The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-05-30


Cass made similar statement. Mr.. Puga
read extracts from Mr.. Davis speech at the
time against the BILL Thus it will be seen
the Senator from Mississippi objected to the
bill because it did not contain prohibition
in the Territory against their legislating ad.
versely to slavery. He wished the Terri.
torial Legislature to have power to protect
but not to prohibit. That was his position,
and he (Douglas) gave him credit for con-
sistency. He (Mr. Douglas) wished to give
the Territorial Legislature power to legis
late, leaving all kinds Of property on an
equal footing; but the Senator from Missis.
sippi desired an exception as to slavery, to
the effect that they might protect, but should
not adopt unfriendly legislation. Mr..
Pugh then read Mr.. Clay's reply to Mr.. Da
wis., There it will be found that the issue
was made between Mr.. Clay and the Sena-
tor from Mississippi, the latter claiming that
Congress should provide for the STAKEHOLDER
to go into the Territory, and hold his prop.
erty in defiance Of the local law. Mr.. Clay
said he wouldn never agree to the recommends.
alton Of such doctrine. He was against
the repeal Of the Mexican laws against Sa-
very, and was against any act that would de-
prive the people OF the Territory Of the right
of deciding for themselves whether they
would have Slavery or not. In other words
Mr.. Clay supported and sustained every &C,
which the Senator from Mississippi brings
in judgment against me now, except one
vote which gave under instructions. This
debate shows clearly that the Compromise
measures Of 1850 were intended to assert
the doctrine of non intervention leaving the
people to do as they pleased, SO they did not
violate the Constitution.
Mr.. Pugh read further from the debates
Mr.. Douglas proceeded These extracts
will show that the issue was precisely as |
have stated. Mr.. Clay answered the obiec-
tion about there being two constructions to
this doctrine Of non.intervention. He was
for non-ntervention by Congress, and NO
restriction upon the Territorial Legislature e,
then leaving it to the Court to decide wheth
er the Territorial enactments were constilu
tional or not. That was the position o
Mr.. Clay, the champion of those measures
The Senator from Mississippi asserted hi:
right to go, in violation of the local law
The Senator modified his amendment, but
did not change the principle, aud it was re-
jected. Then Mr.. Chase offered the counter
part, that while the Territories might pro-
hibit they could not protect or tolerate
That was rejected by precisely the sumo
number of votes as the proposition of the
Senator from Mississippi. am compelled
to do in this connection something | dis
like,t quote from my own speech, to show
| held the same position then as now.
| Mr.. Pugh read extracts from the speech
es OF Mr.. Douglas, and also extracts from
the speech Of Gen. Cass, in opposition tt
the amendments OF Messrs. Davis an,
Chase.
Mr.. Douglas resumed. Having thus re.
jected the two propositions, the record sho w
that moved to strike out all in the bill con
cerning s lavery, so the people of the Ter
ritory might do as they pleased. That wa
voted down. But when made subscquen tly
at the suggestion Of Mr.. Cluy, by MIR. N or
ris, of New Hampshire, it was carried by
vote Of 80 to 10 thus rejecting the doctrine
of the Senator from Mississippi, and sustain
ing the proposition advocated by myself
We differed then as we do now, sustained
it then as do now; and he fought it gallant
ly, but he was defeated, and my propustio,
| became the basis of these measures. Con
gress adjourned Immediately after the pas
sage of those measures, in the midst of
terrific excitement, North and South
Northern editors nhameG the passions O
the people by making them believe thes
measures were for the extension of slavery
and Southern men infamed the passions O
the people there, making them think the,
were sacific9 of Southern honor. | wen
| 70 lyo
my people. The country knows that histo
ry as recorded, and the mode in which wa
received. The City Council of Chicago
which was filled with Aboitionists, ha
passed resolutions annuling the Fugitiv
Slave Law. The standard of rebellion wa
raised. public passion was infamed, on
civil war was anticipated by every man.
was not pleasant task for me to go into
public meeting thus inAamed, and tell thos
people that they had been deceived abou
the character OF these measures; to te
them that the Fugitive Slave Law was righ
, required by the Constitution, and ought I
be supported; that the Compromise meas
ures were founded upon correct principles
Hist ory records the fact that met that r
furiated popuace OF honest and intslligen
: but misled and misguided men, and defent
8 ed each and every one of these measure
d before that people, and procured from theI
resolution that the Fugitive Slave La
g should be executed, and the Compromis
measures stand. This was done under ci
} cumstances when my best friends warns
me that my life would pay the forfeit.
Mr.. Pug II read from Mr.. Douglas Chicae
0 speech.
( Mr.. Douglas-I submit that that speecl
= made under those circumstances, ha!f mi
D lion copies of which were circulated, on
!, which received wider circulation than an
speech made in my whole life-[ subm
o whether it is right to charge me with bavin
: asserted for the first time at Freeport
: 1868, that the people Of Territory ought
/ decide this question for themselves. to
!. the people of Chicago then, that every PEI
# Pile ought to possess the right to manae
|, their own domestic concerns, in their oW
:. way. The people of the State possesst
e the power, and the people of the Territo
d ought to have it. The Legislature of Ill
6 nois was elected few weeks afterward
h and when they assembled they passed res
II lutions approving those Compromise mea
J. ures of 1850. Thus, Sir, was sustain'
d in my appeal to my own people, in justiic
e ton of my position. And the views of Il
n Senator from Mississippi-how was it wi
his appeal to his people ! The country b
" not forgotten, and will not forget, with VIII
;. anxiety all Americans looked to Mississippi
e Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina
9 know whether or not these submissions
II were to be sustained and the Union save
d or whether the idea then proclaimed al
" now held by the Senator from Mississip
d would become the rule Of action in Il
n Southern States. ! knew not what
:. meant, but the country believed that the ia
e of the Union depended on the result in tho