The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-10-05
Dividing Lines.

Dividing Lines.
The following article from q leading Re-
publican paper, will give our readers some
idea of the popularity Of the doctrine Of pop.
ulOr sovereignty
Partizsns who indulge in political specu.
istIons that meet the public eye, are in the
habit OF Ossuming that the Republican party.
is in favor OF Congressional Intervention
against slavery in the territories, and that
this is its distinctive principle. Senator
Douglas processes to draw the dividing line
between the Democracy and the Opposition.
lists, so as to leave all who are 10 favor OF the
people OF the territories governing them.
selves on one side, and oil who are in favor
OF Congressional intervention in any form,
with the local institutions of territory, on
the other, A majority of the Republican
leaders are, we believe, willing to accept the
boundary line drawn BY Mr.. Douglas as the
true one' merely changing the phraseoloRy.
The majority of the people, entertaining the
Republican sentiment, who of late years us.
uaI!y vote against the tickets of the Demo.
cratic organization, are. however, we believe,
willing 10 leave the question of slavery ID
the territories to the people thereof, to die.
pose OF according to the best light they may
have as to their interests. We are convinc-
ed that the majority Of those who call them.
selves members of the Republican organiza.
ton, care very little about the Philadelphia
or any other platform. have full confidence
in the ability and good intentions Of the peo.
pie Of the territories, and are willing to trust
them with tho management of their own sf.
fairs. The Republican leaders commit q
great error in endorsing the statement made
by Douglas OF the line Of division between
the Democratic and Republican camps, and
in combating the doctrine Of popular sover.
eighty as in itself humbug and heresy. 1t
Is doctrine that in it's true Coloring and
form will be acceptable to the people and
triumphant in the nstion. We do not be.
leve in it, without reservation, ss Douglas
declares and qualities it, but he is very near
the sound doctrine in that which he says Of
the right Of the people Of the Territories to
self. government. We do not believe II
would be unconstitutional to prohibit slavery
in the Territories, but such prohibition 10
now impracticable. We may theorize %
we please OF the beauties of prohibitory law,
but we have at last in all communities to
trust to the people to deliver themse Ives from
evil. And the history of Caifornia, Oregon
and Kansas, does not seem to place very
dreadful prospect before our Territories, even
II we have TO put up with the sloy processes
OF the deveIopement of the popular will i'm
dlscarding slavery. Ii the people of Ter.
rltory are foolish enough to want slavery, we
are willing they should experiment with it
until they can bear testimony oil its evils
AS we have nothing to fear from error ia
the moral world SO long as truth is free 10
combat it. 80 we have nothing to fear from
slavery IN the Territories, or elsewhere, 50
long as the people are free to do with it AZ
they will. Upon no other platform than one
this fact, will the Republicans
ever succeed in obtaining possession Of the
General Government and pruning the slave
power properly. II the Philadelphi. plat.
form, or its equivalent, is adopted by the next
Republican National Convention, the candi.
dates placed upon it will as certainly be de.
feuted as it is clear to the eye th1t the grass
grows and the waters of the rivers run The
Republicans need not be ofraid Of extrsc,ine
from the she'll in which it is yet lodged, the
kernel of Popular Sovereignty, and appro.
pria,ing it. There is not the slightest prob.
ability that the Charleston Convention will
nominate Senator Douglas on any platform,
or pretend to accept the popular sovereignty
doctrine in its integrity. The true union Of
The Opposition, and the one which oil who
may, should now labor with singleness Of
purpose 10 form is that Of ell the opponents
of the extension OF the institution Of slavery
over more territory, or Of the adventtious
aggrandezement OF its political power. Such
an union would include the rational Ameri-
cans, who have forgotten or are willing to
ignore their proscriptive notions-the Re.
pubIlcaDs, who are not effected with imprac.
lcablelsm, and the Democrats who earnest.
y oelleve in popular sovereignty, and are
willing to oppose the South so far as to in.
''st that the people may exclude slavery
rom all the territories, without any manner
u lntertessnce from the general government.
IN union OF the Opposition SO comprehen.
I'VE as this, would win the next Presidential
'attle, but one less large and liberal would
virtually surrender to the organization in
bower everything at issue. We therefore
protest against the recog nition as even ap.
proxlmately correct, OF the Dividing Line
which Mr.. Douglas has been so obliging ss
o draw between the Democracy end the
Opposition. 1t 10 VIGOROUSLY not the true
Iivid'ng line in the South, and it is demon.
trably not the true one in the North. In
he South the Democracy are-on the side Of
he line where Mr.. Douglas places the"Op.
'osition's!s'" and in the North they, like
many OF their opponents, are scattered. about
Ihe boundaries of organizations, .Oncertsin
where to locate Cincinnati Comamerciai.
-. j n nLIlIis