The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-08-17
THE JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRAT.
Mr.. Douglas, Proposed sedition Law.

Mr.. Douglas Proposed oeultion Law
MIR. Douglas. the soif.stylod friend of pop
ular government, attempted, during the last
session of Congress, to regain the lost con-
Ndonco of tho South by proposing new
Sedition Law. No other Senator would
have had the auducity to come forward with
proposal so Infamous; but that no should
do so. surprises no one. The object OF this
new Sodition Law is best stated in his own
words:
"Mr. President, the mode Of preserving
peace is plain. This system of sectional
warfare must cease. The Constitution
has given the power, and all we ask Of
Congress is to- give US the means and we,
BY INDICTMENTS AND CONVIC-
TlONS IN THE FEDERAL COURTS
OF THE SEVERAL STATES, WILL
MAKE SUCH EXAMPLES OF TIE
LEADERS OF THESE CONSPIRA.
CIES AS WILL STRIKE TERROR
INTO. TIE HEARTS OF THE 9TH.
ERS, and there will be an end OF this
crusade. The great principle that under:
/ lies the organic ,ton of the Republican
party is violent, irrrconcilable, eternal
warfare upon tile institution of American
Slavery, with view to its ultimate cx.
linclion throughout the land. Sir, con.
fess the object Of the legislation con,
template is 10 PUT DOWN this outside
interference IL is to ,epreSS the ire
ressiJ!s conflict
Tho Albany ErcMing JouradL places the
above extract from MIR Douglas speech, and
the following from the old Sedition Law,
side by sido that the resemblance between
them may be moro apparent
"And be il further enacted, That if
any person shall write, print, utter or
publish, or shall cause or procure TO be
written, printed, uttered or published, or
shall knowingly and willingly assist or aid
in writing, printing. utering or publishing
any fai,e ,scandalous aid malicious writing
or writings against the Government Of the
United States, or either House OF Congress
of The United States, or the President OF
the United States, with intent 10 dcfame
the said Government, or either House Of
the Congress or the said President, or TO
bring them, or either Of them, into con-
tempt or disrcpute or TO cIcite against
Hem, or either or ony Y them, the h0tred
Of tie good people of tie United 81 tes. or
to stir up Sedition aOithin the United .Stotes;
or 10 ercite any uniaagfM combinations
therein, for opposing or resisting any lar
Of the United States, or any act Of the
President OF the United States done in
pursuance Of any such law, or Of the
powers in him vested by the Constitution
Of the United States, then such person,
being thereof convicted before any court
OF the United States having jurisdiction
thereof, shall be punished by fine not
exceeding two thousand dollars, and by
Imprisonment not exceeding two years"
Tho journal says with truth:
In ono respect his Mr. Douglas imita
tation was even worse than tho original.
Tho proposers of tho first Law had at ieast
tho excuse that they wore, as they supposed.
defending FREQ Government, bv harsh
means. Mr.. Douglas Sedition Law. while
equally harsh, had no object but to defend
and perpotuate the Ins,itution of Slavery
~ ~
OF course in this procedure Mr. Douglas
had his party a: his back. In order 70 test
and limit plainly tho intent of tho moro
mont, Senator Harlan. of Iowa, offered as
an amendment tho following proviso:
But the FREQ discussion of tho moralitV
and cxpedcncy OF Slavery should never be-
interfered with by tho laws of any State or
the United States and III, Crreiom fspsrch
and Of the press, on this and every utjccr
of domestic and national policy. should bc
mdiMidined nrioidte in all tho Stntos'
This amendment was rjScicd-tbo Ro
publicans present all voting for it. and all
The Democrats present voting against it |!
Tho party thus placed itself on record in
the Senate us tho opponent of freedom OF
speech"
Democrats, who havo denounced tho old
Sediton Law as dospotic and unconstitu-
tional, would do we'll to consider whether
such n law would be moro acceptable to the
people now than in 1898; under Stephen
A. Donglas than under John Adams; and
with the extension and perpetuaton of
Human Slavery than with the maintenance
of tho doctrines of Federalism for its object