Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-05-24
WHOLE No 465' ].

l2EgL 2li ~ iggs lsI isessE i4art "a aK
Mr. CHASE. Whoever says.that J.came here
by corrupt bargain states what is false. 8aa
! Mr.. WELLER. Mr. President siag
Mr.. DoUGLAs. Ny fiemi from CalfSFnih will
wait till get through, ir he pleases. "a q III
The PREsIDIKG 0FEIcER. The Senator from
Illinois is entitled to the floor fs3i-elaa gRsi
Mr.. DoUGLAs. 1t will not do for the SenatDr
from Ohio to return offensive expressions after
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 priDciples0f 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. .rH.rFl.- p s. a-1 ~. ~saH ,,f5 baiv
Mr. CHASE 1.-THE Senator will allow me- Twill
say in reply to the remarks which the Senator
has just made, that did not understand him as
calling upon me for an explanation of the state
ment which he said was made in regard to- pres
idential bid, The exact statement in. the Ad-
dress was this-it was question addressed to the
people: "Would they allow, their dearest rights
to be made the hazards of presidential camel
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 canvasses which are going on
from time to time. certainly did not intend to
mpute to do justice-inth that any improper motive.
do not think it is unworthy ambition to desire TO
be a 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, fthe 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 enter
tain. do not condemn his judgments; do not
make, and do not desire to make, any personal
imputations upon him in reference, to great pub
lie question. .t3 a H" - 3aHst 8gat
Mr.. WELLER. Mr.. President J4 5lrd
Mr.. DOUGLAS. cannot allow my friend from
California to come 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. 1t is undemable
that that language clearly imputed to me thetde-
sign of bringing forward this bill with view of
securing my own election to the presidency
Then, by way of excusing himself for imputing
to me such purpose, the Senator says that he
does not consider it san unworthy ambtion;" and
hence he says that in making the charge he does
not mpugn my motives mus remind him, that
in addition to that nsinuatiop, he only said, in
the same address, that my bill was a "criminal
betrayal of precious rights" he only said it was
"an atrocious plot against freedom and humanity;'
he only said that it was "meditated bad efaith;"
he only spoke significantly ofs'servile dema-
gogues;" he only called upon the preachers of
the Gospel and the people at their public meet
ings to denounce and resist such q nonstrous in
iquity. 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 unworthy ambition;' that it was not intend.
ed as "personal imputaton upon my motives
or character-and that he meant emo personal
dsrespect 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 myself in re-
spect to the meaning of words, and especially in
regard to the line Of conduct, which, in public
man, does not constitute an unworthy ambition.
r.sWELLER. Now, ask my friend from II.
linos to give way to me for few moments.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Iyield the floor,
Mr.. WELLER. made remark which no
doubt gave cause to this dsgression in the argu-
ment Of the Senator Illinois. presume that
know the circumstances under which the Sena-
tor from Ohio was elected to this body. ] in
timated them in the expression of opinion which
gave few moments ago do not know that
the Senator was elected here under comprom-
Use, or an agreement, or an express bargain.
entertain no personal feeling of ill-will against
that Senator, however little respect may have
for his political opinions. propose to state some
facts, however, connected with his election, and
leave others to decide how far they constituted
bargain. Soon after the admission of Ohio into
the Union, law had been passed prohibiting ne
groes and their descendants from testifying in a
Il of iusfi uhnDa n yuhi man
the same law required negro, upon coming
within the limits of the State to give bond and
security that he would not become pauper.---
This law was particularly odous to the Abolition-
i lists, and the Democrats had uniformly opposed
its repeal, upon 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
i 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 multitude of ap-
plicants. The political power between the two
great parties in the Legislature was so equally
divided that few of three or four, / believe
, Abolitionists held the balance between tham.-
: An effort was made to compromise with the
Y Wings, and elect an A5olitonist in the other
f branch of Congress to the Senate. This failed,
e Propositions were then made to the Democrats,
which resulted in the repealo the s'black laws
: the appointment of certain Democrats to judg-
: ships, &C.. and the election of Mr.. CHASE to the
Senate. These facts transpired about the time
II left the State for CALIFORNIA; and know, gave
great dissatisfaction to large portion of the peo-
e pie. ,e.a s e.. tssssq i. 1890
e Mr.. CHASE. | know that the Senator, from
e California means to state the facts correctly; but
think justice to myself, and justice to my State,
n requires me to say that he is not correctly in
formed in regard to the material facts. The
1 truth Island owe it to my State to say it--that
in the Legislature at the time of my election
IF there were three parties--one of them known a
the Independent Democrats, or sometimes ae
Eraa. lars another known aa the Old Linz