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words：
〃That the following propositions be and the same are hereby offered
to the said Convention of the people of Kansas； when formed； for
their free acceptance or rejection； which； if accepted by the
Convention and ratified by the people at the election for the
adoption of the constitution； shall be obligatory upon the United
States and the said State of Kansas。〃
Now； if it is said that this is a forgery； we will open the paper
here and see whether it is or not。 Again； Trumbull says； as he goes
along； that Mr。 Bigler made the following statement in his place in
the Senate； December 9； 1857：
〃I was present when that subject was discussed by senators before the
bill was introduced； and the question was raised and discussed；
whether the constitution； when formed； should be submitted to a vote
of the people。 It was held by those most intelligent on the subject
that； in view of all the difficulties surrounding that Territory； the
danger of any experiment at that time of a popular vote； it would be
better there should be no such provision in the Toomb's bill； and it
was my understanding； in all the intercourse I had； that the
Convention would make a constitution； and send it here； without
submitting it to the popular vote。〃
Then Trumbull follows on：
〃In speaking of this meeting again on the 21st December； 1857
＇Congressional Globe； same vol。； page 113＇； Senator Bigler said：
〃'Nothing was further from my mind than to allude to any social or
confidential interview。 The meeting was not of that character。
Indeed； it was semi…official； and called to promote the public good。
My recollection was clear that I left the conference under the
impression that it had been deemed best to adopt measures to admit
Kansas as a State through the agency of one popular election； and
that for delegates to this Convention。 This impression was stronger
because I thought the spirit of the bill infringed upon the doctrine
of non…intervention； to which I had great aversion； but with the hope
of accomplishing a great good； and as no movement had been made in
that direction in the Territory； I waived this objection； and
concluded to support the measure。 I have a few items of testimony as
to the correctness of these impressions； and with their submission I
shall be content。 I have before me the bill reported by the senator
from Illinois on the 7th of March； 1856； providing for the admission
of Kansas as a State； the third section of which reads as follows：
〃That the following propositions be； and the same are hereby offered
to the said Convention of the people of Kansas； when formed； for
their free acceptance or rejection； which； if accepted by the
Convention and ratified by the people at the election for the
adoption of the constitution； shall be obligatory upon the United
States and the said State of Kansas。〃
The bill read in his place by the senator from Georgia on the 25th of
June； and referred to the Committee on Territories； contained the
same section word for word。 Both these bills were under
consideration at the conference referred to； but； sir； when the
senator from Illinois reported the Toombs bill to the Senate with
amendments； the next morning； it did not contain that portion of the
third section which indicated to the Convention that the constitution
should be approved by the people。 The words 〃and ratified by the
people at the election for the adoption of the constitution〃 had been
stricken out。'〃
Now； these things Trumbull says were stated by Bigler upon the floor
of the Senate on certain days； and that they are recorded in the
Congressional Globe on certain pages。 Does Judge Douglas say this is
a forgery？ Does he say there is no such thing in the Congressional
Globe？ What does he mean when he says Judge Trumbull forges his
evidence from beginning to end？ So again he says in another place
that Judge Douglas； in his speech； December 9； 1857 （Congressional
Globe； part I。； page 15）； stated：
〃That during the last session of Congress； I （Mr。 Douglas＇ reported a
bill from the Committee on Territories； to authorize the people of
Kansas to assemble and form a constitution for themselves。
Subsequently the senator from Georgia ＇Mr。 Toombs＇ brought forward a
substitute for my bill； which； after having been modified by him and
myself in consultation； was passed by the Senate。〃
Now； Trumbull says this is a quotation from a speech of Douglas； and
is recorded in the Congressional Globe。 Is it a forgery？ Is it
there or not？ It may not be there； but I want the Judge to take
these pieces of evidence； and distinctly say they are forgeries if he
dare do it。
＇A voice：〃He will。〃＇
Well； sir； you had better not commit him。 He gives other
quotations；another from Judge Douglas。 He says：
〃I will ask the senator to show me an intimation； from any one member
of the Senate； in the whole debate on the Toombs bill； and in the
Union； from any quarter； that the constitution was not to be
submitted to the people。 I will venture to say that on all sides of
the chamber it was so understood at the time。 If the opponents of
the bill had understood it was not； they would have made the point on
it； and if they had made it； we should certainly have yielded to it；
and put in the clause。 That is a discovery made since the President
found out that it was not safe to take it for granted that that would
be done； which ought in fairness to have been done。〃
Judge Trumbull says Douglas made that speech； and it is recorded。
Does Judge Douglas say it is a forgery； and was not true？ Trumbull
says somewhere； and I propose to skip it； but it will be found by any
one who will read this debate； that he did distinctly bring it to the
notice of those who were engineering the bill； that it lacked that
provision； and then he goes on to give another quotation from Judge
Douglas； where Judge Trumbull uses this language：
〃Judge Douglas； however； on the same day and in the same debate；
probably recollecting or being reminded of the fact that I had
objected to the Toombs bill when pending that it did not provide for
a submission of the constitution to the people； made another
statement； which is to be found in the same volume of the Globe； page
22； in which he says：
'That the bill was silent on this subject was true； and my attention
was called to that about the time it was passed； and I took the fair
construction to be； that powers not delegated were reserved； and that
of course the constitution would be submitted to the people。'
〃Whether this statement is consistent with the statement just before
made； that had the point been made it would have been yielded to； or
that it was a new discovery； you will determine。〃
So I say。 I do not know whether Judge Douglas will dispute this； and
yet maintain his position that Trumbull's evidence 〃was forged from
beginning to end。〃 I will remark that I have not got these
Congressional Globes with me。 They are large books； and difficult to
carry about； and if Judge Douglas shall say that on these points
where Trumbull has quoted from them there are no such passages there；
I shall not be able to prove they are there upon this occasion； but I
will have another chance。 Whenever he points out the forgery and
says； 〃I declare that this particular thing which Trumbull has
uttered is not to be found where he says it is；〃 then my attention
will be drawn to that； and I will arm myself for the contest； stating
now that I have not the slightest doubt on earth that I will find
every quotation just where Trumbull says it is。 Then the question
is； How can Douglas call that a forgery？ How can he make out that it
is a forgery？ What is a forgery？ It is the bringing forward
something in writing or in print purporting to be of certain effect
when it is altogether untrue。 If you come forward with my note for
one hundred dollars when