The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-08-28
The COntInentaI Congress and
the Kansas Nebraska Bill

the Kansas Nebraska Bill
The Declaration of Rights pot forth by !
the Continental Congress, October Ia,
I7T4, contains an explicit and emphatic
declaration of Popular SOvereig nty" in
these words: "That the people ofthe sever
al colonies "are entitled to a FREE and ex-
elusive power of legislation in their several
provincial legislatures in all cases Of internal
policy"
The Ksnsus Nebraska bill endorses the
same in these words: sit being the true in.
tent and meaning Of this act not to legislate
slavery into any State or Territory, nor to
exclude it therelrom, but leaue the people
thereof perfectly FREE TO form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own way.
The same identical principle was asserted
by nearly every Colony, when sending rep
resentatives to the Congress which voted
the Declaration Of Independence and framed
the articles of Confederation.
Pennsylvania, when she. consented to
send representatives for the purpose Of form.
ing a confederation, instructed them BY the
following resolutions:
"Reservng to the people Of this COLONY
the sole and exclusive right of regulating the
internal government and policy Of the same"
And in a subsequent instruction, in refer
ence to suppressing the British authority in
the Colonies, Pennsylvania uses the follow
ing emphatic language: .-.
"Unanimously declare our willingness TO
concur in vote of the Congress declaring
the United Colonies free and independent
States, provided the forming of the govern
ment, and the regulation Of the internal poll
cy of this Colony, be always reserved to the
people of the said Colony"
New Jersey instructed her representatives
in the following language:
"Always observing that, whatever plan Of
confederacy You enter into, the regulating
of the internal police OF This province is to
be reserved to the Colonial Legislature"
Marylqnd gave her consent to the Declara-
ton of independence upon the condition
contained III thlS proVlso:
And that said colony will hold itself
bound BY the resolution of n majority of the
United Colonies in the premises, provided
the sole and exclusive right of regulating
, the internal government and police Of that
Colony be reserved to the people thereof
New Hampshire annexed this provlso tc
I her instructions to her delegates to her vote
Y for Independence:
"Provided the regulation Of our internn
Y police Is under the direction of our own as
t sembly."
= Connecticut, in authorizing her delegates
It to vote for the Declaration of independence
d attached to it the following condition:
!, Saving that the administration of gov
i crnment, and the power Of forming govern
menls for, and the regulation Of the inter
nal concerns and police of each Colony
7" ought to be left and remain to the respective
: Colonial legislatures"
! Vircina annexed the following conditio
her instructions to vote for the Declaratio
Of Independence. !"
Provided that the power Of forming 90,
ernments for, and the regulations OF the ir
r. terna concerns Of the Colony, be left to tn
respective Colonial legislatures"
lr So dear was this right, the right of tn
T. people to form and regulate their domost
u institutions in their own way, that our rcvt
s. lutionary fathers would not surrender it, N
not even to free themselves from the tyrar
s. ny OF the mother country.
n. The Tories of the revolution took the o.
poste side. They contended that Georg
the Third, and the Parliament of Gre
Britain should control and dictate the legi
Iaton of the Colonies. Our Black Repul
licau friends are now espousing, and movir
oil heaven and earth to establish precisely tt
nj same doctrine Of the old Tory party.