The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-07-04
SPEECH OF SENATOR CHASE,

SPEECH OF SENATOR CHASE,
Deliuered at Toledo, Nay 30, 1851, b
Il fore Mass Convention Of the Dem
ocracy of North ,0esterr Ohio.
Iappear before you, fellow-cilizens, j
compliance with an Invitation from The
Democrats Of Lucas county, TO state MI
views upon the great questions which
agitate the county at this time. ar
glad TO have an opportunity Of expressing
my views in the presence of the Dem.
ocracy of Northwestern Ohio. There
is fitness in continuing the moral b,tlle
for Freedom in The vicinity of the closing
scenes Of our fathers struggle for Inde.
pendence. it was in this vicinity that
the gallant Wayne encountered and over.
threw the savage Zoe who was induced
by British arts and influence 10 prolong,
in the Western wilderness, that contest
which the treaty of 1888 ha" Terminated
upon the Atlantic slope. His brilliant
and rapid charges reused and drove the
savage foe from the Fallen Timber
which they made their covert. Let us,
too, see if we cannot rouse and drive the
enemies Of Freedom from their coverts
of compromise.
Some two years since I was elected
Senator of Ohio in the Congress Of the
United States. | was elected by the
votes of Democrats who concurred in the
great cardinal doctrines OF the Demo
cratic faith; though they differed among
themselves as 10 the practical application
Of those doctrines TO certain questions of
public concern. / was elected as q
Democrat, recognizing and well known
10 recognize The duy Of carrying out
Democratic principles in their practical
application 10 every subjec, Of Legislation.
Everybody who knew anything about me
knew that / was not likely 70 except
slavery from tie universal and impar,ra.
application Of these principles.
With these views and with these ideas
Of public duty, took my seat in the
Senate. | have not swcrved from my
principles. have gone straight on where
Democratic principles required me to 60,
turning neither TO the right hand nor 10
the left hand, no matter who was pleased
or who was displeased.
II is we'll known thai, when took my
seat, the whole country was agita.ed
about the slavery extension question, and
especially in regard 10 the legislative
prohibition OF slavery in the territories.
We had acquired a vast Accession 10 our
national domain under The ifeaiy with
Mexico, stretching through l0' of laii-
tude, and 24s Of longitude. This terri
tory came TO us free--as free as Ohio,
Indiana or lllinois-from the curse of
slavery. The people, and you as part
the people, indicated your will, through
the votes Of your representatives in Con-
gress, that this territory, made free by
Mexican law, should remain free under
American law. II principle hal no, 70.
quired my concurrence in this purpose, |
should have felt myself bound to vote for
the prohibition of territorial slavery, as a
faithful representative Of the almost uni
versal sentiment of the people of Ohio.
But il was not easy to effect the object
which you and desired 10 accomplish.
Gentlemen of'tle South claimed the right
10 carry slaves into the territories under
the protection and safe guard Of National
law. They. claimed this right as one
guaranteed 10 them by the Constitution.
Its existence was denied BY the repre-
isen,atives uf the free States. Hence o
pioracted contest aros', which was rag
ing when entered Congress.
Meanwhile California, peopled by a
vast and sudden emigration--a alured by
her golden treusures-bad organized her
State government, and presented her ap-
plication for admission into the Union.
She was met, at the threshold, by fierce
denunciatons Of The action of her peo-
pie, and by the open declaration that her
claims should be contested, even at the
hazard OF dssoving the Union. This
was strange and unwonted spectacle.
Hitherto, since the admission Of Missouri,
every State, applying for admission TO
the Union had been received without,
question, as 10 the character Of her insti-
tutions. Now the admission Of California
was contested with violence and per-
iinacity almost without parallel, because
she had ventured TO prohibit The intro
duclion Of slavery where slavery had
never existed. The threats IF dissolu-
tion, uttered by Southern gentlemen, did
not alarm me. They seemed to me alike
vair and impotent. / thought then, and
I think now, that the duty Of Congress,
in relation to the admission Of California,
was plain aud simple. She ought 10 have
been admitted without hesitation, with
out delay, and without conditions. I'M
my judgment there was no danger that
The threats Of dissolution would be carried
into effect. II had even regarded the
danger as real, rather than imaginary, I,
still would mol submit to be controlled IN
Legislative action BY menace Of whatever
character. But II was thought expedieniI
II wish could impress upon this au.
dlence how thoroughly detest iha, word