The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-05-15

clude the free negro allows each other State
to receive him il agreeable TO her tastes and
consistent with her interests. We are per-
fectly content with the practical operation
Of this great principle, which teaches the
people Of each separate community 10 mind
their own business, and accord the same
right to their neighbors. Hence / should
have no controversy with the senator from
New York, or bis political associates, in re-
gard to this particular clause in the Kansas
constitution, did not claim the right. and in
sist that it is their duty, to examine the pro.
visions Of the constitution OF eOch State ap.
plying for admission. and then either to ad-
nit or reject the application, according ss
they may approve or disnpprove the consti-
tuition. 1t is on this ground that they claim
the right to enquire whether the constitution
prohibits or protects slavery. And to vote
for free State against Slave State
it was on this ground that the Northern
States, voted against the admission of Mis-
souri, in lS2l-one year after the adoption
of the Missouri mpromise-because the
constitution had similar provision against
free negroes to one in the Kansas constitu
tion. Hence desire to learn from the sen.
ator from New York whether he and his
sympathizing associates do really approve Of
a constitutional provision which shall deny
to the negro forever, not merely the right to
enjoy the same liberty accorded to the white
man, but also the right to live and breathe
within the limits of the proposed State OF
Kansas. .....
Mr.. SEWARD. Will the honorable SEN
ator allow me to answer now
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Yes, sir. .
Mr. SEWARD. ] need hardly inform
the honorable senator that do not approve
Of any such provision in any constitution in
the world. l never did, 6nd | never shall
vote to approve or sanction in any constitu.
ton, or in any law, a provision which tends
to keep any man being, any member of tbs
human family to which belong, in coudi.
ton of degradation below the position which
! occupy myself except for his own fault OF
crime.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. The senator does NOT
approve of this provs ion, and never can,fo,
the reason that it does not put the negro on
an equality with himself! Then, will he
vote for admitting Kansas in this irregular
manner, and without the requisite popula-
ton, merely because her constitution has q
provision which keeps slaves from going in
to the Territory, while in another clause
(which tends to keepa man being member
OF the human family to which he belongs
in condition of degradation below the Do.
sition which he occupies himself" I" Yet, il
he votes for his own bill to admit Kansas
with the Topeka constitution, according TO
his own doctrine he does vote to sanction d
provision to keep the negro out altogether;
he will not allow negro TO come in condi-
tion either below him or above him
MIR. SEWARD. You can take it either
way, either above or below.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Yes: he will exclude
the negro absolutely, if he is above or below
him He will insist upon having the negro
upon footing of entire and perfect equality
with himself. Yet, if his bill passes, and
Kansas is admitted with the constitution
which has been formed and presented here,
ell negroes. both free and slave, are forever
prohibited from entering the State of Kan.
sas by the terms Of the instrument. He
cannot escape the responsibility of this re-.
sult on the plea that he does not vote direct.
ly to endorse and sanction the constitution
in all its parts; for his doctrine, and the
doctrine of his party. is that they not only
have the right; that it is their duty to exa-
mine the constitution in all its parts, and
vote for it or against it, according as they
approve or disaoprove Of its provisions, and
especially those provisions which degrade
the negro below the level of the white man.
He must abandon all the principles to which
his life has been devoted; he must abandon
the creed of the party of which he is the
acknowledged leader before he can vote for
bis own bill. The Black Republican party
was organized and founded on the funda me n
tal principle of perfect and entire equality
OF rights and privileges between the negro
and the white man-an equality secured and
guaranteed by a law higher than the consti-
tuition of the United States. In your creed
as proclaimed to the world you stand pledg-
ecagainst "the admission Of uny more lave
States;" n. ..r.
To repeal the fugitive slave law;
To abolish the slave trade between the
States;
To prohibit slavery in the District Of Co
lumba;
Torestore the prohibition on Kansas aud
Nebraska; and
TO acquire no more Territory unless sla-
very shall be first prohibited.
This is your creed, authoritatiyely pro-
claimed. TRUST there is to be no evading or
dodglng the Issues mo lowering Of the flag
Let each party stand by it's principles and
the issues as you have presented them ana
We have accepted them. Let US have fair,
bold fight before the people. and then let the