Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-02-15

VI puOlC uiCCI-
ings, and to ministers of the Gospel in their pull
pits, to interpose and arrest the vile conduct which
is about to be consumnated by the Senators who
are thus denounced. That address, sir, bears date
Sunday, January %, 1854. Thus it appears that
on the holy Sabbath, while other Senators were
engaged in attending divine worship, these aboli-
ton confederates were assembled in secret con-
clave, plotting by what means they should deceive
the people of the United States and PROSTATE the
Character Of brother Senators. This was done on
the Sabbath day, and by set of politicians, to
advance their own political and ambitious purpo-
ses, in the name of our holy religion.
But this was not all. 1t was understood from
the newspapers that resolutions were pending be-
fore the Legislature of Ohio, proposing to express
their opinions upon this subject. 1t was necessa-
ry for these confederates to get up some exposi-
ton of the question by which they might facilitate
the passage of the resolution through that Legis-
laturc. Hence, you find that on the same MORN
ing that this document appears over the names of
these confederates in the abolition organ of this
city, the same document appears in the New York
papers-certainly in the Tribune, Times, and Eve
ming Post-in which it is stated, by authority, that
it is "sgned by the Senators and majority of the
Representatives from the State of Ohio;" state
ment which have every reason to believe was
utterly false, and known to be at the time that
these confederates appended it to the address. 1t
was necessary, in order to carry out this work o.
deception, and to hasten the action of the Ohio
Legislature, under mis-. pprehensoD to state that
it was signed, not only by the abolition confeder-
ates, but by the whole Wing representation, and a
portion of the Democratic representation in the
other House from the State of Ohio.
Mr.. CHASE. Mr. President
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Mr.. President, do not yield
the floor. A Senator who has violated all the
rules of courtesy and propriety-who showed a
doing by concealing from me all knowledge of
the fact--who came to me with smiling face, and
the appearance of friendship even after that doc
ument had been uttered-who could get up in the
Senate and appeal to my courtesy in order to get
time to give the document wider circulation be-
fore its infamy could be exposed; such Senator
has no right to my courtesy upon this floor.
Mr.. CHASE. Mr. President, the Senator mis-
states the facts
Mr. DOUGLAS Mr.. President, decline to yield
the floor.
r. Mr. CHASE. And shall make my denial per-
tinent when the time comes.
The PRESIDENT. Order.
Mr. DOUGLAS. Sir, if the Senator does inter-
pose, in violation of the rules of the Senate, to
denial Of the fact, it may be that shall be able
to nail that denial, as shall the statements here
which are over his own signature, as base false
hood and prove it by the solemn legislation of this
country, ..-..... ....... ... ... .
Mr.. CHASE. call the Senator to order.
The PRESIDENT. The Senator from Illinois is
certainly out of order.
MIR. DOUGLAS. Then will only say that |
shall con6ne myself to this document, and prove
its statements to be false by the legislation Of the
conntrv Certainly that is in order
Mr.. CHASE. You cannot do it.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. The argument of this manifes-
to is predicated upon the assumptions that the poll
cy of the fathers of the Republic was to prohibit
slavery in all the territory ceded by the old States
to the Union and made United States territory, for
the purpose of being organized into new States.
take issue upon that statement. Such was not
the practice in the early history Of the Govern
ment. 1t is true that in the territory northwest
of the Ohio river, slavery was prohibited by the
ordinance of 1887; but it is also true that in the
territory south of the Ohio river, to witt the Ter
rtory OF Tennessee, slavery was permitted and pro-
tected and it is also true, that in the organization
Of the Territory of Mississippi, in 1898, the provis
ions of the ordinance of 1887 were applied to it,
with the exception of the sixth article, which pro-
hibited slavery. Then, sir, you find upon the
statute books under Washington and the early
Presidents, provisions of law showing that in the
south western territories the right to hold slaves
was clearly implied or recognized, while in the
northwest territories it was prohibited The on
ly conclusion that can be fairly and honestly
drawn from that legislation is, that it was the pol
icy of the lothers Of the Republic to prescribe a
line of demarkaton between free territories and
slaveholding territories by a natural or geo.
graphical line, being sure to make that line cor
respond, as near as might be, to the laws of eli
mate, of production, and probably of all those 9TH
er causes which would control the institution and
make it either desirable or undesirable to the peo
pie nhabiting the respective territories.
Sir, wish you to bear in mnd too, that this
geographical line established by the founders o.
the Republic, between free Territories and slave
Territories, extended as far westward as our terri
tory then reached. the object being to avoid al
agitation upon the slavery question by settling
that question forever, SO far as our territory eX
tended, which was then to the Mississippi river.
in 1903, I'VE acquired from France the
Territory known as Louisiana, it became neces
sary tolegislate for the protection of the'inhabt
ants residing therein twill be seen by looking
into the bill establishing the territorial govern
ment in 1906 for the Territory of New Orleans
embracing the same country now known as TIL
State of Louisiana, that the ordinance of 1857 wa
expressly extended tothat territory, excepting tn
sixth section which prohibited slavery. TheI
that ctimplied that the Territory of New Orlean
was to be slaveholding Territory by making tha
exception in the law. But, sir, when they cam
to form what was then called the territory of Lou
isiana, subsequently known as the territory o
Missouri, north of the thirty third parallel, the!
used different language. They did not extend tn
ordinance of 1887 to it at ALL. They first provide
that it should be governed by laws made by tn
governor and the Judges; and when, in 1912, Con
gress gave to that Territory, under the name Q
the Territory of Missouri, territorial government
the people were allow ed to do as they pleased up
on the subject of slavery; subject only to the lin
itations of the Constitution Of the United States
Now, what is the inference from that legislation
That slavery was, by implication, recognized sout
Of the thirty third parallel and north of that tn
people were left to exercise their own judgmer
and do as they pleased upon the subject, withor
any implication fer or against the existence of tn
Institution. .sasi, fa.gfe,,at hs,,ars9 A.,
! This continued to be the condition Of the coul
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