Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-05-10

> slavery question, and define its position on the
: compromise of 1850. After resembling the reso-
{ lutons adopted at previous session, insuuctng
my colleague and myself to vote for proposition
prohibiting slavery in the Territories resolutions
; were adopted approving the compromise measures
Of 1850. | will read one Of the resolutions,
; which was adopted in the House of Representa-
tives, by vote of 81 yeas to nays:
"Resolved, That our liberty and independence
are based upon the right of the people to form
2 for themselves such a government as they may
choose that this great privlege-the birthright Of
freeman, the gift of Heaven, secured TO by the
blood of our ancestors-ought to be extended to
future generations; and no limitation ought to be
applied to this power, in the organization of any
Territory of the United States, OF either Terrific
f rial government or State Constitution Prouid-
F ed, The government SO established shall be re-
publican, and in conformity with the Constitu-
ton"
Another series of resolutions have passed the
Senate almost unanimously, embracing the same
principle in different language, they were con-
Cured in by the House. Thus was the position
of Illinois, upon the slavery question, defined at
the first session OF the Legislature after the adop
ton of the compromise oil 1850.
Now, sir, what becomes of the declaration
which has been made by nearly every opponent
of this bill, that nobody in this whole Union ever
dreamed that the principle of the Utah and New
Mexican bill was to be Incorporated into all Iu-
ture territorial organizations! | have shown that
my own State so understood and declared it at the
time in the most implicit and sonen manner. H.
linois declared that our liberty und independence
rest upon this 'principle;" that the principle
sought to be extended to future generations;" and
that no limitation ought to beappied to this pooer
IN the organization Of any territory Of the United
States" No exception is made in regard to Me-
braska. No Missouri compromise lines! no res
ervations of the country north tf 36 , 80 min.-
The principle is declared TO be the "birthright of
freemen;" the "gift Of Heaven" to be applied
without Imitation, in Nebraska as well as Utah.
north and south OF SO Q 80 min.
Ii may not be out Of place here to remark that
the legislature OF Illinois, at its recent session,
, has passed resolutions approving the Nebraska
bill and among the resolutions is one in the pre-
else language OF the resolution of 1871, which
have just read to the Senate.
Thus have shown, Mr.. President, that the
legislature and people of Illinois have always un-
derstood the compromise measures OF 1850 US es-
tablishing certain principles as rules of action in
the organization of all new Territories, and that
no limitation was to be made on either side ofthe
geographical line of $50 80 min.
Neither my time nor your patience will allow
me to take up the resolutions Of the different
mon understanding of the whole country upon this
point | am now vindicatlng myself and my own
action against the assaults Of my calumniators;
and for that purpose, it is sufficient to show that
in the report and bill which have resented to
the Senate, have only carried ont the known
principles and soemnly declared will of the State
whose representative am. will now invite the
attention of the Senate to the report of the COM
mittec, in order that it may be known how much,
or rather how lite truth there is for the allega-
ton which has been SO often made and repeated
on this floor, that the idea of allowing the people
in Nebraska to decide the slavery question for
themselves was sheer ater-thought, conceived
since the report was made, and not until the SEN
ator from Kentucky proposed his amendment to
the bill
read from that portion of the report in which
the committee lay down the principle by which
they proposed to be governed:
''In the judgment of your committee, those
measures compromise of 1850 were intended to
have far more comprehensive and enduring effect
than the more adjustment of the difficulties aris
ing out OF the recent acquisition OF Mexican terri
tory. They were designed to establish certain
! great principles, which would not only furnish
adequate remedies for existing evils, but in all
time to come avoid the perils of similar agita-
ton, by withdrawing the question Of slavery from
the hatS of Congress and tie political arena and
committing it to the arJttrdment of those aoho
Immediately interested in and alone responsible for
ITS consequence"
| After making a brief argument in defence of
{ this principle, the report proceeds as follows
S"From these provisions, it is apparent that the
compromise measures of 1850 affirm and rest up
on the following propositions:
"First. That all questions pertaining to slave
ry in the Territories, and in the new States to be
{ +b, To hn loftt
the people residing therein, by their appropriate
; representatives, to be chosen by them for that
purpose"
And in conclusion, the report proposes sub
stitute for the bill introduced by the senator from
} Iowa, and concludes as follows:
3 "The substitute for the bill which your COM
3 mittee have prepared, and which is commended
to the favorable action of the Senate proposes to
carry these propositions and principles into prac-
: teal operation, in the precise language of the
e compromise measures of 1880"
d Mr.. President, as there has been so much mis-
representation upon this point, must be permit
ted to repeat that the doctrine of the report Of
t the committee as has been concusively proved
n by these extracts, is
First. That the whole question of slavery sho
: be withdrawn from the Halls of Congress, and
IS the political arena, and committed to the arbtra-
j. ment of those who are Immediately interested in
n and alone responsible for its existence.
Second. The applying this principle to the
Territories and the new States to be formed there
i FROM all questions pertaining to slavery were tc
70 be referred to the people residing therein.
,e Third That the committee proposed to carry
these propositions and principles into effect in the
n precise language of the compromise measures OIL
d 1850. f7al. "t@'1
" Are not these propositions identical with the
principles andprovisons of the bill your table!
If there is hairs breadth of discrepancy between
the two, ask any senator to rise in his place ano
e point it out Both rest upon the great principle
d which forms the basis of all our institutions, that
o the people are to decide the question for them
e selves, subject only to the Constitution. "
Is But my accusers attempt to raise up false is