The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-11-18
fMe Portlge S,s.ineI :

pleasure
To the Editor ofthe Por,lge Sa!ine':
Some of your Democratic friends wor
much surprised to observe, in ycur las
weeks issue, that you charge President Blu
chanun with having "repudated the Demo
cratic Cincinnati Platform" and thereb
"blighted the prospects Of the Democracy,
and further that "the people have repudate
Buchanan"
wish, through the same medium, to ex
press my dissent from your said avermeHtE
and venture to do so for myself, and also
for respectable portion Of the Democrat'
ofthis county, of whose opinions an in.
formed.
Indeed, we think We lnov, that President
Buchanan is true to the Platform, to the
party, and to the country. and we have seen
no evidence that the people have repudiated
him nor do we think the prospects of the
Democracy are blighted, as evinced by the
late election results.
That President Buchanan has not rcpudi.
ated the Democratic Platform we think may
be easily proven, and il it were deemed prof.
table to resuscitate ga dead issue" we might
offer to prove it to your readers. And we
do not conceive that the people can be said
to have repudated the President, while in
so many OF the States, the Democratic vote
has been constantly increasing since 1866,
when his majority over Fremont was over
hall q million.
will instance q few States.
In Ohio, the opposition majority of the
popular vote, Of oil hues, in 1856, was a..
74S. That is now reduced to about &c, 900.
In New York, the opposition majority in
1856, was 3,494, which is now reduced to
q few thousand not yet exactly Oscertsincd.
In Michigan, the opposition majority in
1856, was about $4,000, which Is now reduc
ed to about 5000.
True, the ever changeable vote OF Penn.
sylyania has run wild, as it has frequently
done before which we now ascribe to the
evil influence OF the sore head friend ofI
Douglas, J. w. Forney aud his Press, locat.
ed in the nest Of the old defunct bank. But
we hare some II reliable Democratic States
for 1860, and several expected. So where.
in are our prospects bIigbted ! >
II cannot be denied that the admin istra.
tion of James Buchanan has thus far been |
eminenty successful, in view Of the Difficult
ties with which it has been environed, ond !
which have BEEN settled to general satisfac.
ton.
Respectfully, your Democratic friend,
D. JOHN HARMON.
We have nothing to take back. We did
say thst, in his settlement of the Kansas
difficulty, the President repudiated the Gin.
cinnati Platform, and we still adhere to it.
We have no desire to widen The breach now,
unhapPiy, existing between the Administra.
tion and majority Of the Democratic party,
but we must be allowed to call the attention
Of our friend to few facts.
In 1856. the Democracy met in National
Convention II Cincinnati, and adopted
platform Of principles which in accordance
with the usages of the party, were to be
their political rule of faith until the assem-.
bling Of the next National Convention. 10
that Platform was the following:
Resolved, That We recognize the righ, of
the people Of ell the Territories, including
nd Mnh oIa kL Al
legally and fairly expressed will of ma.
Jority OF actual residents, and whenever the
number OF their inhabitants justiies il, to
form constitution, with or withou, domes.
tic slavery, and be admitted into the Union
upon terms of perfect equality with the 9th.
er States"
During the Presidential campaign, It was
proclaimed by the Democracy, In the
speeches Of their orators and in the writings
OF their newspaper editors, that the doctrine
OF the party on The Kansas question was
contained in this resolution. 1t was every.
where Understood that, so far as the Demo.
cratic party was concerned, the people of
Kansas might, or might not, have slavery
existing among them when they become the
Inhabitants of a State-that if they choose
10 adopt Pro.slavery or Free State Con.
stitution, which was their act and deed, and
in accordance with the Constitution OF the
United States, they should, in either case,
be admitted Mr.. Buchanan, in his letter of
acceptance, boldly expoundsd it SO, in these
words ...
"The recent Legislation Of Congress re.
specting domestic slavery, derived, as it has
been, from the original and pure fountain Of
legitimate power-the will OF the majority
ere long, TO allay the dangerous
excitement. This legislation is founded up.
on principles us ancient as free government
i'self, and in accordance with them has sim.
ply declared that the people of Q Tsrrttorv,
Ike those of State. shall decide for them.
seires Whethsr slavery shcH or shall not srist
within their limits. The Nebraska.K .K ansas
act does no more than give the force of law
to this elementary principle OF self.goyern.
ment: declaring it to be 'ihe true in Ten and
meaHing of this act not TO lepislate slavery
into any Territory or State, nor to exclude
il thersfrom /; but to leave the people there.
Of perfectly free TO form and regulate tbei,
domestic Institutions in their own way. sui.
j>ct only to the Constitution of the United
States.' THIS PRINCIPLE WILL SURELY NOT
EE cosTRovERTED by any individual OF nnv
marty nrOfesein0 devutinn fo non,,l.. ,,o.n..s .