Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-05-26
Proc, edings Of Congress.


GREAT SPEECH OF SENATOR DOUGLAS
Ia the Senate, Oh tue l5lh, the gree t
er part of the day was taken up by Mr.
Douglas, in speech on the TerrItoiia
resolutions, introduced bv Mr.. Davis, 0
Mis- l>sippi. Tie galleries were crow d, ,
10 lhei' utnus. capacity, and many wen
away without being able to obtain ad
mission:
Mr.. Douglas said he had no taste 70,
! discussion rs to he personal o' political
p"sit on Of any Senator. He had 10 as
saul, to make on any one, and no i'm
parchment Of any ones record lie
did, however, complain Of So much of
the speech Of the Senate from Mis>is-
sippi as arraigned bis conduct 1t would
be necessary to refer 10 the Senator'S
course, in order to explain his own, and
he would take as his text certain extracts
from the speech OF Mr. Davis, which he
caused to be read.
MIR. Douglas SAID the extracts concIu-
sively showed that the doctrine Of popu-
lar sovereignty did no, originate With
him. 1t was presented in l848, with
Gen. Cass as the uominee, on the basis
Of non-intervention. 1t entered into the
compromise measures of 1850; WAS real
drmed in the platform Of 1852, and in
the Nebraska bill Of 1854.
Mr.. Douglas then showed that it was
contained in Gen, Cass's Nicholson let
ter, which, prior to its publication, was
>hoSn around among Southern and
Northwestern Senators, and was endor.
sed by Southern aud other Senators, who
were now opposed to him. He re- d
DlckIns' us resolutions, offered during
the peudeucy OF this question, to show
that he recognized the doctrine. Lie was
no. aware that either Dickinson or Cass
had modified their views. yet his record
was held up, lie stood hereto then and
a hereto now. He cited the resolutions
of the Legislature of Florida in ls47, TO
show that the doctrine ct non-interven-
,ion was not then deemed political her
esy; also, resolutions adopted at Millely.-
vile, GA, in lS47, and afterwards adop-
ted by several Southern conventions, op-
posing all legislation by Congress on
The sui, ,,ct OF slavery in the Territories.
He remarked that many gentlemen, who
then approved of these resolutions, were
now consclentlousl' opposed to lhem.-
If he could forgive them for their change,
li'ey ought to be willing to forgive him
f"r adherence to his own principles. Mr..
Cass, on the fourth ballot, had ninety
four Southern votes. Even South Car
Dina, when sue found she could not
elect her own favorlte, yielded to. the
voice Of the ma jori,y, and gave her ad-
nere"ce to the champion of squatter SOW
ereignty. The next day the platform
was adopted, declaring against Con-
gressional Intervention, and that inter
ference, by AboIitionisls or others, was
dangerous. What else! Why, those
who now want a slave code were then
cIa>sed by the Democratic Convention as
bad as Abo'.ionists. On the succeeding
day, Yancey brought in report, pro,es-
ting against the action Of the convention
for recognizing the power Of the Terrific
ries on the 'ject of slavery, which was
with these views which caused
his withdrawal flom The Charleston
Convention. He meant no disrpspect to |
Mr.. Yancey. They had personal rela-
lions Of the kindest character He ad-
mired lhe candor aud consistency with |
which he expressed his views, but shrunk |
with horror from the results likely 10
flow from their adoption. ~2
MIR. Yance,'s report was rejected
ayes SO: nays PIG. Among the nays
3, missouri, 6, Virginia,
II, North Carolina, IL, Mississippi, 6,
Louisiana, 6, Texas, 4, Tennessee, II,
Kentucky, II; many of which have
now withdraw II from Charleston because
his doctrine was no: inco' porated in the
platfurm. He left the people to decide
yho had changed. He thought he had
proved that The Democracy
the doctrine Of auou-iuterven-
ion in lS48. The. Senator Of M.ssis-
'ippi was one Of the few who refused to
scquiesce. He opposed the doctrines,
'ut supported the ssquatter sovereignty
ts., ...-. :..7,.s .ss.- ...,~r.
Mr.. Douglas next showed that the
principle was Incorporated in the COM
promise measures of 1850, and that
JIay and Cass asserted the power Of the
people of the Territories on The question
# slavery. He. also read from his own