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

Ohio. | took occasion to say, some days ago.
that was very much mortified that my native
State should be represented in the manner she is
ON this floor. ] happened TO be familiar, as
have stated, with the circumstances under which
the senator on my right MIR. CHASE was elected,
lie was elected to the Senate the very year that
| left the State of Ohio, and | was very glad TO
have an opportunity of changing my residence on
that remarkable occasion. Laughter.l That is
the only apology which have TO offer for inter-
meddlng with what is otherwise personal mat
ter between the senator from Ohio and the sena-
tor from Illinois. Usually, have as much as
can do TO attend to my own atlairs-l am rarely
4 volunteer in the controversies OF others
Mr.. DOUGLAS. ! do not complain of my
friend from California for interposing in the man
ner he has, for see that it was very appropriate
in him TO do so. But, sir, the senator from Mas
sachuse.ts comes up with very bold front, and
denies the right of any man to put him on defence
for the manner of his election He says it is con-
trary To his principles to engage in personal as
sauits. If expects to avail himself of the bene-
fit of such plea, he should act in accordance
with his prC.essed principles and refrain from as
saultng the character and impugning the motives
Of better men than himself. Everybody knows
that no came here by coalition or combination
between political parties holding opposite and
hostile opinions But il is not my purpose to go
into the morality of the matters involved in his
election. The public know the history of that
notorious coalition, and have formed its Judgment
upon il. II will not do for tho senator to say that
he was not party to it, for he thereby betrays a
consciousness of the immortality of the transac-
ton, without acquittng himself of the RESPONSE
hilities which justly attach to him. As well might
the receiver OF stolen goods deny any response
bility for the larceny, while luxurating in the
proceeds Of the crime as the senator to avoid the
consequences resulting from the mode of his cleo
ten, while he clings to the Office. must be per-
mitted to remind him of what he certainly can
never forget, that when he arrived here to take
his seat for the first time, firmly senators
impressed with the conviction that he had been
elected by dshonorable and corrupt means, there
were very few who, for long time, could deem
it consistent with personal honor to hold private
intercourse with him. So general was that i'm
preston, that for long time he was avoided and
summed as person unworthy of the association
of gentlemen. Gradually, however, these injuri-
Gus impressions were worn away by his bland
manners and amable department; and regret that
the senator should now, by violation of all the
rules of courtesy and proprety, compel Inc to re-
fresh his mind upon these unwelcome reminis-
cences.
Mr.. CHASE. If the senator refers to me, he
is stating fact of which have no knowledge at
all. | came here
Mr.. DOUGLAS. was not speaking of the
senator from Ohio, but Of his confederate in SLAM
der, the senator from Massachusetts,, Mr.. Sum
senator from Ohio, Mr.. WADE, On the day
when exposed this abolition address, so full Of
ISLANDERS and calamities, he rose and stated that,
although his name was signed to it, he had never
read it; and SO willing was he to endorse an abo-
lition document, that he signed it in blank, with
out knowing what it contained.
MIR. WADE. have always found them true.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. He stated that from what
had exposed Of its contents he did not hesitate to
endorse every word. In the same speech he said
that in Ohio negro was as good as white man;
with the avowal that he did not consider himself
any better than free negro. have only to say
that should not hare noticed it if none but free
negroes had signed it!
The senator from New York, MR. SEWARD,
when was about to call him to account for this
slanderols production, promptly denied that he
ever signed the document. Now, / say, it has
been circulated with his name attached to it; then
want to know of the senators who sent out the
document, who forged the name of the senator
from New York;
MIR. CHASE. em glad that the senator has
asked that question. have only to say, IN ref
erence TO that matter that have not the slightest
knowledge in regard to the manner in which va
iious names were appended to that document. 1t
was prepared to be signed, and was signed, by
the gentlemen here who are known rs independent
democrats, and how any other names came to be
added TO it is more than | can tell.
MIR. DOUGLAS. 1t is not satisfactory
swer, for those who confess to the preparation
and publication of document filled with insult
and calumny, with forged names attached to it
for the purpose Of impartng to it responsibility,
to nterposea technical denial that they committed
the crime. Somebody did forge other peoples
names to that document. The senators from Ohio
and Massachusetts, Mr.. CHASE and Mr.. SUMNER
plead guilty to the authorship and publication
upon them rests the responsibility Of showing
who committed the forgery.
H.. D. n A ~. Al a
matters. | regret the necessity which compelled
me to devote so much time to them. All have
done and said has been in the way of sef-dcfence,
as the Senate can bear me witness.
Mr.. President, ] have also occupied good deal
of time in exposing the cant of these gentlemen
about the sanctity of the Missouri compromise,
and the disilonor attached to the violation of
plghted faith. / have exposed these matters i'll
order to show that the object Of these men is to
Withdraw from public attention the real principle
involved in the bill. They well know that the
abrogaton of the Missouri compromise is the Incl
dent and not the principal of the bill. They well
understand that the report of the committe and
the bill propose to establish the principle in all
territorial organizations, that the question of sla-
very shall Ne referred to the people to regulate for
themselves, and that such legislation should be had
was necessary to remove all legal Instructions
to the free exercise of this right by the people.
The eighth section of the Missouri act standing
IN the way OF tnlS great prlnciple must be rem
dered imperative and void, whether expressly re-
pealed or not, in order to give the people the
power of regulating their own domestic insttu-
tons in their own way, subject only to the Con-
sttution.
Now, sir, if these gentlemen have entire conf
dence in the correctness of their own position,
why do they not meet the issue boldly and fairly,
and controvert the soundness of this great princi-
pie of popular sovereignty in obedience to the
Constitution They know full well that this was
the principle upon which the colonies separated
from the crown of Great Britain, the principle
upon which the battles of the revolution were
fought, and the principle upon which our repub-
| lican system was founded They cannot be igno-
rant of the fact that the revolution grew out of
the assertion Of the right on the part of the inn
perial government to interfere with the internal
affairs and domestic concerns of the colonies. In
this conncxion | will invite attention to few
extracts from the instructions of the different
colonies to their delegates in the Continental Con-
| gress, with view of forming such union as
would enable them to make successful resistance
to the efforts OF the crown to destroy the fnnda-
mental principle of all free government by inter
fernp with the domestia affairs Of the colon;es