Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-03-26
SENATOR DOUGLASS

SENATOR DOUGLAS.
TO tic Editors Of tic Union:
In Yesterdays Union You published m article over The
nature o. San Jacnto In "indication Of Gen. Samuel ous
ton as candidate for tie presidency So far the agtc!c
defence Of the DISTINGUISHED senator from Texas
against The assaults nsinGations Of his enemies il NEE
with my entire arpoba:ion, and within yoar .ur Of
neutrality Us between democratic asprsns presden.
cy But, upon careful pernsa Of the article am
appcensvc that the publication Of the record votes from
tho Journals OF the Senate without explanation calculated
10 convey m erroneous and injurious impression in regard
~ other distinguished democrats who less deserving
The confidence and support OF the party. For instance
Judge Douglas is represented having voted for various
propositions To prohibit slavery in the Territories OF the
United States while II IL well known the country that
no member Of either house Of Congress bold ard
niexbie in his opposition 10 The Wmo prcviso than the
distinguished senator from Illinois He has always opposed
The agitation Of the slavery question in Congress he brought;
forward lie Missouri Compromise part OF the bill for
the annex On OF Texas; he advocated the
rs substitute for The Wilnot pcoyo in leiGA and voted
against the two and three million bills because they contain
ed The ovso He voted agains, the porso 10 the Sena!e
in l6is, wtn Proposed al amendment 10 the treaty o.
peace with Mexico He voted for the Clayton bill in the
Senate, the session and after lis defeat in the House
Of Representatives, BY the o. few southern wings lie
brought forward The Missouri Compromise which WAS atort
ed in tie Senate his motion, but defeated Ia the House
Of Representatives, All these having failed he
wrote most Of the bills and supported and defended all the
measures OF the Compromise which has happily done 20
much 20 ei.c peace and quiet TO the country.
what lan in tic country show clearer record than
this
Bat come TO the votes cited BY San Jacn,o and
H.esnlnng that they correctly quoted from the record,
we dispose Of them all By calling the attention of our read
ers 10 the TACT thai each ard all ol those votes were given
under the express instruction Of The legislature OF Illinois;
thai Judge Douglas was well known to dsarr!ove Of them
At The time that he entered HE protest against those votes
before and after they recorded and declared that he
should never ho himself responsible for hem These facts
all appear from the debates in the Senate and particula y
in lis famous speech before the Infatuated popuacc OF Chi
cagn In dceGcc q" ,e fugitive slave law and in his speech
in the Senate in Dscembcr ms, on the resolution Of General
Foot. The distinguished senator from Mississippi sub
Join extracts from OF these speeches In his Chicago
speech, il, speaking Of the Compromise, he says:
lEcaa pre- ica'cd the grea, fundamental
principle that every people ought TO possess HE night OF
forming and regulating their internal concerns and DO
nestle institutions in their way. II slppuscd
that those oil Oiir fellow. who rgr.tcd the shores
Of III" Pacific ard 10 other territories, "a capable
Of self government their nelghbors and kindred whoEi
they let behind them and there for believing
that they have lost any OF their Intelligence or parr!isn
b. the ys!e, while crossing the ismus or The Plains.
II also believed that after their arrival in the country,
"hcn they had become familiar with liz Typography, eli!
mate prnturons and RESOURCES and had connected thei:
desiiny with it, they fully competent 10 Judge lor
themselves what kind OF laws and institutions were ttst
aaTrcd their condition and interests az wc were VINO ne
lie country and knew very little about IT, A"qGts
ton i:c:i Competency TO 30 ms was 10 achy 'c' cniae
for sc Ii they have tho requisite intelligence
md Honesty BE nrlsed with the enrichment oil laws !hT
the government Of white men, know OF no reason WHY
they u& rot be deemed competent 10 1!Sac Ter III" No.
crO Il they sufficiently enlightened to make laws Tor
The protection Of e liberty and proHerty-0! morals ana
cducaii3n-to Grmine the relation OF husband and wife
Gf artr; AK; child am not aware l!nt i requires my
alc: degree If civilization 20 recc7;e he !ais Of iaSc'
ana These things all ron!Jt ~ He Gons!Iu-
ton State :" G-c:c for Itself, ard kh1" OF no le'-
"hy Inc principle should not be extended 10 the
ic:r,arica Ny and acs have been in accordance
with views ia all cases except Tho instances IN "ich
voted under yoar Instructions Those were your woes
,i mine. sn,ercd my protest nsainst them at The
,irbe.rc an! after they We're rccorded-and fha never
holt myself responsible for them
Here find that Judge Douglas, Immediately upon h!s It,
turn home ffn ts session during whc these votes were
pYcr told his constituents rH"sE WE'RE f'rR VOTES,
a::SE. ! ENTERED ~ PROTEST AGAISsT THE" AT THc
vIME-poTH nEF"kE AFTER THEY WERE REcaRnEo-iHn
SHALL NEVER HOLD NTssLF RESPONSIBLE ron THEM !!
will close this communication win the following
c.,ract from his speech made This sion, tho resolution
vi the tisIing nis!lei Senator from Missssipri
".lni | come The main point. which explains the
object of TIC detailed statement which have last maie-
Tn Legislature ~ Illinois, BY combination OF e"a:" h2
ii each house, wh lew irccsci! Democrats Ead passed
resolution "sGc:.ay 10 vote ;5r 5! oT tie govern.
m.u, Of the territory acquired from Mexico which shon!
contain cX?:esa prohibition OF slavery in SAID lGH0iy-
c instruction did not So - the cStcH o! The hlmo pro-
Wis by attempting prohibit slavery III The states rs wei!
rs the territories r.t The movers Of il cotcgcd themselves
,vith tie provision that slavery should DC pon''ca IN m
territories while they remained s"ch iea"trg Tie people 70
DO ns they pleased when they became State le w" III
s,rurJu signed and deemed sufficient TO compel ne
resign my seat ard give acc 20 trcesoi!cr "r "ie
liy knew rcaale Opposition Ia lie principle nsst
- IN the instruction. 1t the Hlnc mr that they Rh"" ma
the right the settled GcctrinH OF t";h
parties in ~; STATE wii>! no n1n ""'l! cf-dih'e win
s1iyy. knowing thai this combination 81 Wings and FIRE
acits aitc!c themselves that thy hal faccc1ded IN
o.y trick which would drive EOm Tic Senate md give
pI7rc --o!ar 10 would here and carry Out
ahCltuu doctrines confess TINT they VOID have sIcccai-
- IN their plot Ind been certain That all III: fcaaucs at
the ,oipromi=c could have teen passed without NJ "n'c
and In opposition the Of ahGioris: ii my n-c"
Howir standing these Instructions wrote the balls aud
sirf;ci from Committee TrcrinT:cs without
the p!uhit 1ns In order n; tie record might show VIA
my opinions were; bur, lest the trick might Ai liceso
Scnao offered amendment in the precise language OF my
instructions knew the amendment could not prevail,
even Il NY colleague and myself recorded the vote Of cir
Stat. In Il. favor. |
Put If resigned my place 10 aboiticnl"' Il was NJ
INNS. tha, the bills would fail their passage Al
ct consulting with my colleague and with ni.ny senators
fri. iy 10 the bills 10 t!o conclusion that day re-
CURED that should Ieain my Iee wa. picpscd 10 2h'
nj. defy ab!tionia in al liz forms but was not willing
10 rrnuia:G settle" doctrine g! my STATE IN regard q r
rjch instruction. Before The Was taken, made
sserc reviewing NY hs slavery question and de-
Grr- nv uoon dcTcuGccd Tic doctrine OF the orrns
men decac my urai rab!o opposition 70 IT, and gave no.
lice thai nay vote which might tG recorded IN my EA'c
seemingly In ia i.ycr would be tho Of those vito Gaze
the Instructions and not Under this proeal, re-
, a v0a to tits and ~o other amendments eii-
bacrg the same principle and then renewed my protest
u gave notice that should not hold my'cli
ns0la io them. Immediately Ty return tIic 70
nv surnls and in that Chicago spcccn 10 WHICH
have REFERRED renewed my protest against those voite
i etatc tie notice TINT excited and inuTated meet
ing mat they were their votes and not nine
''e Il WESTERN NAN.
I4EGiS!hTUHE OF VIRGINIA.
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