The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-11
Why was Senator Douglas Excluded
from the Committee on Territories.
LETTER FROM SENATOR DOUGLAS TO CALI
FORNIA.

FORNlA.
To The Editors Of the National, San Francisco, Cali
fornia.
| am Indebted to the kindness of some I'm.
known friend for copy of the National of
the 10th July, containing speech of the
Hon. William NJ. Gwin, at Grass Valley,
with black lines drawn around certain pas
sages, for the purpose, presume, of direct
ing my attention especially to them. Inas.
much as your paper is the medium through
which the assault on the political position
which | have maintained in the Senate, and
before the people of Illinois, was conveyed
to the public, justice requires that you should
publish such reply as my friends in CalifOr
MIA have a right, under the circumstances,
to expect. Hence l address this letter to
you.
After the defeat of the Lecompton Con-
stitution in Congress, and the rejection by
Kansas OF the propositions contained in the
L" English BILL" all who felt deeper inter-
est in the peace and repose of the country
than in the advancement of particular in
dividuals, entertained the hope that the strife
had ended, and instead of new and odious
tests OF political fidelity to distract and d.
vide, we should witness mutual desires and
mutual eXertions to present united Democ-
racy. If this just expectation has been dis.
appointed and the Democratic party, bur.
dened with new tests and demoraized by
selfish rivalries and dissensons, have been
defeated in States where they should and
otherwise might have been successful, the
responsibility must rest upon those who pro-
duced the unfortunate results. | shall not
follow the example Of these disturbers of
Democratic harmony by reviving past issues
and indulging in examinations and recrimi-
nations nor shall l stop to defend my &C
ton on the LecOmptOn question from their
assaults. l am entirely content to rest my
vindication on the verdict which the people
of Illinois have already recorded, and trust to
that enlightened public opinion of the whole
country which will, sooner or later, declare
with emphasis and power that no constitu-
ton or institution should ever be forced up
on reluctant people, whether State or Ter
ritory.
Passing from his review of the Lecompton
issue, Mr.. Gwin said in his speech'at Grass
Valley:
''Near the close of the last session of Con-
gress, debate was sprung upon the Senate up
on the question of Territorial sovereignty. We
had long expected such discussion, because
it was the duty of Mr. Douglas to give his rea-
sons to the Senate and to the country for the
line of policy he had considered it his duty to
adopt in the Senatorial canvass in Illinois. The
doctrines he had avowed in his Freeport speech
had been condemned in the Senate by his reno.
val from the Craftsmanship of the Territorial
Committee of that body. and it was expected
I, Ia fhn ho hoA falyo
and give ample time to those who differed from
him to give the reasons that had Influenced
them in removing him from that important pO'
stion at the head of the TerritOr al Committee
he had filled for so many years in the Senate.
But for reasons satisfactory to himself. he did
not address the,Senate until near the close OF
the session, when there was no time to give the
subject that full consideration it deserved. He
had asserted in his Freeport speech that a Ter
ritoral Legislature could lawfully by non action
or hostile legislation exclude Slavery from such
Territory. Having always opposed this doc
trine, briefly announced my previous opinions
and declared that if such construction had been
given to the Kansas Nebraska act when it was
nnder consideration in Congress in 1854.
should have voted against it,
Why Was it the duty OF Mr.. Douglas
to give his reasons to the Senate, and to the
country for the line of policy he had con-
sidered it his duty to adopt in the Senatorial
canvass in Illinois ~ | had already given
my reasons" at Freeport, and at more
than a hundred places during the canvass
aud had been triumphantly sustained by the
voice of the people and the vote of the Leg
isature, against the combined forces of the
Black Republicans and Federal Office
holders, and their allies and supporters il
and out of the Senate. Why, repeat, was
it my duty to give my reasons to the Senate
The Senate is not my constituency. | an
not responsible to the Senate, nor did any
Senator venture to demand reasons for the
line OF policy which have felt it my duty
to pursue at home, in a State canvass
But, if it Were my duty, as Mr.. Gwir
states, to give my u" Reasons to the Senate
for the course which | pursued in the can
vass, it necessarily follows, that it was tht
duty of the Senate to hear them before they
proceeded, as he alleges, to condemn me by
my removal, during my absence, from thu
Craftsmanship of Territories, which l have
held for eleven years, and TO which wa
reelected after my speecs against the Lee
compton Constitution.
The country is noW Informed. far the frs
time that was removed from the post q
Chairman of the Committee on Territories
because OF the sentiments contained in my
Freeport speech" To use the language
of Mr.. Gwin, THE DOCTRINES HE Hal
AvowED IN HIS FREEPORT SPEECH HAD BEEs
coND EMNED IN THE SENATE, by his remova
from the Craftsmanship of the Territorial
Committee of that body. The country will
bear in mind this testimony, that Was no
haa g., nplr
or no stility nor in consequence of m
oourca IN tho Toconptop pupctlOn Or II