The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-09-18

! Mr. w ALE. shoulu ike 10 inquire |
how long it is since the senator became
convinced that those laws were SO obnoxious,
and ought to be swept away. 1t is certain
iy since his first or second report on the
subject .......-.r.. ...4.F ,.--..
Mr.. DOUGLAS. ] will answer that
question. regarded those laws to which
referred, as being repognant to the constitu.
ton and to the organic act. Twas entire.
ly willing to rely on the judiciary to make
wise decisions on that subject in the annul- |
ment Of those laws, did not believe that
law infringing the freedom OF the press
was consistent with the organic act allowing
decision Of the slavery question by the
people themselves. So with long list Of
those laws but did not deem it any part
of my duty, nor did deem it necessary to
wipe out those laws by legislative enact,
ment, for the reason that the courts would
do it. But when it was proposed here / was
entirely willing to pass q declaratory act
that they We're null and void and should not
be enforced. in order to bring the men who
hoped to make political capital out OF them
to the test, and show that you would never
permit those laws to be blotted out. You
cling to them as you would to the last hope
of life. Ii they had been botted out you
would have lost all your capital on the stump;
you would have oern under the necessity of
rewriting ali your stump speeches, changing
the tone OF all your newspapers, und OF ma.
king an entire new plan of campaign for the
presidential election. ., ...ta... ..... -...
Mr.. President, | haye show that the
House would not pass a bill to repeal the
; obnoxious laws. Il have shown thst they
would not take up audact on our bill when
we did pass it. Let us trace this history
little further. lu this very proviso to the
army bill they have not even there repeal
Of the obnoxious laws. That very provso
preserves those laws in force as they are.--
You do not even propose to repeal them in
the proviso. .,.. ... r,H .-,.. ... .n'
Now, let me see whut you have done by
your appropriation bills. You first put in
provso not to allow The judges toh have their
salaries until 'hey shoul q dismiss certain
prosecutions. II they dismissed the prose
cutions Tor political oTetces they were to
have their snlaries but when they got
their salaries. what were they to do or
course, 90 on and hold their courts, and try
murderers. thieves, robbers, and every man
guilty. Of crime. At last, you recrded from
= vour condition or pruviso to the Legislative,
" executive. and judicial appropriation bill,
and allowed it to become a law. will not
" say that the fact that it contained an appro-
prirtion for your pay and mine was any in.
ducement for thus receding but it so hap
pened that the bill on which you receded
from your provisos, and passed, contained
the appropriations to pay the governor, the
judges, and all the civil officers of the Terri
tory. You thus have voted money already
,. ,. to carry those laws into effect Your pro.
!, viso to the army bill leaves them in force,
3, but says the President shall not use the milf
. tary power to enforce them. You leave them
= in force you make it the duty Of the gov
n ernor OF the Territory tn enforce them you
II by appropriating for their salaries, you leave
. them on the statute book with entire vigoi
for them to enforce. You furnish the mon
Y ey to do it, and you only provide that the
President shall not use the military power
of the government. Now, if you intended
}. to blot out those bad laws, would you have
n frumed language Of that kind! it is clea
y that it has never been intended to allow
II these laws to be biotted out or repealed
% Great skill was shown in drawing the pro
l. viso to the army bill in such way as to
is leave the obnoxlous laws in force, TO be talk
is ed about on the stump during the campaign
g at the same time that you cripple the Presi
er dent and deprive him Of the power Of comm!
,r TO the rescue of the civil authority. Hence
d it is evident that the proviso to this arm,
er bill is not designed 10 prevent the execution
~ of those laws. You never intended it 10
K that purpose. 1t was designed to crppl
as the army-not 10 prevent the execution q
le those laws in Kansus, for you lett them il
g, force, you recognized their validity, you ap
ty propriated the money for the governor t
I'd enforce them, Younppropriuted the none,
ID to the judiciary for the same purposes, a Yo
to did everything that could be done to aid III
at civil authorities in enforcing them. but yo
b. would not allow the military power to b
in used. .... ,...f.l.a, II p. 49,. ,5 sass ag,fI
ty am, therefore, forced to the conc clusio
le that by framing this pr0viso, thus guarded
IS, to preserve these darling lawss which ayo
ce hng to your hearts SO dearly in order to US
5, Them for political effect, youlwish to get ri
H. OF the army in order to get up aciyil war o
Of account ef- these.very laws which you thu
a ieaVe ir force.r Why didyouthus limit tn
n power OF the army dt 1he same time that 20
Ut recognized the laws as. being In force, an
tn authorized the governor and judges to carr
IL themintoeffect! 1.-THE governor and Judge
e. did not attempt to execute the laws, perhap
le. you would not have any pretext torfgettn
ee up civil war; In order to make the schem
complete, twas necessary TO make it th