Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-11-21

Thornton. Were not all these Wings good and
true, and the only Wings who represented the
people OF Illinois 10 the house al that time In
strucied by the unanimous vote OF the Demo
cratic party, and the unanimous vote of the Wing
party, 10 allow emo limitation" upon the right OF
the people OF Kansas and Nebraska, or any other
Territory, 10 settle the snvery question for them
selves, am now denounced as traitor for my
fidelity 10 that principle and my obedience to that
instruction. Do not misunderstood me. say
now what have said everywhere in my speeches
that do not offer this resolution Of instruction
as my.reason for having Incorporated this principle
into the Nebraska bill. [Cheers.l Ishould have
done so If the people OF Illinois had never ex-
pressed any opinion upon the subject--I should
have done so because the principle is right in
ITSELF Is just 10 the people of the Territories and
OF the new States 10 be formed thereof-is con-
sisent with the Constitution and underlies en-
tire system of republican government. IEnthu-
siastic cheerng.l While do not cite this resou
ton ofinstruction as my treason for fidelity TO this
| great principle of selfgovernment and constilu-
tonal right, confess that II was matter of salts
faction for me TO know that while doing my duty
| | had the recorded evidence of the approval of
| the two great political parties, embracing nine
tenihs of the whole people Of Illinois. fAppause
The evidence that the Wing party, as wen as The
Democratic party, was solemny pledged 10 sus-
| tain and carry out this principle, does not stop
L
were adopted, the Two parties assembled at Balt-
more TO nominate their respective candidates for
the Presidency and Vice Presidency Of the United
| States. The Wings adopted a platform, in which
they pledged themselves 10 stand by and carry out
the Compromise measures of 1850, as a final set
tlement of the slavery question, Gin substance
and in principle They then nominated General
Scott as their candidate for the presidency, and
placed him erect upon that platform, as containing
/ the principles which he and they We're TO carry
into effect in the event Of his election. General
Scott accepted the nomination ito use his own
language) with the resolutions annexed. The
Democratic party assembled in national conven-
ton at the same place, and about the same time;
nominated General Pierce as our candidate for
the Presidency, and adopted platform, in which
4 we also stood pledged to adhere to and carry out
the Compromise measures of 1850 as final set
| Element Of the slavery controversy. What did we
all mean when we declared that Compromise TO
4 be final settlement, in substance and in princi-
Pile? Did we allude to the past only, and not to
| the future? Did we mean that in all time there
should never be another Territory organized, or
| new State admitted into the Union? Surely we
/ could not have meant that our immense terrific
rial possessions should forever remain savage
wilderness And if new Territories were TO be
formed did we not all know that some Abolitonist
would instantly propose the Wilmot ,proviso, or
the ordinance Of 1887 against the right of the
people to settle the slavery question. ~
4 j repeat then, what did we mean by that pledge,
/ unless il was that the principle was TO be final,
and TO be applied in all future time whenever a
1 new Territory was TO be- organized, or new
State to be admitted? have already shown that
il was the distinct understanding Of the Illinois
Legislature, and think may safely assume that
it was the understanding of both wings and demo-
4 Gratis throughout the country in the presidential
campaign of 1852, that the principle Of the Com
promise OF 1870 was 70 constitute rule of action,
and 10 be applied in all cases and under all cir
cumstances, where the necessity of action existed,
in order 10 prevent slavery agitation. The
main point in the campaign Of 1852 was, whether
Pierce or Scott, the democratic or wing party,
| would prove the most reliable in carrying out the
principles of the compromise measures Of 1850.
lremember that gave offence to some of nv
wing friends by intimating in my speeches that
the wing party and their candidate notwithstand-
ing their platform, were not entirely sound upon
that question; but they promptly, and with some
1 severity, retorted upon me that those measures
We're wing measures, predicated upon whig prin-
cipes, and, proof Of their pretensions in this
respect, would refer TO the fact that Henry CLAW,
| the great embodiment of wing principles, was the
author Of the Compromise Of 1850; that the god
| bike Webster was its greatest champion and Fill
more, the model wing President, gave validity to
4 the enactments by his executive approval. Thus
| il was argued and claimed by the two great poll
teal parties OF the country that their fidelity 10 the
| principles involved in those measures was indis.
| putabe, and ought not 10 be called in question.
| How far that claim of fidelity has been sustained
| is question now for the country TO determine
| Within four months after the presidential
| election Congress passed an oct TO organize the
Territory OF Washington. This was the first
Territory formed after the adoption Of the Com
promise measures OF 1880 In order 10 under
stand distinctly the provisions othat act and their
bearing upon the present question Il il necessary
TO bear in mind that the Territory Of Washington
formerly constituted part Of the Territory fOre-
gon, and that Oregon was organized on the 14th
Of August, 1S4S with provision declaring the or
dinance of 1857 for the prohibition of slavery to
| be in force in the whole ofthat Territory. When
| the bill was presented 10 President Polk for his
signature, he hestated about signing IL, upon the
| ground Of that slavery prohibition but when he
concluded 10 do so, he accompanied his approval
| with message TO the House of Representatives.
| where the bill originated, in which he declared,
in substance, that he signed the bill with the un.
Outstanding that the Missouri line was TO be ex-
/ tended 10 the Pacific, and because prohibition of
| slavery in Oregon would DO consistent with the
Missouri Compromise IL thus extended, the whole
/ OF that Territory being north Of 80 deg. 30 min.
But he also said in the same message that he never
would have approved Of the bill containing that
/ prohibition under any other circumstances than
the confident expectation that the Missouri line
was 10 be adhered 10 and carried out in the mode
| suggested. When, however, the Missouri line
was abandoned, and the great principle of self.
| government substituted for IL by the Compromise
| OF 1850, the question naturally arose upon what
plan the Territory of Washington should be or.
| ganized aar SIS
BY reference TO the act Il will be seen that the
ordinance Of l7s7, prohibiting slavery in Oregon,
| was omitted in the bill organizing Washington,
and, as IL 10 render the intention Of the legisla-
turc clear and certain, the 18th section Of the bill
provides what acts Of Congress passed prior TO
that date should be in force; and emitting and
thereby excluding the organic law Of Oregon, and
the ordinance Of 1857, from being longer in force
in the Territory OF Washington. Thus, il APP
pears, that in the bill establishing the Territory Of
Washington, which was the first and only Terri
tory created since the adoption Of the Compromise
Of 1880, and before the Introduction Of the Ne
braska bill, the prohibition Of slavery was not only
omitted, but slavery prohibition, which had been
Tor several years In force in the Territory, abb
solutely repealed and the people allowed TO settle
the slavery question for themselves precisely as
they are in Utah and New Mexico-under the
Compromise Of 1850, and in Kansas and Nebraska
under the act organizing those Territories
How does Il happen that the tornado Of virtuous
indignation against the Nebraska bill, because the
prohibition Of slavery was repealed In order TO
enable the people 10 govern themselves, was not
raised against the Washington bill, where a SINH
lar prohibition was repealed, under precisely the
same circumstances The journals show that
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