, 1858-02-19
senator Douglas.

best political offering we could lay before
our readers to-day. Assailed as he is, rear
and faux, it is proud spectacle to see
how boldly and how bravely he bears him
self. One would suppose, from the manner
in which he is attacked and misrepresented,
that he was advocating some monstrous
treason-some revolutionary dogma. 1t is
almost inceivable that, for simply standing
forth as the champion of the right of the
people to manage their own affairs-as the
defender of the will Of the majority "-he
should be traduced by men calling them
selves Democrats, and consigned TO doom
reserved for deserters only. 1t is, however,
q great satisfaction to the friends Of Sena-
tor Douglas and to the great cause Of
which be is the embodiment, that he speaks
FOR THE rEoPLE-FoR THE NAss-for those
who, unawed by denunciation, and unse-
duced by ambition, dare to speak out their
honest feelings, utterly regardless of conse.
quences:
REMARKS OF SENATOR DOUGLAS,
IN RxPLY TO THE SPEECH OF SENATOR FITCH, IN SEN.
ATE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. %, 1857.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Mr.. President, l ask
pardon of the Senator from Michigan foE
occupying few moments of the time prop
erly belonging TO him. | regret that, as
the Senator from Indiana spoke by the
courtesy Of the Senator from Michigan, he
should have deemed it necessary TO say
anything that demanded a reply from me
at the expense of the Senator who is enti-
tied 10 the floor. / understand the Sena-
tors argument tor rest upon the proposition,
which he argues at some length, that the
object, the only object, of that portion Of
tho Kansas-Nebraska bill which repealed
the Missouri restriction was to place the
slavery question on the same footing with
each and every other local and domestic
question, as had been done from the begin.
ming Of the Government. do not misun-
derstand him on that point.
Mr.. FrcH. No, sir.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. l am glad to find that
on the very basis Of his argument he and |
agree. 1t was the object of the repeating
the Missouri Compromise, to put the slavery
question on the same footing with each and
every other domestic question in the Terri.
tories and new States that is, to leave
the people peyfectly free to form and regu-
late all their domestic institutions, slavery
included, to suit themselves. On this
point, however, be differs with the Presi-
dent Of the United States for the Presi-
dent tells us that the object was to make
slavery an exception and submit that by
itself, but not submit the other questions.
l was sorry to see the Senator taking
issue with the President of the United
States upon a question Of that kind, and,
at the same time, arraigning me for having
done the same thing. The whole head and
front Of my offending consists in the fact,
that l dissented from that part Of the
Presidents message which declared that
the slavery question was an exception, and
argued to prove that the object of tn
Kansas-Nebraska bill was to exclude that
exception and put the slavery question on
the same footing with every other question
which was local and not national, State
and not Federal The Senator from Indi-
ana now agrees with me that the President
was wrong in that part of his message,
and that was right. There is no avoid
ing this conclusion. He repeated the
proposition dozen times in the course Of
bis speech. am glad to find that he and
l agree thus far hope he will not con-
slider that he is outside the pale of q
healthy organization ; that he is abandon
ing the President, aud engaging in an am
bilious scheme to break down the Admin
istration, because he differs with the Presi-
dent on the same point that do.
He says have come out in favor Of a
general rule, novel in the history of the
Government, that, hereafter, every Consti-
tuition formed by new State coming into
the Union must be submitted to the people
before it is sent here. The Senator argues
against the general rule as being novel
and revolutionary principle, which ought
not TO be fastened on the country at this
day. Has he read the Presidents message
on that point In the message the Presi-
dent Of the United States tells US that the
example Of Minnesota bill, in requiring the
Constitution 10 be submitted to the people,
is noble example, and should be followed
in all cases hereafter to arise. The Sena.
tor is arraigning the general rule of the
President in regard to the submission oI
Constitutions to the people for ratification.
l stand with the President in behalf of that
general rule.
am little at loss to see upon what
ground it is that the Senator utters vague
nuendoes about men putting themselves in
factious position towards the party, divi
ding and distracting its councils to such an
extent that they ought to be considered
outside of the party. He differs with the
President on two points on one. The
President says the slavery question is treat
ed by the Kausas-Nebraska bill as an ex
ceptiOn. The Senator says that by that
bill, and 10y the Cincinnati platform, the