Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-01-18
squaster Sovereignty Debate in the
SPEECHES By FucH, DOUGLAS, GREEN, DAVIS

AND CLAY.
We take The following sketch of the de-
bate in the Senate, on Thursday, from the
Telegraphic reports in the Herald:
Mr.. Pngb, (dem-) of Ohio, resumed bis
remarks: say the Senator from Missouri,
(Ar. Green,l in a few moments proceeded To
overturn bis own accusation He said this
remark Of the Senator from Illinois was ut
teIed in The heat of debate. and that it would
he furgotten-but yet that remark cost the
Senator from Illinois the Craftsmanship of the
Committee on Territories.- The Senator from
| Illinois did not repeat IL. He did not even
arrive in the city or take his seat in the Sem
| ate before he was degraded.
Mr.. GTeen-I said, when that remark was
first made, that regretted it. ] never said
| that he was removed from his position as
/ Chairman Of the Committee on Territories in
Consequence OF it--nev,r. Othrrs might
have said so. Twas opposed to bis removal,
/ and # we can restore harmony and unity IN
The Democratic party. will resign myself to-
day. not only my position as chairman of
/ that committee, but a member OF tie
/ Senate But The Senator repeated that Ian
/ guaee in several speeches. He repeated 1t
/ al Memphis, and at New Orleans, in bis tri-
EmphaI march onward TO the Capitol; and
| suppose, but did not say. that il was in
Consequence of these repeated remarks that
Senator.
Mr. Dougla=-Does the Senator mean that
i that gave a tTiampbal march in all the
slaveLolding States!
! Mr. GreeiI-I certainly did not: but mean
that he repeated the remark in his rriumphal
l march. bot always that slavery could he
/ prOliibits d in a territory by unfrieBdly legis-
lation. but never by direct Territorial act
Mr.. DOUglas-I simply said at FreepOrt. in
| n ptr IN thai that I did hat
| slavery may be excluded from Territory by
| nOB-aciiOn, also by unfri, ndly legislation. ]
| have made the same remark in the South over
and over again in 1850, and in every session
| of Congress from that time up to the time
| when l was removed from the Craftsmanship
| Of the Committee on Territories. Every
| Inr mber If tire Senate during that whole
| period knew that held these sentiments. /
have been elcv, n times appointed chairman
of the Committee on Territories by the unan-
| imOUs vote Of this body. and have repeated
This remark over and over again. | will
show. il Senators desire to make the issue,
that these are q e facts frum the r, card.
Mr.. Mason. (dem.) of Val ask tie SEN
atOr If i understood him corr, city TO say
that ib'se were his opinions in 1880?
Mr.. Douglas-I Will say this-Ihere is no
member of the Senate has an excuse for not
| knowing thtm. You can hardly open tn The
| Congressional debates during that period
! without finding them: and again in 1852
| 1853. 1854, ISIS and 1856. and in the pres
ence of every SsnatoT then in the Senate
hot once, nor twice. Dor ten times, bGt just
as often as the question was raiso d. / beg
| pardon for uttvriUg a word. ! will not put
this in the Senator's spe, cb.
Mr. Pugh-I am very happy to have it
there.
Mr. Green-I remark d yesterday that az
| ter the bred Scott decision no man ever ut
tered the sentiment. as far as knew, until
| the Senator from Illinois uttered it. | know
that there was IA difference OF opinion hefnre,
and before. no man, neither the Senator from
| Illinois nor anybody else, claimed the Terri
tories possessed power that Congress did
not. They regarded ii as derivative from
| Congress. They differed as to the power of
| Congress, but all sides agreed to bow with
due submission to whatever decision the
Court render ed in that case. After the Court
had dccid, d that Congress had not the power,
| then for the first time the Senator from Hi
nois raised the question, unfortInately-and
! / regret it for his sake, ana my own, and for
the sake of the cOuntry-he raised the ques
| tion hat Territory could exclude slavery
/ in spite OF Congress, without derivation OF
! power from Congress, and he alone is respOn-
| Tile for it.
Nj. Davis. (dem.) of Mississippi suppose
| the Senator from Illinois referred to those
| who must know his opinions in 1902 did
| know that he advocated the doctrine OF SOW
| eTcignty in the Territ0ries-the power to do
what they please. 1 did not agree with him
Mr.. Douglas (interrupting)-I will correct
the Seuator: never 10 do any thing inconsIs-
tent with the Constitution OF tie United
| States.
Mr.. Davis-The Senator's opinion went be-
yond that OF the Senator from Michigan, now
Secretary of State.
Mr.. Douglas-I wish to state that do not
wish TO be engaged in a controversy in the
speech of the SensiOr from Ohio, but GER
| tanly will show from the record that he is
| mistaken in the position he asst gns me then,
although l then held precisely the opinions
| hold now.
! Mr.. Davis-I believe he did. although there
was an intermediate period when be did not.
| / think about the period of the enactment OF
the Kansas Nebraska bill. / think be was
| more sound then than now.
Mr.. DoUglas-When the question comes up
| for discussion will show that when the Kan
sas Nebraska bill passed | said its sole Object
was that tie people of territory might in-
/ troduce or exclude slavery through the Ter
ritorial Legislature, while Territory a. well
! a when State; and no man who heard me
| then can have an excuse for not knowing my
position, and the record will sustain me.
| MT. DaNis-l 40 not uOuDt the
| objects what he said. was not II member of
/ the Senate then.
Mr.. Douglas-I hope the Senator will not
express an opinion then.
| Mr.. Davis viii express an opinion about
! that time. but The language of the bill does
chow that the Senator has changed his views
as entertained in 1850. | simply thought it
necessary TO say this, that might not be put
! in the category Of those who endorsed the
Senator as having held these opinions all the
time he was chairman of the Committee on
| Territories. j an not like the Senator from
Missouri, (Mr. Green@one of those who re
o. cited that he was removed from the Com
mitter on Territories. / thought il eminent
| Iy proper. when be held opinions differing
from the majority. that he should cease to be
| chairman of that committee.
Mr.. Douglas-I do not know yet that |
hold opinions not entertained 10y the MAORI
". believe / hold opinions sustained by
| three-fourths OF the democracy Of the Union.
/ believe that ! can show from the record.
| thal n majority of the Senate. at that time
| understood the Kansas Nebraska bill n il was
! framed. am prepared TO show, also. that
] difference of opinion was no cause in dis
| elimination in the formation OF the commit
tees, and show. too, that in the House of
/ Represc natives, after the Kansas-N e braskit
| bill passed that the question was put 10 Mr..
Speaker, whether be thought Territorial
Legislature could exclude Slavery by a Ter
riiorial enactment during its Territorial cx-
! irtcnce. and bat gentleman answer d in wri
ting. and after that answer every Southern
member but three voted for him as sound on
the Territorial question.
i Mr. Davis-I do not know what the Sena-
4 tor will he able Ia do from the record. TIL,
| Senator's opinion upon the power OF a Terri
| tarial Legislat was deemed a sufficient
cause by The Democracy not to continue him
/ in the position oil Chairman OF the Commit
tee on Territories. say il was due TO them
| selves aud due To- the Senator.
NJ Dongias-I have never complained. |
never INTENDED to allude TO II In this body;
but do assert that the record shows that the
Senate knew cleyea years ago that. held the
id.Bfical opinions now ALLEGED rs the cause
Of NY r. moysai; and daring the eleven Yeas.
| with "a knowledge of these opinions. repeated