Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-06-28
Hard pushed for arguments,

7ach retlrlng to his home feeling that it was
we'll for him that he had come up hther.
Hard pushed for Arguments.
That the federal parity are hard pushed
for arguments in their. opposition to Gen.
Cass must be apparent fron the manner in
which they prefer their groundless charges
against him. They begun the campaign
by charging that him with having been n
'federalst' in his younger days; but that
popgun battery was soon silenced. They
then charged him with having sold himself
to the slaveholding interest; and at the same
time that the Northern whig presses are
doing this, the presses of that party at the
south are claiming and arguing to show
that the position Of Gen. Cass upon the
slavery question is more dangerous to the
South than is the 'Wilmot Proviso,' claim
ing that, if the question is left to the decis-
ion Of the people Of the territory, slavery
can never be introduced there, and they as
sert that, 'no citizen of the South can, ac-
cording 10 General Cnss' doctrine, remove
with his slave property 10 those territories
after they shall have been acquired;" and
those wings even who assert that Gen
Cass is southern in principle and feeling,
and pledged to regard and carry out South.
ern measures, tell US at the very next
breath that Gen. Cass will not receive the
vote Of single Southern State, and the
only reason which they can assign is that
he is not with them on the slavery ques-
ton, thus denying at one breath the asser-
ton they had made at the breath before.
The doctrine of General Cass is, that to
the people Of the territory acquired should
be left the right.to regulate the institutions
thereof among themselves; and his belief
is that it sis impossible that majority of
the peoples (of the territory acquired from
Mexico) would ever consent to the re-estab-
lishment Of negro slavery among them,
"because they are themselves colored pop
ulation, and among them the negro race
does not belong socially to- degraded
race.' Now, contrast the doctrine of Gen.
Cass upon this subject with that of his op-
ponents. and see under which slavery would
be more likely to exist in this newly ac-
quired territory. John c. Calhoun claims
that Congress has the power to legislate
upon the subject of slavery in this territory,
and that it is the duty Of the United States
government TO protect the master in the
enjoyment Of his slaves as property. The
advocates Of the "Wilmot Proviso' claim
that Congress has the right to legislate upon
the subject, but they claim that it ought to
prohibit the introduction of slavery. As far
as relates TO the power of the Government
the two factions stand exactly on the same
ground, though one claims that that power
should be exercised in one way and the 9TH
er that it should be exercised directly the
reverse. And what do the ''Proviso' ad-
vocates believe in regard to the matter?
Why, they tell US that the whole South
without single exception, would vote to
establish slavery in this territory, and that
(saying nothing about the democrats who
they claim are all doughfaces) they ac-
knowledge that there are enough Of that
stripe of animals in their own party at the
North who would vote with the South to
establish slavery in tha: territory. All thar
John C.. Calhoun and the ultra slavery
propagandists of the South want is, that
Congress assume the authority to legilate
upon this subject. They would much rath-
er this question would be settled in the halls
of Congress than by the people of this ter
ritory. The ultra abolitionists seem very
willing and anxious to yield them the right
Now, either the doctrine of Gen. Cass or
of the slavery extensionists must form the
basis of the action of this government for
the coming. four years; for Gen. Taylor,
who is the chosen candidate of the advo-
Gates Of this Southern doctrine, or General
Cass, who believes in the right Of every
State and Territory to frame and control
its own institutions, will be elected. Choose
ye this day whom ye will serve.
The next grave charge which is preferr-
ed against Gen. Cass is that he is opposed
to Lake and Harbor improvements. And
they assert it with as much assurance as
though they themselves believed it true.
Yes, they unblushingly assert, that Lewis
Cass, who has been raised in the great and
growing West, whose only property is sit.
uated in the West upon one Of these great
western Rrivers and Lake Harbors TO the
i'm, royement Of which these federal orators
and presses assert he is opposed. But they
assert it in the face of the Journals of the
Senate of the United States Congress, which
shew that. upon every bill that was brought
before tina. body while General Cass was
member of it, making appropriations for
River and Harbor improvements, the vote
of Lewis Cass stands recorded in favor of
the measure; and, beside this, he has used
his utmost exertions, both while a member
Of the Senate and before to procure
these appropriations. Now, if this
question Of River and Harbor improve
ments is the one upon which parties are to
split, if Western men should support by
their vote the man who is in favor Of these
improvements, then can we claim for Gen.
Cass the entire support ofthe great West.
But the truth is, the politicians are driven
| % deSDeration hv fha ,lncom forta h1o v,<.;