The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-03-12

faithfully exeeuts the oties Of President ol
the uniied Glaiss, and will 10 The best o
my ability, preserve, protect and defend the
ConslitSiiok OF the United Ststes." In en-
terihe upon thu great once, most humbly
invoke ihe God Of our Fathers for wisdom
and frmness 70 execute lie duties in such
maHdps - ID tesfore harmony and ancien
ffiendshlp among the people Of the severs
9tate$, 1nd 10 preserve our free institutions
fhfeuehcut many generations, conyince'
that owe my election 70 the Inherent love
for the Constitution aud the Union, whiel
still animstes the hearts of the American
people; Jet me earnestly ask their powerfu
support in sustaining all just measures csl
cuified 10 perpctunte these, the richest Po
litical blessings whssh heaven has ever be-
s,oMed upon any nalion. Hsving determln
ed not to become candnste 70: rs eleeton
1hsll baEe no motive to inspenee %!
cohalct ia administering the Govern,2ent'
exseftSh desire, ably and faithfully TO serve
my c66Hfly, and to live in the grateful mem.
ory. ofmy coultymen. We have recently
pGlsed through Presidential contest il
which the passions Of our fellow citizens
were efc!ted to the Highest tegsee by ques-
aS9s Or deep and vial faportauce. But
Whshttne people proclaimed their will, the
tsWnest at Stee slbsided, and al was calm.
Thevoice Of the majority, speaking In the
manner prescribed by the Constitution, wa.
heard, and instant submission followed. Our
own country could alone have exhibited SO
gEspa and striking spectacle ofthe capaci-
~ of fnsn for self.government. What q
happy conception, then, was It for Congress
tbyspply th's simple rule, "that the will oi
the majority shall govern" to the settlement
Of the question Of domestic slavery in the ter
riiories. Congress is neither to "legislate
slavery into any territory, nor to exclude
therefrom," bit to leave the people thereof
perfectly free 10 form aad regulate their do
faesfsc institutions m their own way, subjec,
vhEto The Constitution OF the United States
Al \ hataral consequence Congress has al
90 prescribed thai when the territory of Kan
sas shall be admitted ts State 1t shall be
Received into the Union with or without sIa
vsrt,as their own Constitution may prescribe
at the time Of their admission. "A different
opinion has, arisen in regard 10 the point o.
time when the people Of territory shall
decide the question for themselves. This
10 happily q matter of but little practical i'm.
portsnce, besides II ls 4 jtdhcial question
which legitimately belongs TO the SupFeme
Cotrt of the United States, before whom Il
y ho$ Bending, and wilt L 10 .undefstood,
be speedily and finally settled. To their de.
eSsion, 10 common with oil good citizens, {
thasl cheerf1lly submit, whatever this may
be, though It has ever been my indiyIdaai
opinion tSat, under the Nebraska Kansas
act, the appropriate period will be when the
number of actual residents in the territory
shall justify the. formation OF Constitution
with view to iis admission AZ State fito
abe Union. But be this Ss il may, it Is the
Imperative and indispe nsable duty OF the
Government Of the United States, 10 secure
TO every resident inhabiiant the free and in
dependent expression Of his opinion by his
vote. This sacred right Of each Individual
must be preserved. This being accomplish.
cd, nothing can be fairer than to leave the
people Of a territory free from all foreign in.
reference, to decide their own destiny for
themselves, subject only to the Constitution
Of the United States. The whole Territorial
question being thus settled upon the princi.
pie Of popular sovereignty--a principle as old
.ss ffse government iteelf-everything of a
practical hstire has Been decided. No 9th.
!. sr question remains fol adjustment, because
oil agree thai, uhder the constitution, slavery
In the States Is Beyond the reach Of any hu-
man power except that Of the respective
States themselves wherein it exists. Msy
ws net, then, hope that the long agitation
on this subject is approaching its end, and
thst the geographical parties 10 which 1t has
given birth-so much dreaded by the Father
sf his Country--will speedily become ex.
tinct! Most happy will it be for the country
when the pGblit mind shall be diverted from
this question 10 others Of more pressing and
practical importance. Throughout the
~ hole progtess Of this agitation, which has
scarcely kRown any intermission for more
than twenty Years, whilst it has been pro.
tuetive of no positive good to any human be.
ing, 1t has been the protidc source of great
evils 10 the master, to *lie slave, aud to the
whole country. It has aiienated and es.
tranged the people of sister States from each
other, and has even seriously endangered
the very existence of the Union. Nor has
the danger yet entirely ceased. Under our
system there is semedy for aumere polti.
cal evils ia the sound sense and sdbee fudg-
most Of the people. T.ne Is great correc-
tive. Politscai rhbgects which but few
Years age excited and exasperated the pub
5ie Ahiad, have passed away and arc now
nearly forgotten. But the question Of do.
mestie slavery is OF far greater Importance
than of any mere political tuestiJB, Sccause
should the agitation toatinue 1t may eventu-
ally eudanger tie personal safety Of large
PesFsea 'ot our country men where the insti-
sutiofi exists. In that event no form OF Gov.
Srnment, however admirable in itself, how
Sver productive Of material benefits can
eomPensate fof The less Of peace and domes.
tie security Ground the family altar. Let
Svsry Union -aoviBg man, therefore, exert
IN best influence to suppress this agitation,
.Whichs sitce the recent legislation Of Con-
aress 10 without any legitimate objeet. It
il ali eyil omen of the times that men hsvo
AhdertsKen to calculate the mere materiaI
'yalas of the Union, reasoned estimates have
SSen presented Of the pecuniary profits and
local advantages which would result TO dif-
.fFsSt States a8d sections from its dissoiu.
tion, and of the comparative injuries which
such an event would irfict on otter States
and sections. Even descending to this low
aud narrow view OF the mighty question, al
s5leh calculations are at fault-the bare ref
efence 10 single consideration will be con.
elusive on this point. We at present enjoy
affee trade throughout our extensive and
expanding country such as the world never
Witnessed. This trade is conducted on rail.
soads and canals, on noble rivers and arms
of.the sea, which bind tUgether the North
and the South, the East and che West o.
asr Confederacy. Annihilate this trade, AZ
Fkst its free progress by the geographical
ts,... .f:..lo'.a ~ koss;Ia 9fatas ,od vn,