The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1854-03-01
T,,e Plen or a De,navogue,

nearly all OF tnose WHO oppose me Dill, WneiHer
from Ignorance Of its provisions or not. is not
for us to say. But we do say that the bill author
ICES such thing. It is based upon the doctrine
of the right of the people TO self-govsrnmenr, and
claiming that sovereignty is with the people, it ac-
knowledges the right of the people, whether of the
States, or of Nebraska and Kansas, to fashion and
control their own institutions; to make the laws
by which themselves are to be governed. That |
they are capable of SO doing upon all other sub |
jects than this one, the strenuous and rabid
opposers of this bill do not doubt or deny.-ISr-
tGge Sentinel.
The man of the Sentinel. the resolution maker
of 1850, harps continually upon the foregoing zone
idea," that sovereignty being inherent 10 the peo
pie, hence the people of territory have right to
establish slavery if they will, and that it is undem
oeratic TO deny them the privilege, and on this
ground, with blatant energy he bases his advocacy
of the Nebraska bill. The assumption without
qualification that the people of territory '.contro
their own institutions, or make the laws by which
themselves are to be governed, is false, and the
product of ignorance or rruption-chalitably the
former.
A Territorial Government is the creature of
Congress-Congress, in calling Territorial Leg
islature into existence, prescribes who may elect
or be elected. The Territorial Governor is the
creature Of Presidential appointment, and Con-
gress reserves to him the power to veto any laws
passed by the Territorial legislature, which is
therefore, but the agent of the National Govern
ment, and this agent has the power control, and
cannot be controlled by the people of the territory.
Again, according to the Constitution, Congress
may admit new States. This power of admission,
includes necessarily the power Of frejsction-hence
when the people of territory present themselves
at the door of Congress- with Constitution, ask
ing for admission, if Congress is satisfied with
the stpulations, principles or provisions of the Con-
stutiou, it may refuse to admit it. For example,
if the Constitution admits Of slavery. Congress
may admit the State, condition that slavery be
excluded IT the State accepts the terms Of ad-
mission, and takes her place in the Confederacy.
who win say that the condition is not binding, and
that slavery must be excluded!
The assumption then, that the people of a terri
tory may "control their own institutions I" is
clearly seen to be fase- Congress controls those
institutions, and may admit or refuse to admit
States, with or without slavery, with or without
other institutions. stipulated provisions. Con-
gress has power to exclude slavery from territories
for that power is inherent in its power to create
control and govern territories
This carping therefore, in the outraged name
of democracy, the right and privilege of the peo-
pie of the territory control their own Institutions
is sham, all CANNON.
| The object and design of the Nebraska bill is to
perpetrate stupeudous fraud ard to break down
the old land marks, and owe all barriers to
the introduction of human slavery into vast ter
ritories once declared forever free by the most
solemn compacts and covenants possible for man
to make with man, under circumstances the most
imposing and solemn.
To this gigantic fraud the Sentinel earnestly
yields its influence. 1t. therefore. gives US the
more pleasure to know, that there are some intel
lisent gentlemen of the old line democracy in Por-
tage County, like ''Pro Bono PubIco." who pat
riotcally stand by the old Jeffersonian land marks
as developed in the ordinance of 81, and estab
lshed by the Missouri Compromise of 1920. in
the Louisiana territory purchased by Jefferson in
1903 from France. God grant that many a true
man. like " Pro Bono PubIico," will step forth te
rebuke the recreant Sentinel, which so strangely
arrays itself against Jeffersonian democracy, ant
against the sentiments. the wishes and honest con
yictions of the people.
Not far off is the day when the people " il
] spurn those who are untrue to great, Fundamental
principles, and betray the peoples dearest, mos
cherished rights.
~ To our proposition to the Stntinei to pub
lish certain speeches. that paper responds as fol
lows:
"a PRoPosIrIoN.-The Uncle Tom Advert
ser proposes to publish Douglass speech on tn,
Nebraska bill if We will publish that of Chase
Now, we intend to publish the latter whether tha
! sheet does the former or not. We intend to d.
more-to publish all that those two Senators may
say upon the question n the Senate; and it mat
ters little to whether that journul does the
or not"
The appella,ion, ..Uncle Tom Advertiser fiat
, ters u.s. and we shall try to deserve SO honorable
title.
u We rejoice that the Sentinel is about to spreat
y the powerful speech of Mr.. Ch.se before its read
ers, and that too, without exacting of u.s. as con
q dition, that lumber our columns with the soph
\ istries of Douglass.
We trust that some of the readers of the Sen
!, iinel may be beneftied, by the great truths. tn
historical facts and unanswerable arguments
Senator Chase.
s. As we have already published Mr.. Douglass
It. Report. and as Mr.. Chase SO fully states tn
!. shall not publish it. Our object in making tn
proposition was to get MIR. Chase's speech befur
the readers OF the Sentinel. That object, it wi
be seen, is to be secured by the voluntary prrpos
~ of the Sentinel without claiming any thing at OF
y, hands. When the Sentinel fullls its promise, W
shall cheerfuIy give it all the credit it deserves ft
ID the handsonep performance of SO important dut.
r.
The SHAM DEMocRAcY.--The Plain Deal.
boasts that Iwenty- Seuen Administration papers
r. Ohio. support Douglass Nebraska bill. He mu
T. be blind who cannot see that this is admstr,
ton measure, and that no reliance whatever ca
IN be placed on that party in reference to questic
i of freedom. There are honorable exceptions
= the party-msn who will take right position
but the pariy Itself is, though democratic in nam
!, despotic in practice. In this position it must
mo nd oil