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1 S. G. Andrews, The Lecompton Constitution: Speech of Hon. S. G. Andrews, of New York: Delivered in the House of Representatives, February 23d, 1858 1 (1858)

handle is hein.statecon/lecmpco0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 



           TtE LECOMPTON CONSTITUTION.




                             SPEECH

                                       OF


HON. S. G. ANDREWS, OF NEW YORK.


      Delivered in the House of Representativ~s. -February 23d, 1858.


   Mr. Chairman, while difference and brought their Territory into being. The
 conflict of opinion prevail on most if Kansas-Nebraska act guarintied to them
 not on all other questions submitted to the right to form and establish their insti-
 the consideration of Congress and the tutions by such a vote; and yet their very
 country, there is one sentiment in the first election was cantied against them by
 President's message which will be very the incursion of lawless inhabitants of a
 generally concurred in, but in a sense en- neighboring State, who designed to and
 tirely different from that entertained by did form their institutions for them,
 the President. He says, in regard to usurped their Government, and elected a
 the agitation growing out of Kansas Legislature, whose laws, and enactments
 affairs: They have for some years were pronounced, by partisans of those
 occupied too much of the public at- aggressors upon this floor, to be a dis-
 tention; it is high time that attention grace to civilization.  Citizen~s of Mis-
 should be directed to other subjects. souri did overawe, imprison, and murder
 And in the recent message accompanying those settlers, and enact outrages upon
 the Lecompton Constitution, the Pres- their persons and property, unparalleled in
 ident repeats that this agitation has con- the history of the country.
 tinued  too long. In my judgment,      Those settlers were mainly the free-born
 these statements will not be disputed. sons of New England-the men who
   From the beginning of the agitation, build churches and school-houses, who
four years ago, the whole country has scatter the blessings and benefits of civ-
been convulsed from Canada to the Gulf ilization wherever they go. They went
of Mexico, in every hamlet and every'fain- out from their father's house to their own
ily. Kansas has furnished the fireside inheritance, to make the .solitary place
talk and the en-grossing topic of discus- rejoice, to nurture the graces of moral
sion in public assemblies and political life and beauty in the wilderness. They
debates. No question since the war of were murdered on their prairie heatth-
1812 has occupied the public attention so stones, and their wives and children were
generally, or moved the public mind so compelled to fly to a deeper solitude for
profoundly.                             security against greater outrages. The
  Within that Territory, a struggle has arm of the Government, their natural pro-
been intense on the part of the settlers, to tector, was withheld from their defence
secure a free vote on the question of form- and protection. On the contrary, an
ing their own organic law, the law under armed force was kept in requisition to
which they and their descendants are to overawe and restrain them from resistance
live, and in which they and theirs are vi- of their 'invaders. The Government,
tally interested. For this they had the bound to shield them, in point of fact
solemn pledge of the Government, em- aided in drowning the popular voice, by
bodied in the very act of Congress which fraudulent votes and returns of elections,

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