The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-12-24

) take the judiciary systsra nave have form
! ed il; take Il ell as we have hxed II to sui
} ourselves, and ask no queitl6nB; bot vote fo
I Il, Or yon shall not vots either for q sIav,
J or free Ststsi" In other words, the L.
gal effect Of the schedule js this: AL
nose who are in favor OF this Constitution
may vote Tor or against slavery, ss they
pleasei but ell those who are sRainst thil
Constitution are disfranehised, and shall no
vote at all. This Is the mode In which the
slavery proposition is submitted, Every
man opposed to the Constitution is disfi an.
ehised on the slavery clause. How many
are theyl They tellyou there is a msiori.
tJi for they say the Constitution will be
i voted down instantly, by an overwhelming
EWsiothy, IL you allow . negative tote.-
This shows that mGjofity are against it,
They disqualify and Sisfrihshise every msr
who is against j., thus referring the slavery
clause to minority Of the people of Kan.
sas, and Leaving thGt minority free 10 vote
for or sgsinst the slavery clause, as they
choose.
lot mo ask you il that 10 q fair mode oI
submitting the slavery clause! Does that
mode Of submitting that particular clause
leave the people perfectly free to vote for er
against slavery as they chose! Am free
to vote as choose on the slavery question
| il you tell me shall not vote on it until
vote on the Maine liquor law! Am free
to vote on the slavery question, il you tell
me that shall not vote either way until
Fvete for a'banki IL i freedom of election
to make your rishtto vote upon one ques.
ton depend upon the'mode in'whieh you
are sgoihg'to vote on some other question
which has TO connection with ii! lie that
freedom Of electionl Ia that the great fun.
damental principle of self government, for
which we combined and struggled, in this
body, and throughout the country, to, estab
! lith as ruls Of action for diltImel to come Z!
The President 6f the UNITED States has
made some remarks in his message which,
it strikes'f1e, il would be very appropriate to
read in this connection. He saya:
"The friends and Supporters of the Ne.
brassa and ksnsas Act, when struggling on
4 recent occasion to sustain its wise proyi-
sions before the great tribunal OF the Amer.
ican people. 'heVer differed about its true
meaning or this subject. Everywhere
throughout the Union they publicly pledged
their faith and honor that they would cheer.
fully submit the question Of slavery to The
decision Of the bona .fds people of Kansas,
without any restriction or qualification what.
ever. All were cordially united upon the
great doctrine Of popular sovereignty, which
is the vital principle of our free ins,i,u.
tions."
M:rR this:
"Had i, then 'beeh 'insidhatSa, from anv
quarter, thatit w6ula have been a'suficient
compliance with the requisiticns of the or.
ganic law for the members of a Conven.
ton, therefore to be elected, to withhold the
question Of slavery from the people. and to
substitute their own will for that of a Ie.
gally ascertained majority Of their constItu.
ents, this would have been instantly re.
jscted."
Yes, sir, and I will odd further, had il
| been then intimated from any Quarter, and
believed 'by the American people, that we
should have submitted the slavery clause in
such manner as TO compel man to vote
| for that which his 'conscieHce did not ap
prove, in order TO vote on the sItvery clause.
not only would the idea have been rejected.
but the Democratic candidate forthe Presi
dency would have been rejected; and every
man who backed him wCuid have been re-.
jected, too.
Tie President tells US in his message
that the whole party pledged our faith and
our homer that the slavery question should
be submitted to the people without any re.
striction or qualification whatever. Does
this schedule submit it without qualification!
1t qualities it by saying, "You may vote on
slavery il you will vote for the Constitu-
tioa; but you shall not do 30 without doing
that" That is q very fmportant qualifica.
tion-a qualification that controls o mans
vote and his sctidn and his conscience, If he
ls an honest Tnun-a qualification confessed.
iy in violation of our platform. We are
told by the President that our faith snd our
honor are pledged That tile slavery clause
should be submitted without qualification
OF any kind whatever; and now um to be |
called upon to forfeit my faith and INV hon.
or III order to enable q small minority of
the people of Ksnsas to defraud the MAORI.
~ OF that people out Of their elective fran
chise!
Sir, my honor 10 pledged. and before ii
shall be tarnished will tuke whatever con.
sequences personal to myself muy come;
Out never ask me to do an act which The
PRESIDENT, in his message, has said is q fof.
Feiture Of faith. violation of honor. and
hat merely for the expetiency Of saving
he party. / will 60 as far as any of yoS
o save the party. have 90 much heart In .
ne great cause that binds us together as
'atty as shy man living. ! will sacrifice
nything short OF principle and honor forl j
he peace of the party; but il the party will h
'et stand BY its principles, its faith, its
ledges, | will stand there, and abide what.
yer consequences mty result from the DO. b
ition. Let me ask you, why force this d
constitution down the lhroats OF the people J.,
Kansas, in opposition to their wishes, y
nd In violation OF our pledges, What G.
rest OBJECT fs to be attained! Chi bonop C.
What are you 10 gain by lit Will yoti sus. ~
lin the party by violating it's principIes!-l q
10 you propose to keep the psrtv united bv "
'rciDg disisohl Stand by the doctrine u
la' leaves the people perfectly free to form tn
nd regulate their Institutions for them fr
lives m their own wny, and your party will z,
e united and irresistible in power. Abap. =,
On That great principle, and the party is q
OF worth saving, and cannot be saved, ac. OF
'r ltshall be violated. trust we are mot fr
oe rushed upon this Question. WHY shall ar
be done! Who is to be benefitt, d! IA :.
le South to be the gamer! Is the North ~ "
be the gainer! Neither the North nor the cI
oulh has the right to gain a sectional ad. of
lhtoge BY trickery or fraud. But | am be
seched to wsit Until hear from the elec.
on on the 9lst Of December. 7 am toId