Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-05-10

cry senator who has spoken in opposition to thit
BILL that at the time of its introduction the people
were in a state of profound quiet and repose;
that the anti-slavery agitation had entirely ceased
and that the whole country was acquiescing cheer
fully and cordially in the compromise measures
of 1850 as final adjustment of this vexed ques-
ton. H'F" 4a tHfa r@ .-.
Sir, it is truly refreshing to hear senators, who
contested every inch Of ground in opposition to
those measures when they were under discussion
who predicted all manner Of evils and calamities
from their adoption, and who raised the cry of re-
peal and resistance, to their execution, after
they had become the laws of the land--I say it is
really refreshing to hear these same senators now
bear their united testimony to the wisdom of those
measures, and to the patriotic motives which in
duced US to pass them in defiance OF their threats
and resistance, and to their beneficial effects in
restoring peace harmony, and fraternity to dis
tracted country. These are precious confessions
from the lips of those who stand pledged never
to assent to propriety of those measures, and to
make war upon them so long as they shall re-
main upon the statute-boOk. | we'll understand
that these confessions are now made, rot with the
view of yielding their assent to the propriety
Of carrying those enactments into faithful exc
cution, but for the purpose Of having apretext for
charging upon me, as the author OF this bill, the
responsibility of an agitation which they are str-
wing to produce. They say that |, and not they,
have revived the agitation! What have / done
to render me obnoxious TO this charge! They
say wrote and introduced this Nebraska BILL
That is true; but | was not volunteer in the
transaction. The Senate, by unanimous vote,
appointed me chairman of the TERRITORIAL commit
tee, and associated five intelligent and patriotic
senators with me, and thus made it our duty to
take charge of all territorial business. In like
manner, and with the concurrence Of these COM
planning senators, the Senate referred to us dis
tinct proposition to organize this Nebraska Ter
ritory, and required us to report specifically upon
the question. | repeat, then, we were not valun-
teers in this business. The duty was imposed
upon us by the Senate. We are not unmindful
OF the delicacy and responsibility of the position.
We are aware that from 1920 to 1850 the aboli-
ton doctrine of congressional interference with
slavery in the Territories and new States had SO
far prevailed as to keep up an incessant slavery
agitation in Congress, and throughout the coun-
try, whenever any new Territory was to be ac-
quired or organized. We were also aware that,
in 1850, the right of the people to decide this
question for themselves, subject only to the Con-
stituton, was substituted for the doctrine Of con.
gressional Intervention. The first question,
therefore which the committee were called upon
to decide and indeed the only question OF any ma
terial Importance, ii framing this bill, was this:
Shall we adhere to and carry out the principle re-
cognzed by the compromise measures of 1850, or
shall we 60 back to the old exploded doctrine of
congressional interference, as established in 1920
in large portion OF the country, and which it
was the object of the Wlmot proviso to give a
universal application, and only to all the terri
tory which we then possessed, but all which we
;,.Lt n
alternatives. We were compelled to frame the
bill upon the one or the other OF these two prn-
cpes. The doctrine of 1920 or the doctrine Of
1850 must prevail. In the discharge of the duty
imposed upon us by the Senate, the committee
could not hesitate upon this point, whether we
consulted our individual opinions and principles
or those were known to be entertained and bold
ly avowed by q large majority Of the Senate. The
two great political parties OF the country stood
solemny pledged before the world to adhere to
the compromise measures Of 1850, Gin principle
and substance" A large majority of the Senate
indeed every member OF the body, believe, ex-
cept the two avowed abolitionists, Mr.. Chase
and Mr.. Sumner, profess TO belong to the one or
the other of these parties and hence was supposed
to be under high moral obligation to carry out
the principle and substance" of those measures
in all new territorial organizations. The report
of the committee " as in accordance with this OBJ
ligaton am arraigned, therefore, for having
endeavored to represent the opinions and princi-
pies of the Senate truly; for having performed
my duty in conformity with the parliamentary
law; for having been faithful to the trust reposed
ia me by the Senate. Let the vote this night de-
termine whether have thus faithfully represent
ed your opinions. When majority of the Sen
ate shall have passed the bill; when majority of
eli Nt,t ch,II ndnrSnd II unh thair
representatives upon this flor; when majority
of the south and majority Of the north shall have
sanctioned it; when u majority of the whig party
and majority ot the democratic party shall have
voted for it, when each Of these propositions shall
be demonstrated by the vote this night on the f.
nal passage of this bill, shall be willing to sub
nit the question to the country, whether as The
organ OF the committee, performed my duty in
the report and bill which have called down upon
my head so much denunciation and abuse. Pc,
Mr.. President, the opponents of this measure
have had much to say about the mutations and
notifications which this bill has undergone since
it Was first introduced by myself, and about the
alleged departure of the bill in its present form
from the principle laid down in the original re.
port of the committee as arule of action in all u-
ture territorial organizations. Fortunately there
is no necessity, even ifyour patience would toler.
ate such course of argument at this late houl
OF night, for me to examine speeches in detail
and to reply to each charge separately. Eacf
speaker seems to have followed faithfully in tht
| footsteps of his leader-n the path marked ou
by the abolition confederates in their manifesto
which exposed on former occasion. You have
seen them on their winding way, meandering thu
narrow and crooked path in Indian file, eacl
treading close upon his heels of the other. ant
neither venturing to take a step to the right o.
left, or to occupy one inch ground which did no
bear the foot print of the abolition champion. II
answer one, therefore is to answer to the whole
The statement to which they seem to attach thu
most Importance, and which they have repeated
oftener perhaps than any other, is, that, pending
the compromise measures of 1850, no man, in O
out Of congress ever, dreamed of abrogating th'
Missouri compromise; that from that period dowl
to the present session nobody supposed that it
validity had been impaired or anything dom
wh;ch randerad il ohl0atorv uDOn us TO make i