The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-01
WASHINGTON, SATURDAY, APRIL |, 1854

That which is a mere incident they choose 10 con
slider the principal They make the means b
which propose 20 accomplish object, instead Of open
resisting the object itself The principle which propos
carry into effect by the bill is this That Congress saa
neither gliats slavery into any Irriiore STATE nor on
Of The bat hs people shall be M free 10 regulate thei
lion Of the United States.
In order carry this principle into practical operation
becomes necessary 10 remove whatever legal obstacles nigh
be found IN the way oil s free exercise II Is only for tn
purpose of carrying this great fundamental principle
segovernmen that the bill renders the eighth of tn
Missouri act imperative and void
Now let me ask, will these senators who have arraignet
me, any one of them, have the in hi
place and declare that this principle though
OF or advocated applicable territorial bills 1850 tina
from that session until the present. nobody thought
Incorporating this principle IN all territorial oganiza
ions that the Commeee on Territories did
IL In their reports and that II required the amendment Of thu
senator from Kentucky to bring up that pointi Wi
any Of my dare this issue and let
be tried by the record' | will begin with the compromise.
OF 1850 Any who will take the trouble 10 examine
our Journals Will lind that the 25h of March of tina
year reported from the Committee Territories bills
including the following the admission of Cali
lorna, territorial government for Utah, territorial gov
eminent for New Mexico and the adjustment of Texas
boundary These b proposed to leave the people of Utah
and New Mexico free TO decide The slavery question foi
IN the precise language VI the Nebraska bill
under discussion few weeks the committee
of thirteen took those bills and put wafer between
them and reported them back the Senate BILL with
some slight amendments One of those amendments was
that the territorial legislature should egisae upon the
the ground that subyerted the great principle of segov
eminent upon which the bill had been originally framed by
the Territorial Committee On the first trial the Senate
fused to strike ii out but subsequently did So after full de-
BATE IN order to establish that principle the rule OF action
| IN territorial organizations. r..-.
| MIR. DODGE, of Iowa. It was done on your own
motion. ....
| Mr.. DOUGLAS. Upon this point trust will be ex-
cused for reading from remarks
made in the Senate on the Sd of June, 1850:
'The position that have taken has been that this
domestic affairs and domestic policy of the Territories ought
be left to the decision Of the people themselves and that
ought to be with whatever way they would de-
eide the question: because they have much
in these matters than have and know better what
Institutions them than who have never been there
can decide for them"
Again in the same debate, said
81 DO not how those of who have taken the posi-
ton which have taken, Chat of non-inerference and
have argued IN favor of the right Of the people egsne
for themselves this question: can support such poys-
ION without abandoning all the arguments which urged
IN the presidential campaign the year l54S and the prn-
cpes set forth by the honorable from Michigan
that letter which is known the Nicholson letter. We
required 10 abandon that platform required to
abandon those principles, and sulfy ourselves and
adopt the opposite doctrneand for WHAT In order say
that the people OF the Territories shall have such
utlons as they shall deem adapted their condition and
their wants do not sir how such provision that
can be acceptable either to the people of the North the
Souh.n
MIR President, could go on and multiply extract after
extract from speeches 1885, and prior that date
show that this doctrine Of leaving the people decide these
questions for themselves not an thought with me-
seized upon this session for the first time, my caumnia
tors have frequently and boldly charged their speeches
during this debate, and their manifesto the public.
refused to support the celebrated omnibus bill in 1850 until
the obnoxious provision stricken and the principle
OF selfgovernment restored existed my original BILL
NO sooner were the compromise of 1850 passed
this bill raised the cry OF repeal some sections OF e
country and Others forcbe resistance the execution
of the law In order arrest and suppress the reasonable
purposes Of these abolition conderaes and the hor
pf civ Wnr m
$780, address excited and enzied multitude ut CHI
cago defence Of each and all Of the compromise measures
of that year. will read sentences from that
speech show how those then understood
and explained by their advocates
"These measures are redcaed on great fundamental
principle that every people ought TO possess the right OF
forming and regulating their internal concerns and do
nestle institutions in their own way"
Again
These things are all conded by the constitution each
State decide for itself and know Of why the
principle should not be confded to the Terrtones
In this speech it will be that lay down general
principle Of universal application and make no distinction
between Territories north south of SO deg 81 MIN
aware that of the abolition conederates have
perpetuated forgery that speech, and are
now circulating through the abolition newspapers the state
that said that would cling with the tenacity OF
life compromise of 1870" This statement false as
lie deliberate act of forgery, 1t is known TO be by all
who have ever seen or read speech referred tocoDs-
the staple article out Of which most OF the abolition
the small Nebraska meetings manufacture
is sentence, line, word in that speech
which imposes the slightest limitation the application OF
great principle embraced in this bill in all new terrific
rial organizations without the least reference to the line Of
4 SO deg. 30 min.
At the session OF l650'5l, few weeks after this speech
make at Chicago, and when IT had been published IN
pamphlet form and circulated extensively the State
the legislature of Illinois proceeded to revise s action upon
the slavery question: and define IFS position the compro
misses Of 1850 After resembling the resolutions adopted al
previous session nsrucng my colleague and myself 70
for proposition prohibiting slavery IN the Territories
resolutions adopted approving the compromise meas
of 1850. Will read Of the resolutions which wa
adopted in the house of representatives, by vote OF 81
! yeas to nays;
" Resolved That liberty and Independence are based
upon the right Of the people form for themselves such
government they may chooses that this great privilege
the birth-rght Of ecmen the g OF Heaven, secured TO VI
by the blood Of ancestorsought TO be extended
future generations; and limitation ought TO be applied
this power, in the organization Of any Territory Of TIL
constitution Proridd The government established shnl
be republican, and in conformity with the constitution"
Another series Of resolutions having passed the senat
aoos unanimously, embracing the principle in differ
ent language they concued in by the house. Thu
the position Of Illinois upon the slavery question de
fined the session of the legislature after the adoption
Of the Compromise Of 1850
Now sir what becomes Of the declaration which has bee
made by nearly every opponent OF this BILL that nobody
this whole Union dreamed that the principle Of tn
Utah and New Mexican bill to be Incorporated into
future territorial organzations2 have shown, that m
own State understood and declared It the time in III
most implicit and solemn Illinois declared that
/" liberty and independence upon this tincipe ~