Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-03-18


what have said and proven. Nor can permit
him to change the issue, and thereby divert public
attention from the enormity of his offence, in
charging me with unworthy motives; while per-
forming high public duty, in obedience to the
expressed wish and known principles of my State
! choose to maintain my own position, and leave
the public to ascertain if they do not understand
how and by what means he was elected to the
Senate.
MIR. CHASE. If the senator will allow me,
will say in reply to the remarks which the sena-
tor has Just made, that did not understand him
as calling upon me for any explanation Of the
statement which he said was made in regard to a
presidential bid The exact statement in the adj
dress was ths--it was a question addressed to
the people: 90 Would they allow their dearest
rights to be made the hazards of n presidential
gane" That was the exact expression. Now,
sir, it is well known that all these great measures
in the country are influenced, more or less, by
reference to the great public canyasses which are
going on from time TO time. | certainly did not
intend to impute to the senator from Illinois-and
desire always to do justice-in that any impro-
per motive. l do not think it is an unworthy
ambition to desire to be President of the United
States. ! do not think that the bringing forward
of a measure with reference TO that object would
be an improper thing, if the measure be proper in
itself. / differ from the senator in my judgment
of the measure. | do not think the measure is a
right one. In that express the judgment which
honestly entertain. i do not condemn his judy
ment do not make, and ! do not desire to make,
any personal imputations upon him in reference
to great public question.
Mr.. WELLER. Mr.. President
MIR. DOUGLAS. | cannot allow my friend
from California to into the ring at this time,
for this is my peculiar business. ! may let him in
after awhile. | wish to examine the explanation
of the senator from Ohio, and see whether ought
to accept it as satisfactory. He has quoted the
language of the address. It is undeniable that
that language clearly imputed to me the design of
bringing forward this bill with view of securing
my own election TO the presidency. Then, by
way ofexcusing himself for imputing to me such a
purpose the senator says that he does not consider
it San unworthy AMBITION and hence he says
that, in making the. charge, he docs not mpugn
my motives: must remind him that, in addition
to that insinuation, he only said, i'll the same ad
dress. that my bill was terminal betrayal of
precious rights" he only said it was '.an afro
cous plot against freedom and humanity;" he
only said that it was ''meditated bad faith" he
only spoke significantly of s'servie demagogues; !"
lie only called upon the preachers of the Gospel
and the people at their public meetings to de-
nounce and resist such monstrous iniquity. In
saying all this, and much of the same sort, he
now assures me, in the presence of the Senate,
that he did not mean the charge to imply an sun
worthy ambition" that it was not intended as a
personal imputation" upon my motives or char
acter; and that he meant "no personal disre-
spectn to me as the author Of the measure. In
reply, will content myself with the remark,
that there is very wide difference of opinion be-
tween the senator from Ohio and myselfin respect
to the meaning of words, and especially in regard
to the line of conduct which, in public man,
does not constitute an unworthy ambition.
Mr.. WELLER. Now, ask my friend from
Illinois to give way to me for few moments.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. yield the floor.
MIR. WELLER. I made remark which no
doubt gave cause to this DEPRESSION in the argu-
know the circumstances under which the sena-
tor from Ohio was elected to this body. | init
mated them in the expression of opinion which
gave few moments ago. ] do not know that the
senator was elected here under compromise, or
an agreement, or an express bargain. enter
tain no personal feeling of ill-wll against the
ator, however little respect | may have for his
political opinions Ipropose TO state some facts,
however, connected with his election, and leave
others to decide how far they constituted bar
gain Soon after the admission of Ohio into the
Union, a law had been passed prohibiting negroes
and their descendants from testifying in court Of
justice whena white man was a party--the same
law required to negro, upon coming within the
limits Of the State, TO give bond and security that
he would not become u pauper This law was
particularly odious to the abolitionists, and the
democrats had uniformly opposed its repeal, up
on the ground that such an act would encourage
and invite emigrants of that class TO the State.
Such persons, they held, would add nothing to
the real strength of the State. Certain judges of
the supreme and other courts were to be elected
by the legislature. Some members of the board
of public works were to be appointed. For these
places there were, as is usually the case, a multi
tude of applicants. The political power between
the two great parties in the legislature was
equally divided that few (three or four, be-
holt oto ta1l hal hof,r fhn,
An effort was made to compromise with the wings
and elect an abolitionst in the other branch Of
Congress to the Senate. This failed PROPOSE
tons were then made to the democrats, which re-
suited in the repeal Of the "black laws, F." the APP
pointment of certain democrats to juageships Sc,
and the election Of MIR. CHASE to the Senate.
These facts transplred about the time | left the
State for California, and | know gave great dis
Satisfaction to large portion of the poole.
Mr. CHASE. know that the senator from
California means to state the facts correctly; but
think justice to myself and justice to my State
| requires me to say that he is not correctly in
| formed in regard to tho material facts. The
truth is, and ! owe it to my State to say it,
that in the legislature at the time Of my election,
| there were three parties, one of them known as
the independent democrats, or sometimes free
| soilers another known the old-line democrats,
and another known az wings. 1t was impossible
for either Of these three parties to elect its can
didate of itsslf, and that happened which be-
lieve has happened in very many of the States
! north and south a~F
| Mr.. WELLER. How many votes had the
third party'
| MIR. CHASE Ten or twelve. There were ten
or twelve gentlemen elected as freesolers; but it
is true the wing portion Of them did not vote for
| me. got none but democratic votes. received
the democratic portion of the freeseil vote, and
received the whole Of the old-line democratic
vote, without single exception. On the other
hand, some gentlemen, generally cencurring with
me in political views in most respects, and also in
respect to slavery, but belonging to the old-line
organization, were elected as members Of the SUI
preme court. That is the whole oft.
So far as the repeal of the black laws is con-
cerned: those laws which, think, the senator
from South Carolina Mr.. BuTLERl once men
toned as subject Of reproach against the people
Of Ohio, by which bonds were required for the
good behavior of every colored person coming into
the State and by which every colored person was
excluded as witness upon the trial of white
man, that whole matter Of repeal occurred prior
to the election, and had no connection with It as
| far az know.
NJ WELLER Was not that mart of the