The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-07-18
The Position of Judge Douglas

The Position of Judge Douglas.
The present position of Stephen A.
Dougla las Is one Of deep interest to the
American people. He stands forth as the
representative OF great principle-the
principle OF elfgovernment. His doctrine
is, that, in a confederated republic like ou s.
each community has the right to decide, un
der the federal compsct, what shall, or sh II
not be its local and domestic Institutions
1t is indenrical with that provision In the
Constitution which declares that the power
not delegated by it to the United States nor
prohibited by it to the States, are reserved
to the States respectively, or to the people.
Judge Douglas holds that the people are the
source of all civil power, and that in a State
or Territory their sovereignty over any sub
iect matter Of legislation is only controlled
and limited by the Constitution.
These propositions are OF self.evident, so
truly republican and democratic, that Judge
Douglas, in maintaining them, has the
sympathy Of the great majority oil the Ameri-
can people. The masses are with him,
because they recognize in him the bold de-.
fender OF popular government and individual
rights. But in applying his doctrine to the
Territories, he is opposed by two factions,
hos tile to each other, but united in their op.
position to him and his views. The one
faction, the Republican, contend that Con-
gress should anticipate any action by the
people Of Territory on the subject of do
mestic slavery, and prohibit it. They do
not claim that the Constitution requires this
at the hands of Congress; but that it gives
the power o; prohibition, and they demand
it's exercise as in accordance with the alleg.
ed design and spirit OF that instrument
Judge Douglas denies that, by strict con
struction, the Constitution gives Congress
any such power, and refers the subject to
the powers residing in the people, outs! de
the Constitution.
The other faction, the Southern Dsunion
lists, deny the power Of Congress to prohibit
slavery in the Territorise, but insist that it
has the power coupled with the duty o { pro.
tecting il there, and that the Supreme Court
oil the United States has already 80 decided
To these allegations udge Douglas replies,
in the first place, by denying that Congress
hus the constitutional power to prohibit or
protect slavery in the Territorise; but allie
ges that whether it has or has not the DOW
or, is q judi cnl question to be determined
oy the Courts when the question comes be-
tore them in proper shape. He denies, in
the next place, as many eminent lawyers
and judges in the country do likewise, that
the Supreme Court has decided as the Dis
unionsts allege, but says that if it has SO
decided, it is his duty and that of every good
citizen to acquiesce In the decision until it
is reversed or superseded in a legal and
constitutional way.
There is no mystiication or cowardice in
all this as has been fooIshIy charged. 1t
is plain, frank, fearless and intelligent
avowal OF principles. Deducing as he does
from natural law and the Fedora! Constitu.
tion. the great doctrine of Popular Sover
eighty, it is impossible to see how he could
sustain himself against his numerous assail.
ants upon any other grounds. AT any rute,
every man OF plain common sense feels, up
on reading his answers to objections and
the arguments by which he sustans his
views, that his deences are so We fortified
that they cannot be overthrow. His rea.
soning is not superficial and inconclusive,
us some shallow minds, either too preiudced
or too dull TO feel its torre, pretend, but
r'aches down to the solid foundations oil self.
evident and immutabe principles.
1t is truly said that this doctrine Of Pop.
ular Sovereignty is not new. 1t is as old
Us the first assertion b. any community OF
the right to Iree and independent govern
ment. The honor Of its prarticaI upoIca
ton 10 the Territories, in public act o' the
National Legislature acknoWIed !ing its
justice ard propriety. belongs to S,ep1en
A. Douglas. BY his logic, eoqlrnce and
stntesmanship, it WIS rmbodied IN the ncf OF
e ngre>s organizing The Territories OF KIN
SIS und Ntbr .ska Notwithstanding the
storm Of opposition which the passage OF
this act raised, It's originator stood firm
Ee sUon had the satisfaction OF see,g the
sHme great principle incorporated into The
platform OF The dominant purity OF thn u nion,
aod President elected in const quence.-
He saw many Who had stood with him de-
parting from that very principle which h ID
given the party the political sscend1ncv in
the Un.on, and this noble Defender of Pop.
ular Rights did not hesitate to oppose these
men OF his own party with the same ability,
zeal and stern rebuke as he did his btterest
political opponents. Did this look like
cowurdice! Was it not noble and pa
lriotic manifestation OF moral courage
Judge Douglas triumphed. HIS enemies
were oiled, and Popular Sovereignty to day
remains untouched. 1t is engraven beyond
erasure upon the records of our country's
history, and upon the hearts of the Ameri-
can people. The bold originator and tear
less advocate OF the m "asure has in its de-
fence given various explanations and illus.
tratons of the principle which his enemies
huve seized hold OF for the purpose OF ira
ducing him and attempting to show that he
has proved recreant to his own doctrines.
But the day OF his vindc tion is at
hand. He has been nominated by the un
snmous voice of Convention represent
ing nearly every State in the Union to the
highest office in the git OF Tree people,
His election is bitterly end recklessIy OPP
posed by the Republic n and Disunion fac
lions. But the masses of the people who
ieel instinctively and know intuitively that
his position is right, will rally to his sup
port. There is deep under. current, which
is not appreciated by surface politici ms,
pervading the country from North to South,
aud from E ct to w est. 1t will continue
to roll on and increase in volume and force
until it shall have waited the candidate OF
the National Democracy into the Presiden-
tial Chuir at NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..