The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-10-06


aPOpuIsr Sovereignty. !" or, in other words
the right Of the people in each State or Ter
ritOry to regulate their own internal and DO
nestle affairs. It lOOks upon slavery as
LOCAL institution, and holds that il Is the
duty Of the people Of any and every Terri
tory to settle the question for themselves,
without the interference Of Congress or the
people Of other States.
The subject Of the organization Of the ter
ritories Of Kansas and Nebraska and the re-
peal Of the Missouri Compromise, has been
the theme Of comment and discussion in all
partsof the Union, ever since the passage OF
that act. We do not propose to enter into
a lengthy examination Of this topic at the
present time. There was difference Of O.
pinion among men Of all parties in refer
euce TO IT while it was pending in Congress.
Only four of the twelve Democratic Con-
Rressmen from Ohio voted for Il. 1t was
with US, therefore, not party measure, and
Democrats honestly differed among them
selves as to the prOPriety of the movement.
But the act was passed, and the Territories
have been organized. There is now no is
sue between parties. or even members oI
the same party in regard to its repeal.
Messrs. Chase and Giddings, of Ohio, Hor-
ace Greely, of the N. Y. Tribune, and other
leading members of the cid Free-soil party
in the North, have expressed themselves as
strongly opposed to the restoration of the
Missouri Compromise.
Those Territories are now open for settle
ment. and if left to the action Of the people
actually residing therein, there is no doubt
that slavery will be forever prohibited.
Four-iifths of the inhabitants, according to
the best authority we are able to obtain, are
10 favor of free institutions. II, therefore.
the doctrine of Popular Sovereignty advocas-
ed by the Democratic party, is fully carried
out il cannot but result most favorably to
the freedom and prosperity Of Kansas. The
larger part of the emigrants to those Terri
tories are from the eNorthern and mddleStates
and from Europe. Men from the Northern
States will vote against the introduction OF
slavery. The emigrants from Europe will
invariably use their influence to secure the
establishment Of free institutions. They
come to this country that they may enjoy the
blessings Of civil and religious liberty. Un-
less, therefore, the odious doctrines of the
Know Nothing order are carried out and for
eigners are prohibited from voting, We have
the full assurance that free and republican
institutions will be established in our West
ern Tetritcri les.
The public mind has. within the past few
months, been awakened by the fact, that in
the recent eleetion"for members of the Leg.
isIature of Kansas, armed bands from the
borders OF Missouri, under the lead of ATcH.
IsoN and STRINGFELLow came over, drove
the citizens away from the polls and by q
fraudulent vote, succeeded in electing pro.
slavery men to office. In SO doing an out.
rage was committed which justly deserves
the censure of every honest man, whether
North or South. By this unlawful proceed
ing, the Constitution of the United State
and the Territorial law Of Nebraska ant
Kansas, were violated, and the rights OF rh'
people were dsregarded and trampled dowr
by reckless and unprincipled mob. In ref
erence to these questions, there is but one
opinion entertained by the members OF the
Democratic party in Ohio. Holding as we
do, the doctrine that the people of each Ter
ritory have right to control their own do
mestic and local affairs, we regard these fact
of violence and fraud, ss contrary 10 our es
tablished principles and worthy to be per-
formed only by outlaws and traitors to the
government. ....... :
These bands which hold their meetings In
secret, and impose oaths npon their men,
bers, are believed to be branch Of the
Know Nothing order. They seek to prohibit
foreigners from voting, and in many. if moi
all their leading features, resemble the or
der in other places. But whether they be
part and parcel of this secret K. N. organiza
ton, we will not stop to enquire. Suffice j
TO say, they are associations organized TO-
an unlawful purpose, and all Of their act
are outrages which ought not to go..unPunish
ed. The following resolution was adopted By
the last Democratic Convention in Portag'
county. 1t meets our unqualified approval
Resolved, That, believing In the right Of the peopl
of every municipal organization TO control their owl
domestic AFFAIRS cannot but regard the interference
Of Atchison Strngfelow and their band ofseeret mid
night censprators to establish slavery in Kansas II
opposition 20 the will ofthe people Of that Territory
and in violation of law and the rights CT the people
ne an outrage paralieed only by the violation OF tb
ballot box In Cincinnati. and the murder OF unoheld
ing citizens in Louisville whc in the exercise OF
rights of froemen, IN the s!ectiyc frBDchse Oy nX
midnight conspirators.
We have, however, but little fear tina
Kansas will ever become a slave State
These acts of violence will, In the end, onl.
bring defeat TO their authors. The people o
Kansas are in favor of freedom, and if left t
themselves, free institutions will ultimately
be established in that Territory. And thougl
the election this fall cannot effect in tn
manner the affairs of Kansas, still we loo
with interest to the Territory, and men
all parties, we doubt not, are desrous to se
free Institutions and liberal and wholesom