Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-08-02

regulate it for themselves under The gen
eral principles of tho Constitution"
The bill has pass the Senate by deci.
sive vote. In the House, it was laid on the
table, which is regarded by some deieak
though we apprehend that it may hereaf
ter be called up and further action be had
thereon.
The bill is very long, containing no less
| than thirty seven sections. The following
| is synopsis Of its of its main features:
s'rhe committee recommend the passage
of the Oregon bill nearly rs it stood before
| the Senate's amendments were proposed,
simply amending it so as 10 hold the exist
ing territorial laws of Oregon in force un-
til after the new government has time to
act, and to re-enact or repeal them.
Oregon 10 have legislative assembly of
two houses, elected by the people.
New Mexico and California to be organ
lied into separate territories, with govern
ors, Judges, secretaries, district attornies
and marshals, appointed by the President
| and Senate of the United States.
The Constitution and laws of The United
States to be extended over them.
The governors and judges, in the terri
tories of California and New Mexico, to
constitute legislative council, and TO be
authorized to pass laws-subject 10 the re.
vision or rejection of Congress-; but such
council not to legislate respecting slavery,
the establishment Of religion, the pledging
the faith of the territory Tor debt, or to dis
pose ofthe soil.
If any question on the sat ject Of slare-
ry arise, it as to be left to the judiciary
ofthe United States.
Courts are also to be established it these
territories, scitA poacer Of appeal to the
Supreme Court Of the United States, the
same US the Circuit Courts Of the United
States in the different States.
Thus this bill proposes to submi. this DIFF
fcult and vexed question, to the decision
of the constitution, the palladium of cur
liberties. And does any one doubt that
by this means slavery will be rs effectual-
ly prevented in these territories, as by the
passage Of the 'Wilmot Proviso?' He who
does not so believe, must contend that the
Constitution of the United States is not on
ly pro slavery inasmuch Us it permits the
existence OF the institution where it exists
by virtue Of municipal law, but they must
90 even further, and contend that the fra
mers of that instrument in its adoption es.
tablished the relation Of master and slave
the right Of property in man--where no
such relation existed by the laws Of nature
and whore it it was not established or re-
cognsed by legislative enactment.
The territories of Oregon, California, ,,nd
New Mexico, are already "::ree territory
not only so by the laws of God, but:by the
laws ofthe people Of those territories. And
who is going to make them slave territories,
when the power is taken from the Legislative
council TO pass laws upon the subject, and
when Congress exercises no control over
it! Is the Constitution TO establish the in
stitution there! No one of the "Free soil'
opponents of Gen. Cass contends for any
such thing; but most OF them even contend
that its existence in the States is viola.
ton of that instrument. Still they will
keep up grcat fuss about "free soil'' and
Stree territory" and strive to raise a
whir!wind Of excitement, that thereby the
federal party may once more obtain power
in this government. The Proviso Is a
question promising no practical good, and
the cry of Stree territory" "free soil, and
the constant din raised about "Sou1hern die
tation and arrogance" are bu, the accom-
panying catch words which the enemies Of
the Democratic party and of democratic
principles have borrowed from the vocab-
ulary with tho hope OF thereby obtaining
democratic votes or distractiug tho demo-
cratic party, that they may thus obtain
that power which they have lost every hope
Of obtaining by an ovowal and advocacy of
those principles which have distinguished
them as party and have SO often receiv-
ed the condemnation of the people. They
know that there is strong prejudice Il
gainst the institution Of slavery running
throughout the whole Northern communi.
ty, not confined TO any political party, and
upon this prejudice they seize US The spe-
cial property Of their party and set them
selves up as the anointed high-priests of
"(ree territory" 'free soil," and Stree
speech" We trust that few democrats
will be deceived by their hypocrilical rant
ing, into IN abandonment of those princ
pies which have SO highly promoted the
prosperity of the country, and yield her
fate into the hands Of her enemies.
O. We understand that speaker at
the free soil Club meeting, last Saturday
evening, deprecated the compromise PROPOSE
tion now before CONGRESS, as calculated to