Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-05-17
n SPEECH OF hon, 5. A. DOUGLAS,
500 ~ "soFIpLiSoIs,
IN ne Unikd States Senate, March 3, 1854. on
. Rshraska and Kansas. ~
[eokriKiuEp.

g9iSlS EeosrisvEpl ,.-lr
- Mr. SEwxRp. II find that the honorable sena-
tor from Iliinoisis standing upon the ground upon
which ] stood in 1850. / have nothing to say
now in favor Of that ground. On this occasion,
stand upon the ground, in regard to compromises,
which has been adopted by the country. Then
when the Senator tells me that the north did not
altogether, willingly, and unanimously, consent
80 the compromise of 1920, I agree to it; but
have been overborne in the country, on the ground
taa. If one northern man carried with him ma.
jcsity Of Congress he bound the whole north
Aad, 90 hold in regard to the compromise OF
$500; that it was carried by vote which has been
held by the south and by the honorable senator
from Illinois to bind the north. The south hay
Ing received their consideration and equivalent,
only hold him, upon his own doctrine and the
doctrine Of the south, bound to stand to it. That
ID all i nave to say upon TINT point
a few words more will cover all that / have to
say about what the honorable Senator may say
hereafter as 10 the north repudiating this contract
When was absent, understood the senator al
luded to the fact that my name appeared upon an
appeal which was issued by the honorable sena-
tor from Ohio, and other members Of Congress,
r. t. the people, on the subject Of this bill. Upon
that point it hus been my intention throughout to
leave to the honorable senator from Illinois, and
those who act with him. whatever there is OF mer-
II, and Whatever there is OF responsibility for the
present measure, and for all the agitation aud dis
cussion upon it, Therefore as soon as found,
when ] returned TO the Capitol, that my name
waa OH that paper, caused it to be made known
and published as fully and extensively as could,
d s;hatl had never been consulted in regard TO ii;
that know nothing about it; and that the merit
Of the measure, Gs we'll NJ the responsibility, be-
,onged 70 the honorable senator from Ohio, and
those who co-operated with him; and that had
never seen the paper on which he commented;
nor have in any way addressed the public mind
upon the subject.
t Mr.. DouGIAs. wish to nsk the scuator from
New fc.k q question. II | understand his re-
marks when lie spoke, and il l understand his
speeeh as published, he ayerred that the Missouri
compromise was compact between the north
and the south; that the north performed it on its
Part; the.it has done faithfully for thirty years
that the South mad received all its bent fits and the
moment these benefits had been fully realized,
the south disavowed the obligations under which
il had received them. is not that lis positions!
Mr. SEWARD lan not accustomed TO answer
questions put 10 me. unless they are entirely cat
cgorical, and placed in such shupe that may
know exactly, and have time to consider, tEer
their whole extent. The honorable senator from
Illinois has put very broad question. What
!, mean to cay, however, and that will answer his
purpose, is that his position. and that the position
Vf the south is, that this was 4 compromise; u ID
I soy that the north has never repudiated that
compromise. Indeed, it las never had the pow
er to do SO. Missouri came into the Union, and
= Arkansas came into the Union, under that com
promise; and whatever individuals may have raid,
whatever individuals more or less humble than
myself, may ehave contended. the practical effect
is, that the south has had all that she could get
by that compro mise and that the north is now in
the" predcament Of being obliged to defend what
was left to her. believe that answers the ques-
tiun. RE go -
Mr.. DoreLAs. Now Mr. President choose
70 bring men directly up to t,i<p int Tie sent =
tor from New York has labored in his whole
speech to make it appear that this was compact;
that the north had been faithful; ana that the
south acquesced until she got all advantages, and
then disav9wed and sought to annu it. This he
pronounced to be bad faith; and he made appeals
about dishonor. The senator from Connecticut
Mr.. Smith, did the same thing, and 50 did the
senator from Massachusetts, & Mr.. Sumner and
the Senator from Ohio, ma Chase That is the
great point to which the whole ab ,lton party
are now directing all their Srtilery in this battle.
Now, ! propose 10 bring them to the point. II
this was compact, and if what they have said is
fair, or just, or true, who was it that repudiated
the compact! .-
MT. GUNNER. Mr. TTeSlueHl, lne seHutOF from
Illinois, know, does not intend to mistate my
2 position. That position. as announced in the
language of the speech which addressed to the
Senate, and which now hold IN my hand, is,
"this is an infracton Of solemn obligations, as.
sumed beyond recall by the south. on the adms-
sion Of Missouri into the Union as slave .State;"
which was one year after the act Of 1920.
. u Mr.. DOUGLAS. MIR. President. shall come to
that; and wish to see whether This was an obi
= CATION which was assumed "beyond recall" II
Il was compact between the two parties, and
one party has been faithful tits "beyond recall"
Jfone party has been faithful, it is beyond RECALL
{ by the other II however, one party has been
faithless, what shall we think Of them, if, while
o .onhless, they ask performance!
= Mr.. SEWARD. Show it.
Mr. DOUGLAS. That is what an, coming to-
Have already stated that, at the next session OF
1aCohgress, Missouri presented constitution in
conformity with the act of 1920; that the Senate
(. passed resolution to admit Missouri in con.
fsrunity with the alleged compact and, | think
oa three distinct votes, rejected her.
Dir. SEWARD. beg my honorable friend, for
! desige to Gull him SO, to answer me frankly
whether he would rather should say what have
70 say in this desutory way, or whether he would
prefer that / should answer him afterwards; be-
cause il is with me rule in the Senate never tc
ptSf'uPt sSnt1sliS'' SAesPs ~ usiP ''"'' ~ ms
argument, NAV. ss,rsrsjes guil ;e4sl 1ilr"
n Mr.. DpveLAs. ! would rather hear the sena
tor now, ,-a3,;.o .. 81 4 sIltHqiro tl1t}as SO
Mr.. SEWARD. What have to say now, and
acknowledges the magnanimity Of the senatorfrom
Illinois in allowing me to say it. is that the NORTH
stood by thai compact until Missouri came int
with i constitution, one;article oi7which denied
70 colored citizens Of other States the equaliyo
i, privleges which were allowed to all other citi
= lens OF the United States, and then the north in
sisted on the right Of colored men to be regarde,
as citizens. and entitled to the privileges and i'm
smaAitiss Of citizens Upon that q new compru
mise wss nnlle esessary. Il hope am candid sa
III. DoucLAs. The senator Mcandid Il have n