The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-05-30
GREAT SPEECH
HON. STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS,
ON THE

HON. STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS,
ON THE
JEFF. DAVIS RESoL LurloNS.
Delivered in the U. S. Senate, Mcy l6, 1860.
Mr.. Douglas, Of Illinois, em.)-Mr.
President, have no respect for that species
of discussion which consists In assaults upon
the personal character of any Senator. /
have no desire to elevate my own position
by attempting to pull down others, or TO
place any Senator in false position before
his constituents. / have no assaults to
make upon any one, and no impeachment Of
any mans record. am willing that each
Senator should stand before the country, and
his own constituency, upon the record as
made for himself. do not complain OF go
much of the speech of the Senator from
Mississippi (Mr. Davis) as arraigns my po-
litical position, for 1t seems to have been
necessary for him to draw parallel between
his opinions and my own. In self defence,
it may be necessary for me also to refer to
the position of that Senator, by way Of con.
trast to my own, with view to illustrate
nv own opinions. shall not indulge to.
day in the discussion of any abstract theory
of Government, much less enter into the
discussion of the legal issue which has lately
been attempted to be forced on the Demo.
cratic Party as a political issue. Upon
former occasion, when forced into discus
sion with the Attorney. General Of the Uni
ted States, did amuse myself, with the dis.
cussion OF certain legal propositions, not be.
cause they had anything to do with the po.
litical issues before the country, but because
that law officer seemed to have no official
duties to occupy his time, and l had the
leisure to reply to him. The principal points
10 which shall direct my remarks to-day,
and the sole cause why am delivering any
speech, will be found in certain extracts
from the speech Of the Senator from Missis.
sippi. (Davis.)
The Clerk read several extracts from Mr..
Davis speech, few days since, denouncing
the doctrine of Squatter Sovereignty.
Mr.. Davis, of Mississippi, (Dem.) made
an explanation, to the effect that had he
known, he might have made some verbal
correction, and also stating that Mr.. Csss
was no longer a believer in the doctrine
but had yielded to the decision OF the Su'
preme Court.
Mr.. Douglas stated that he had taken the
speech as he found it in the Globe, and wish
ed 1t understood that he desired not to be
interrupted, and continued: | intend ia
treat him (Mr. Davis) fairly and kindly, as
doubt not it has been his intention to treat
me. The facts stated in these extracts con-
clusivelv show that this doctrine OF SquatteT
Sovereignty, or Popular Sovereignty, OF
non.ntervention, as the Senator has indit.
ferently used the terms, did not originate
with me in its application to the Territories
Of the United States, but tha! it was distinct
ly proclaimed by Gen. Cuss in his Nicholson
letter. He became the nominee OF the De-
mocratic Party, with a full knowledge o.
his opinions with regard to non.interventlor
and WINS supported by that party on that ls
sue. The same doctrine was incorporated
into the Compromise measures OF 1900, ir
opposition to the efforts of the Senator IRON
Mississippi, end in harmony with the views
and efforts of myself, and re affirmed by tht
Convention in 1852; and Gen. Pierce wal
elected President OF the United States upoI
this same doctrine, and it was again bttlrme'
by the Congress OF the United States in th'
Kansas and Nebraska bill of 1854 and hat
its first trial and yielded its fruits upon tn
plains OF Kansas in 1856 and 1866. Taes'
facts are substantially and positively affirm
ed by the Senator from Mississippi, AM
these facts disprove and relute the charge 81
often made in the last year, that l hav'
changed my opinions with regard to thi
question since 1856. The Senator from
Mississippi has done me service: He ha
searched the records for me with o view t
my condemnation, and the result Of hi
search is to produce the most conclusive AM
incontestble evidence that his charge Of m,
having chonged my opinions, which was tn
pretext for my removal from the Cofnmitte
ON Territories, wus not true. He tells yO
fronkly what the world knew before, that h
has always opposed the doctrine Of non in
terven,icn. And he claims, after it ha
yielded its bighting effects on the plains c
Konsss, and the Supreme Court has come
his rescue, that he now is trumphantIy sus
tanned in his opposition TO this doctrine j
ls4S, 1860 and 1851. Sir, whether he
sustained or not, in the views which he the
held, and which then combated, is not 6
material as to find out which is right in th
point OF issue then and now, the Senate
from Mississippi or myself propose, !
the first place, to invite the attention Of tn
Senate TO the feet that this doctrine Of nor
intervention by Congress with slavery in tn
Territories OF the United States was brougl
distinctly before the American people an
the Democratic Party in 1847, with a vie
to lis decision by the Convention in l84S
The Senator has referred 10 letter Of Gel
Cass which bears date Dec. 81, l847, and tel
the Senate, what most of US knew befor
that that letter, in manuscript, prior to Il
publication, was passed around among Souti
ern and Northwestern Democrats to receiv
their sunction. The letter was prepare'
and was in private circulation for days an
weeks before the date it now bears Of Il
public issue. The Senator informs US th'
he at the time dissented from the doctrine
non.interyention as stated in the Nicholso
letter, but other Southern Senators now Of
posed to me, or at any rate other leadlu
politicians, would not be able to soy, th
when submitted 10 them, they condemned
az frankly as the Senator from Mississip
did during that period while this letter WI
being circulated. The especial friend aI
right.hand bower of Mr.. Cass (Mr. Dani
8. Dickinson) presented two resolutions
the Senate embodying the same doctrine.
Mr.. Pugh read the resolutions referred
Mr.. Douglas-It will be observed tn
these resolutions, presented in Dec. ls4
assert distinctly the doctrine which the Sc
ator from Mississippi then denounced. al
still denounCes. am not aware that NJ
Dickinson or Gen. Cass haye ever disclaiu
ed their views, much less the doctrine
these resolutions and the Nicholson letter
vet my record on this question 10 held up
The world and to the country as II stot
alone in the Democratic party, heret