The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-12-12
SPEECH OF JUICE DyUGLAs.

In reply, Judge Douglas sold:
Mr.. Ennis, tender to YOU, and through
you to those you represent, my sincere
thanks for this expression of your respect
To be thus welcomed on my arrival by SC
large a number Of citizens Of Washington
on such cold and dreary nisht as. this, is a
compliment of which eny man might well
be proud. 1t is true that have lived among
you during the sessions Of Congress or sew.
enteen years, and have exchanged with you
and received from you acs OF kindness which
remain fresh in my heart, and will ALWAYS
be cherished with pleasure. [Ch9ers1 To
be thus received by those WHO know me
best, and who have been personal witresses
OF the mode in which have heretofore dis.
charged my public dutics, fully sppreci .te,
and it inspires me with renewed energy 10
! fulfil thoee Of the future. Cheers !
1t is true, as you have s4id, that irom the
time the canvass opened was actively On.
gagged in the vindicaiion of those great con
stiluiional principles upon which | believe
this Union depends, and was nble 10 sv3w
my sentiments in the same terms in the
North and in the South, in the East and in
the Wett-irom Bangor, Maine, TO Jefferson
City, in Missouri, and from the lakes to The
Gulf Of MeXico. [Cheers So long as we
live under CoHstituti which ia the 90
prems law Of all the States, it ought to be
administered in such m3nner as to imDart
equal rights, cqu9l justice, ond cqusl pro,ee
ton to the citizens OF oil the States -
["Nhat's right" and cheer-] | hold that
the Integrity and perpetuiiy OF this Renubic
depend upon maint lining on the slavery
question that great principle of non.iH,er.
vention hlch says to every people, regulate
ycur own domestic affairs in yonr own way,
subject only to the Constitution OF tho Uni.
ted States. + Good" ard cheers This
vcxcd question OF slavery existed when our
!stbers framed the Constitution, as we'll as
now; and if we only carry out the principle
upon which they made the Government, we
can preserve the Union, and transmit it to
cur latest postefiy. God bless you, aud
cheers The Federal Government mus,
never Interfere with the question OF Slavery
anywhere except to perform its constitution
al obligation by returning fugilives when
they escape from their masters. T"Go0t.'
and checrs] That obligation to turn uyi
tive slaves is incorporated in the Coastuu
ton, and is bi dag upon the con4cience md
the parIot'sh oi every good cllizeU.--
l"That's it," and loud oppIause.1 Il the
doctrine OF n-iHterterence BY the Fed,rnl
Government bgd been a;rv rred out, and
the fugitive slave law been honestly obeyed,
in my opinion, this Republic would not now
be in peril. ["You're right" and cheers.
| have still hope, aud will cling 10 that
hope with the tensciIy of lie, lh5t the PIT.
rio,l:m OF the people will yet save this
country from the dangers which environ it.
Loud cbcetS
read in the cars the other day, on nv
way to this city, the patriotic and eloquent
speech Of the gallant Stephens of Georgia.
"HurFah for DougOs and Stephens" and
long continued spplnuse,] and that speech
inspired me with the hope that there was
still virtue enough left to save the Union
[Cheers. | endorse heartily the prouosi.
tions which he submits as basis OF adinst
ment. "Good,' and cheers1 The Geor.
gia platform, upon which he plants himself,
provIdes--h first, that as fundamental prin.
cipe OF justice aad Constitutional law, no
new State shall he ex uded bee puse shp ha
o'o'C'J !" ""' N"he'NulluUs second. that the
Wilmot provisO shall not be applied TO snv
OF the Territories Of the United State. and
third, that Congress shall never interfere
with the slave trade between the States.
fourth, that Congress shall pass no laws in
the District OF Columbia which will eodsn.
ger the peace and safety o: the slave hold.
ing States; and Fl tb, that Congress shall
never pass any law repeating or imparing the
etficiecy Of the fugitive slave law. G"Good.'
and cheers.
These five propositions embraced all ths
Georgia asked, a II thoLt Southern State,
demanded, in the great contest o: 1850 81
| think they were just then, and believe
that the patriotism OF this country, NORTH
and South, will rally upon them now.-
[Cheers.
Mr.. Stephens adds sixth proposition, I,
the effect that oil State Legislation which
throws obstruction in the way of the faith
ful execution of the fugitive slave law. shsl
be removed. think these laws ought Il
bepealed, and furthermore that thew neve,
should have been placed upon the statute.
books Of any State OF this Union. Cheers.
The Constitution declares that fugitive
slaves shall be delivered up. The Suprs ut