The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-01-25
From the National JDtelligencer, Jan. 13
COnETeSS-YeStGrday.

In the Senste the resolution introduced b,
Mr.. Pugh, instructing the Committee on tn,
Judciary to inquire into the expediency o
repeating so mitch Of the acts organ zing tn,
Territories OF Utah and New Mexico as re-
quires that the laws of their Legislatures
shall be subject to approval by Congress
was the order OF the day.
Mr.. Pugh, resumng the speech which he
had begun on the previous day, review ed the
terms OF the Kansas Nebraska bill, which
out of oil other Territorial acts, had been
selected by the Democracy assembled in tie
Cincinnati Convention as the standard of the
Democratic faith in relation to the govern.
ment Of the public domain. Tint bill con.
tained provision introduced for the express
purpose of testing the power Of Territorial
Legislature, under the Constitution of the
United States, to establish or prohibit slave.
ry for it was provided that in all cases in.
volving the tenure Of slave property on ap.
peal might be tuken to the Supreme Court,
even though the property were OF less value
than two thousand dollars. No issue such
as was thus contemplated had yet been made
before the Federal Judiciary, os this poin,
was.not involved inthe Dred Scott decision.
Whenever such on issue should be Joined, he
did not doubt the Supreme Court would de.
eide in favor OF the power of the people OF a
Territory to establish or prohibit slavery {;
but if their decision should be adverse to his
convictions, he would bow to the udiudica.
ton OF the Court as loyal citizen.
Mr.. Pugh then entered into an elaborate
analysis of the Dred Scott decision, which
he said he had carefully read five times, for
the purpose OF aScertaning the points really
decided by the Court This portion of his
remarks was read by the speaker from man.
uscript, that he might attain legal precision
10 his resume OF this celebrated case. He
next proceeded 10 answer 10 detail the posi-.
tions taken by Mr.. Green, and vndicated the
Consistency with which he had advocated his
present opinions in relation to the power OF
the people Of Territory to establish or pro
hibit slavery. He had uniformly denied the
power OF Congress to 60 the one or the 9TH
er, as he held that it was subject rghtfui!y
belonging to the people to regulate for them
selves, in their own way. The present feud
IN the Democracy and the discussion TO
which il had led were not of his origination
or OF his seeking. II had been thrust into
Congress BY Southern Senators, who hae
assumed the prer0gstive OF catechisino
Northern Democrats in regard to their DO
Iitical soundness. When thus arraigued the
Northern Democrats had no other alternative
than to defend themselves from uniounded
imputations, and BY SO doing to maintain
their political integrity. He had been al
ready commissioned by the Democracy of
Ohio as Delegate to the Charleston Con.
venlion, and he should attendthat Conyen.
ton in order to reset the Interpolation of q
new creed into the Democratic confession of
faith, and it remained for the Southern Dem.
ocrats to decide whether their Northern al.
lies should continue in confederation with
them, or whether the entire people of the
North should be compelled to believe that
the Southern Democracy were false to their
plghted faith.
During the delivery of Mr.. Pugh's remarks
there were frequent interruptions, which
sometimes led to desuItory but animated
episodes involving matters of q partly Der.
sonal and partly political character. These
interpretations were participated in BY
Messrs. Green, Davis, Clay, Gwin, and 9th.
e's on the one side, and by Mr.. Douglas on
the otber-the subject of debate pertaining
mainly to the relative consistency of those
who now bold and Of those who deny the
power OF the people of Territory to estab.
iish or prohibit slavery. The causes which
had brought about the removal of Senator
Douglas from the chairmanship Of the Com
mittee on Territories were also passed in
review, and the political significance of ths,
act was differently appreciated. Al the
conclusion Of the Discussion the Senate nd.
iourned till Monday next.