The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-02-24
Correspondence Of the Ohio Statesman:
Oregon was not Slaughtered
REPUBLICAN SLABS.
Ohio Republicanism Voting Against q
Free State.
WASHINGTON, Feb. u, 1859.

WASHINGTON, Feb. u, 1859.
EprToR When closed nv
letter on Saturday, the vote on Oregon had
not been taken. The House was in an in
tense excitement. The galleries were
crowded. The Americans ard Republicans
ioined teams and with the aid and comfort
of few extreme fire. eaters, made every dill.
atory effort, and every side cut in the shape
Of ame ndments, to strike down this free
State. Every ear was audient TO catch the
vote on the several amendments. The
crowd in the gallery were intensely anxious
for Orcgon's admission. The Republicans
were evidently asho med OF their despicable
strategy. It leaked out that the death of
Oregon was essential to Stewards aspirations
for the Presidency. He did not want one
more Democratic State whose vote in the
House, In case the election happens to go
there, would help make Democratic Ex.
ecutive. Hence the virulence and bitterness
of the Republican fight. Hence their zeal
in pressing their negro equality doctrines on
the House. Oh how they argued against
the inhumanity, injustice and unconstilution-
ality of the clause in the Oregon Constitu.
ton, which kept out free negroes. Bingham
made faces and sweat and appealed to the
God Of the Revolution, and the spirits OF just
men made perfect, and played on the harp
Of thousand strings to keep out State,
which allowed White Germans and Irish who
had declared their Intention Of being citizens,
to vote, and which dsallowed the black per.
cons from becoming residents and citizens.
Republicans were especially eloquent, be-
cause the African was not allowed to sue in
the Oregon courts ; a penalty provided SO as
effectually TO keep them cut.
a few hot heads from the South opposed
Oregon, because they apprehended she haC
not population enough. Bot they were con.
tent, without speaking, to cast silent vote
They were very few. 1t wGs reserved, how.
ever, for such noble Democratic men as rep
resent Georgia, Kentucky, louisiana, Vir
ginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Mississippi
Delaware and Missouri TO come up in body
for Oregon. Alabama, South Carolina ant
few straggers from other States vote,
against her. Stevenson, of Kentucky, ant
Stephens, of Georgia, led the array, which
made the good fight. / do not think, in thu
history OF legislation here, that there wa
ever SO impressive and eloquent speech al
that made by Stephens, Of Georgia, for thi.
free State. He was repeatedly cheered BY
spontaneous ou,bursts !! The appenlo Gen
Joe Lane for the State he had nursed as
mother does her child, was touching, beau
tiful and impressive but it had not the hig
order of forensic oratory which Stephen
displayed. His speech is not reported il
this mornings Globe, but it will be reporte
to morrow. shall make some extract
from it, to show how a Southern Democrat
full of the doctrine of popular sovereignty
| pleads for free State, fairly made.
come to the voting and there you hav
picture Every vote for an umendmen
was dirk thrust at tho sovereignty an
welcome of free State. The motion to la
the whole subject on the table was motto
to okil the bill. On this vote, the Ohio mem
! bcrs voted thus