The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-11-18

csnee is already sscribed BY the press Of a
parties, as a statement Of Southern view
and opinions. II gives a brief ststemen
Of the past and q careful estimate of the fu
ture, as affecting the South. Senator Ham
mond has been regarded heretofore as
Disunionist. %hs speech does not justif
such supposiliOn. He speaks of the prin
ciple of the Kansas Nebraska bill as follows
When, four years ago, the Kansas en-
NebrAska Sct was passed, giving Govern
ments to those Territories, wee. like mos
Of you, a private citizen. wac earnestl
engaged in renovsting old lands, and Great
ing new out Of morasses hitherto impenetru
BILE. and | had as little desire or expectation
of ever ogain taking a part in public affairs
as the least ambitious of you here present
! made up my mind then that this bill wa
fraught with delusion and trouble TO thu
South, and so expressed myself on oil suit
able occasions. .r eut
The bill had two leading features in it,
II enacted that erery Territory, in forming
its Constitution for the purpose OF applying
for admission into the Union, should havt
the righI 10 establish its oWn organic or con-
siituiional latcs, and come in ieiih its oton in.
stitutIonS, with the single condition that they
should be republican. Why, unless out
Constitution is mere waste paper, all our in.
stitutions Shams, and our theory Of self.gov.
ernmEnt falluCy, this principle and privl.
ege IL their essence, lies at the bottom cf
the whole, and constitutes the cornerstone.
II was the very right for which our fathers
fought and made revolution. ] might not
have refused to reaffirm it-but il was su.
pererogatory; it might ell weaken the whole
structure TO dig up, for the purpose of veri.
fication, its foundation. ... . .n.st. 5. .r-
The other feature OF the bill was the re.
peal Of the Missouri Compromise line. That
was already repealed. 1t had long fulfilled
its mission. 1t had calmed the troubled wa.
tiers for time. 1t wOs obsolete until the
annexation Of Texas, when we ncceded to
the demand to extend it through the northern
deserts Of that State. But when California
came-California that should have been, and
may yet be, Slave State-and we demand.
ed to extend that line to the Pacific, and
thus secure for the South portion OF the
magnificent territory purchased in part by |
her blood and treasure, it was refused
I'iI>n that line was blotted cut everywhere |
forever. To repeal it was mere Formally.
The Supreme Court had recently pronounced
il unconstitutional, and so the repeal was,
IN no respect, Uf any importance.
But this bill, wi.h these two features,
neither OF them of them OF aEy practical
Importance, mugnified uni exaggerated by
'rators and newspapers intoG great Southern
,ictory, led the Souih into the Gelusion that
Kansas might be made Slave StaIc, and in.
faced it 10 join in false and useless issue,
ohich has kept Me.,ohols country in turmoil
or The tast Jour gears, and gave fresh life G3G
igor TO the Abolition party. !,
On the Lecompton question he says, al
confess my opinion was that the South her
elf should kick that Constitution out OF
congress, but the South thought otherwise"
lie says he preferred the English bill to the
ireen bill; and remarks that upon the ques.
ion Of admitting Slave State, "every mem.
er OF Congress of all parties, first aud last,
ommitted himself to the principle and poll.
y that State should be admitted into the.
Union with or withou. slavery, according to
he will Of it's own people," He denies that
he English bill in SO many words submitted
be Lecompton Constitution to the people,
ut coBcedes that it virtually did go. He
peaks thus of the feeling Of the South us to
)isunion: "7%, .r
will give you frankly and fully the re-.
ults OF my observation and reflection on this
ll.important point. The first question is,
o the people Of the South consider tie present :
nion Of these States as an evil in ITSELF and ,
thing that is desirable Wc should get rid of =
nder all circumstances? There arc some, :
know who do. But am satisfied than on i.
gerwhelming majority OF the South would, - :
assured that this Government was here !
fter to be conducted on the true principles .
nd construction of the Constitution, de. ,
idedly prefer to remain in the Union, rather ,
han to incur the unknown costs and hazards .
{ setting up a separate Government. ,
hink state what is true when say that,
fter all the bitterness that has characterized
ur long warfare, the great body Of the South
m people do not seek dtsunion, and will not
eek it as primary object. however prompt !
ley may accept it as an alternative, rather t
IAN submit to unconstitutional abrdge. :
rents OF their rights.
Mr.. Hammond considers the ascendency
the North established, but that under the ,
lie of the National Democracy, the Free I
tates are to be fully trusted for the protec. r
on of every right Of the South. He repu- ,
ates the revival OF the slave trade. He .
yrees with Mr.. Calhoun that Cuba is for.
dden fruit, unless plucked in the contin-
ency Of war, and that when acquired, it
ould not make Slave States enough to t
lual TO the Free States, and that slavery I
sell has not sure footing on the leland
70 thinks slavery is firmly established and
lnnot be disturbed in the Southern States, {
I'D that the abolition excitement is rapidly
wing away. He closes his speech by ex-
oriiog tho South TO conciliation toward
Northern allies" Statesman.
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The Fate OfMextcO. {
The N. o. Picayune, which is we'll in
rmed in record to Mexican matters. oives