KANSAS CONTESTED ELECTION. Mr' STEPHENS said: Mr. Speaker: If I were to consult my feelings to-day, my strength and physical ability, I should not trespass upon the patience of the House. If I were to consider the temperature of the day, the heat—the sweltering heat by which we are almost overpowered,! should certainly say nothing on this occasion. If I were to look to what is the apparent temper and tone of this body upon the subject before us, as indicated by the vote taken two days ago, I should feel constrained to let this question now be decided without a word from me. I should despair of all hope of being able to change what Seems to be a fixed determination of a majority of the House by any effort I could make. Day before yesterday 1 saw a majority on this floor, in order to reach a purpose similar to that which they now seem bent on, vote to confer the most unlimited Ahd dangerous power on the President of theUnitedStates. No subservient part yin the P>ritish House of Commons ever yielded more power to the Crown by a vote of confidence, than this House on the occasion I refer to, conferred upon our Chief Magistrate, whom they have been wont so generally to mistrust, and unjustly to censure and upbraid. I allude to the vote on the amendment offered by the gentleman from'Ohio [Mr. Sherman] to the Army bill. It is in these words: “ Provided, nevertheless, That no part of the military force of the United States Herein provided for shall be employed in aid of the enforcement of the enactments of the alleged Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Kansas, recently assembled at Shawnee Mission, until Congress shall have enacted either that it was or was not a valid Legislative Assembly, chosen in conformity with the organic law by the people of the said Territory: Jlnd provided, That until Congress shall have passed on the validity of the । said Legislative Assembly of Kansas, it shall be the dutj of the President to use the military force in said Territor to preserve the peace, suppress insurrection, repel invasion and protect persons and property therein, and upon tin national highways in the State of Missouri, or elsewhere from unlawful seizures and searches: Jlnd be it furthei provided, That the President is required to disarm tip present organized militia of the Territory of Kansas, am recall all the United States arms therein distributed, am J to prevent armed men from going into said Territory P disturb the public peace, or aid in the enforcement or resist ance of real or pretended laws.” The President, by this provision, which re ceived the sanction of a majority of this House is created sole dictator over Kansas. His will should the Senate concur—which I feel confiden they will not do — would be more omnipotem there than that of Caesar’s ever washover thi Roman legions, before he crossed the Rubicon Gentlemen on this side of the House, in theii misguided zeal for what they call freedom, have conferred on the President a power that 1 mysell would confer on no living man. Not only this they have conferred a power in direct violation of tne Constitution of the United States. Thej have authorized the President to disarm the militu ■of Kansas ! The second amendment of the Constitution is in these words---- Mr. PURVIANCE. I rise to a question ol order. Is it in order to refer to the action of this body on a former occasion ? . The SPEAKER. The Chair thinks that tht gentleman from Georgia is in order so far as he has proceeded. Mr. STEPHENS. The gentleman may keep quiet. This is not the only vote of the majority I intend to allude to. Another one I have in store may disturb him even more than this. Tin
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