachusetts, was chosen, having 103 he calls “ a perversion of the plain provisions” votes to 100, for William Aiken, of South Caro-| of the Kansas-Nebraska Act—that the only lina. Eleven votes scattered on other persons did not count against a choice. It was there #“The Emigrant Ald Company," with five millions dollars, fore resolved-Yeas, 155; Nays, 40—that Mr. to which Mr. Douglas alludes, and from the existence of which Banks was duly elected Speaker. he makes & special plea for the Border Rufllans, was But, during the pendency of this election, the never organized: See Report of Special Committee of Con. President had transmitted to both Houses first gress, (page 100.) there to and particol a State o be admitted . kind of lawful emigration was “such as has / effort to send at least an equal number, to counteract the filled up our new States and Territories, when apprehended result of the new importation, each individual has gone on his own account, The report then gives a history of the Legislato improve his condition and that of his ture elected March 30th, 1855, its rentoval from family. The report then states that the neo- | Pawnee City to the Shawnee Mission, its subseple of Missouri were greatly alarmed at the quent quarrel with Gov. Reeder, and continues : rapid filling up of Kansas by people opposed to l A few days after; Governor Reeder dissolvad his official relations with the legislature, on account of the removal of the seat of government, and while that body was still | in session, a meeting was called by “many voters," to assemble at Lawrence, on the 14th or 15th of August, 1955, "to take into consideration the propriety of calling & Terown institutions, they might properly resist the rito ritorial Convention, preliminary to the formation of a State Government, and other subjects of public interest." At neighborhood. The report continues : that meeting, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted with but one dissenting voice: For the successful prosecution of such a scheme, the Mis- " Whereas, the people of Kansas Territory have been since sourians who lived in the immediate vicinity possessed pe- the settlement, and now are, without any law-making power ; culiar advantages over their rivals from the more remote therefore portions of the Union. Each family could send one of its "Be it resolved, That we, the people of Kansas Territory, in members across the line to mark out his claim, erect a mass meeting assembled, irrespective of party distinctions, in fluenced by a common necessity, and greatly desirous of procabin, and put in a small crop, sufficient to give him as moting the common good, do hereby call upon and request all valid a right to be deemed an actual settler and qualified bona nde citizens of Kansas Territory, of whatever political voter as those who were being imported by the Emigrant views and predilections, to consult together in their respective Aid Societies. In an unoccupied Territory, where the lands | election districts, and in mass convention or otherwise, elect have not been surveyed, and where there were no marks three delegates for each representative in the legislative ag. or lines to indicate the boundaries of sections and quarter sembly, by proclamation of Governor Reeder of date 10th quarter March, 1863, said delegates to assembly in convention at the sections, and where no legal title could be had until after town of Topeka, on the 19th day of September, 1855, then and the surveys should be made, disputes, quarrels, violence, there to consider and determine upon all subjects of public in. and bloodshed might have been expected as the natural terest, and particularly upon that having reference to the and inevitable consequences of such extraordinary systems speedy formation of a State Constitution, with an intention of of emigration, which divided and arrayed the settlers into an immediate application to be admitted as a State into the two great hostile parties, each having an inducement to Union of the United States of America." claim more than was his right, in order to hold it for some This meeting, so far as your Committee have been able new-comer of his own party, and at the same time prevent to ascertain, was the first step in that series of proceedings persons belonging to the opposite party from settling in the which resulted in the adoption of a Constitution and State neighborhood. As a result of this state of things, the Government, to be put in operation on the 4th of the pre great mass of emigrants from the northwest and from sent month, in subversion of the Territorial Government other States who went there on their own account, with no established under the authority of Congress. The right to other object, and influenced by no other motives than to set up the State Government in defiance of the constituimprove their condition and secure good homes for their ted authorities of the Territory, is based on the assumption families, were compelled to array themselves under the " that the people of Kansas Territory have been since its banner of one of these hostile parties, in order to insure pro settlement, and now are, without any law-making power;" tection to themselves and their claims against the aggress in the faoe of the well-known fact, that the Territorial Le ions and violence of the other. gislature was then in session, in pursuance of the pro clamation of Governor Reeder, and the organic law of the On the 29th of November, 1854, the first elec. Territory. tion in the Territory was held for a delegate to The report then proceeds to narrate the cir Congress. This was a very short time after the cumstances attending the formation of a State arrival of the Free State emigrants in suffi. Government in Michigan, Arkansas, Florida and cient bodies to protect themselves. At this California, and states that “in every instance election, according to the returns, J. W. Wbit. the proceeding has originated with, and been field had received 2,268 votes; other persons, conducted in subordination to the authority of 675. Whitfield, of course, received the Gover the local governments established or recognized nor's certificate, but great dissatisfaction was by the Government of the United States.” It expressed by the Free State settlers, charging then refers to the case of the effort to change that many of the votes received by Whitfield the organic law, made in Rhode Island some were given by men living in Missouri; and it years ago, from which it says the “insurgents" afterward appeared that at the time of the first (as the Free State party in Kansas is called) election there were but 1,114 legal voters in the “ can derive no aid or comfort.” Territory. Nevertheless, the report continues : The following concludes the Report; the words in Italics below perhaps explain in what Certain it is, that there could not have been a system of fraud and violence such as has been charged by the agents and supporters of the emigrant aid societies, unless the to form their own institutions, in their own way;" Governor and judges of election were parties to it; and Without deeming it necessary to express any opinion on your committee are not prepared to assume & fact so dis- this occasion, in reference to the merits of that controreputable to them, and so improbable upon the state of versy, [referring to Rhode Island,] it is evident that the facts presented, without specific charges and direct proof. principles upon which it was conducted are not involved In the absence of all proof and probable truth, the charge in the revolutionary struggle now going on in Kansas ; for that the Missourians had invaded the Territory and con- the reason, that the sovereignty of a Territory remains trolled the congressional election by fraud and violence in abeyance, suspended in the United States, in trust was circulated throughout the Free States, and made the for the people, until they shall be admitted into the basis of the most inflammatory appeals to all men opposed 'Union as a State. In the meantime, they are entitled to the principles of the Kansas-Nebraska act to emigrate ne Kansas-Nebraska act to emigrate to enjoy and exercise all the privileges and rights of or send emigrants to Kansas, for the purpose of repelling self-government, in subordination to the Constitution the invaders, and assisting their friends who were then in of the United States, and in obedience to their organic the Territory in putting down the slave-power, and prohi. lnno passed by Congress in pursuance of that instrik biting Slavery in Kansas, with the view of making it a ment. These rights and privileges are all derived from Free State. Exaggerated accounts of the large number the Constitution, through the act of Congress, and must be of emigrants on their way under the auspices of the emi-exercised and enjoyed in subjection to all the limitations grant aid companies, with the view of controlling the elec- and restrictions which that Constitution imposes. Hence tion for members of the Territorial Legislature, which was it is clear that the people of the Territory have no inherei to take place on the 80th of March, 1855, were published sovereign right, under the Constitution of the United State and circulated. These accounts, being republished and be to annul the laws and resist the authority of the Territor Neved in Missouri, where the excitement had already been government which Congress has established in obedies inflamed to a fearful intensity, induced a corresponding to the Constitution. In tracing, step by step, the origin and history of these 'to their admission into the Union on an equal footing with Kansas difficulties, your Committee have been profoundly i the original States, so soon as it shall appear, by a cens impressed with the significant fact, that each one has re- to be taken under the direction of the Governor, by the sulted from an attempt to violate or circumvent the prin authority of the Legislature, that the Territory contains ciples and provisions of the act of Congress for the organ ninety-three thousand, four hundred and twenty inhabiization of Kansas and Nebraska. The leading idea and tants-that being the number required by the present ratio fundamental principle of the Kansas-Nebraska act, as ex- of representation for a member of Congress. pressed in the law itself, was to leave the actual set! In compliance with the other recommendation, your tlers and bona fide inhabitants of each Territory Committee propose to offer to the appropriation bill an 6 perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic amendment appropriating such sum as shall be found neinstitutions in their oron way, subject only to the Con cessary, by the estimates to be obtained, for the purpose stitution of the United States." While this is declared | indicated in the recommendation of the President. to be the "true intent and meaning of the act," those! All of which is respectfully submitted to the Senate by who were opposed to allowing the people of the Territory, I your Committee. preparatory to their admission into the Union as a State, to decide the Slavery question for themselves, failing to Mr. Collamer, of Vermont, the Republican accomplish their purpose in the halls of Congress, and un-member of same Committee, submitted a niider the authority of the Constitution, immediately resorted, in their respective States, to unusual and extraordinary nority report, in which he says: means to control the political destinies and shape the do nies and shape the do- Thirteen of the present prosperous States of this Union mestic institutions of Kansas, in defiance of the wishes, I passed through the period of apprenticeship or pupilage and regardless of the rights, of the people of that Terri of territorial training, under the guardianship of Congress, tory, as guaranteed by their organic law. Combinations, I preparatory to assuming their proud rank of manhood in one section of the Union, to stimulate an unnatural and as sovereign and independent States. This period of false system of emigration, with the view of controlling their pupilage was, in every case, a period of the good offi. the elections, and forcing the domestic institutions of the ces of parent and child, in the kind relationship sustained Territory to assimilate to those of the non-slaveholding le non-slavenoiding between the National and the Territorial Government, States, were followed, as might have been foreseen, by the and may be remembered with feelings of gratitude and use of similar means in the slaveholding States, to pro pride. We have fallen on different times. A territory of duce directly the opposite result. To these causes, and to our government is now convulsed with violence and disthese alone, in the opinion of your Committee, may be cord, and the whole family of our nation is in a state of traced the origin and progress of all the controversies and excitement and anxiety. The National Executive power disturbances with which Kansas is now convulsed. is put in motion, the army in requisition, and Congress is If these unfortunate troubles have resulted, as natural invoked for interference. consequences, from unauthorized and improper schemes In this case, as in all others of difficulty, it becomes neof foreign interference with the internal affairs and domes cessary to inquire what is the true cause of existing troutic concerns of the Territory, it is apparent that the remedy ble in order to apply effectual cure. It is but a temporary must be sought in a strict adherence to the principles and palliative to deal with the external and more obvious manirigid enforcement of the provisions of the organic law. festations and developments, while the real, procuring In this connection, your Committee feel sincere satisfaction cause lies unattended to, and uncorrected, and unre. in commending the messages and proclamation of the Pre moved. sident of the United States, in which we have the gratify It is said that organized opposition to law exists in Kan. ing assurance that the supremacy of the laws will be main-sas. That, if existing, may probably be suppressed by the tained; that rebellion will be crushed; that insurrec President, by the use of the army; and so, too, may invation will be suppressed; that aggressive intrusion for the sions by armed bodies from Missouri, if the Executive be purpose of deciding elections, or any other purpose, will sincere in its efforts; but when this is done, while the cause be repelled; that unauthorized intermeddling in the local of trouble remains, the results will continue with renewed concerns of the Territory, both from adjoining and distant and increased developments of danger. States, will be prevented; that the federal and local laws ocal laws Let us, then, look fairly and undisguisedly at this subwill be vindicated against all attempts at organized resist- iect. in its true character and history. Wherein does this ance; and that the people of the Territory will be pro Kansas Territory differ from all our other Territories which tected in the establishment of their own institutions, undig have been so peacefully and successfully carried through, turbed by encroachments from without, and in the full en and been developed into the manhood of independent joyment of the rights of self-government assured to them States? Can that difference account for existing trouby the Constitution and the organic law. bles ? Can that difference, as a cause of trouble, be reIn view of these assurances, given under the conviction moved? that the existing laws confer all the authority necessary to The first and great point of difference between the Terthe performance of these important duties, and that the I that the ritorial government of Kansas and that of the thirteen whole available force of the United States will be exerted states will be exerted | Territorial governments before mentioned, consists in the to the extent required for their performance, your Com- subiect of Slavery-the undoubted cause of present mittee repose in entire confidence that peace, and security, I trouble. and law, will prevail in Kansas. If any further evidence urther evidence The action of Congress in relation to all these thirteer were necessary to prove that all the collisions and difficul- Territories was conducted on a uniform and prudent ties in Kansas have been produced by the schemes of for- principle, to wit: To settle, by a clear provision, iho eign interference which have been developed in this re- law in relation to the subject of slavery to be opera. port, in violation of the principles and in evasion of the tive in the Territory, while it remained such; not provisions of the Kansas-Nebraska act, it may be found in | leaving it in any one of those cases to be a subject of conthe fact that in Nebraska, to which the emigrant-aid socie troversy within the same, while in the plastic gristle of its ties did not extend their operations, and into which the youth. This was done by Congress in the exercise of the stream of emigration was permitted to flow in its usual same power which molded the form of their organic laws, and natural channels, nothing has occurred to disturb the and appointed their executive and judiciary, and some. peace and harmony of the Territory, while the principle of times their legislative officers; it was the power provided self-government, in obedience to the Constitution, has had in the Constitution, in these words: “Congress shall have fair play, and is quietly working out its legitimate results. power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regu It now only remains for your Committee to respond to lations respecting the territory or other property belong. the two specific recommendations of the President, in his ing to the United States." Settling the subject of Slavery special message. They are as follows: while the country remained a Territory, was no higher ex. "This, it seems to me, can be best accomplished by provid. ercise of power in Congress, than the regulation of the funcing that, when the inhabitants of Kansas may desire it, and tions of the territorial government, and actually appointing shall be of sufficient numbers to constitute a State, a conven its principal functionaries. This practice commenced with tion of delegates, duly elected by the qualified voters, shall this National Government, and was continued, with uninassemble to frame a Constitution, and thus prepare, through terrupted uniformity, for more than sixty years. This regular and lawful means, for its admission into the Union as a State. I respectfully recommend the enactment of a law to practical contemporaneous construction of the constituthat effect. tional power of this government is too clear to leave "I recommend, also, that a special appropriation be made | room for doubt, or opportunity for skepticism. The peace, to defray any expense which may become requisite in the prosperity, and success which attended this course, and execution of the laws, or the maintenance of public order in I the results which have ensued, in the formation and adthe Territory of Kansas." mission of the thirteen States therefrom, are most conclu. In compliance with the first recommendation, your Com sive and satisfactory evidence, also, of the wisdom and mittee ask leave to report a bill authorizing the Legislature prudence with which this power was exercised, Deluded of the Territory to provide by law for the election of dele- | must be that people who, in the pursuit of plausible theogates by the people, and the assembling of a Convention ries, become deaf to the lessons, and blind to the results to form a Constitution and State Government preparatory of their own experience. |
