The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-09-07
4pIitieal sHatter, :.
How Douglas refused to give the poo
plo OF tho Territories full control
ovor the Slavery question whom no
had the opportunity.
An appeal to the Record.

Whilst Douglas travcrses tho country
spouting gcncralitics about "popular sov.
crcisnty" and " nos-intervcntion," It may
be instructive to recur to chapter in his
history which gives us a full insight to his
motives. When the Nebraska bill was pend
ing in Congress, the proposition was made
by Senator Chase Of Ohio to confer full sov.
creignty upon the citizens of the territory
over the whole slavery question, and 1t was
bitterly opposed by Senator Douglas. and vot-
ed down. Tho following is an extract from
the Congressional Globe, First Session, Thir-
ty.Third Congress, page 424, 1920:
"The Senate, as in Committee of the
Whole, resumed tho consideration OF the
bill to organize the Territory Of Nebraska ;
the pending question being on the amend
ment submitted on the 18th inst. by Mr..
Chase, to add To the l4th section of the sub.
stitute reported from the Committee on Ter
ritories, as amended on motion OF Mr.. Doug
las, these words:
" Under which the people of Territory;
through their appropriate representatives, II
they see fit, may prohibit the existence Of
slavery therein"
So that the part of tho section relating to
that matter would read:
THAT the Constitution, and oil laws Of
the United States which are not locally inap-
plicable, shall have the same force and effect
within the said Territory Of Nebraska us
elsewhere in the United States, except the
eighth section of the act preparatory TO tho
admission of Missouri into the Union approx.
ed March 9th, 1920, which, being inconsis-
tent with the principles Of non-intervcnticn
by Congress with slavery in the States and
Territories, as recognized by the legislation
of 1850, commonly called the compromise
measures, is hereby declared imperative and
yoid-it being the true intent and meaning
of this act not to legislate slavery into any
Territory or State, nor to exclude 1t there
from but to leave the people thereof per-
fectly free to form and regulate their own
institutions In their own way, subject only
10 the Consultation Of the United States, Nm
der ,rhieh the people Of tie Territories,
through their appropriate representatives, may
If they sec fit, prohibit the eIistenee Of slap-
cry therein"
March 2, 1854, the vote was taken and re-
suited as follows:
Yns-Mcssrs. Chase, Dodge Of wiscon-
ain, PESSENDEN, Fish, Foot, HAMLlN,
SEWARD, Smith, Sumner, and Wade
10.
NArs-Messrs. Adams, Atchison, Badger,
BELL, Benjamin, Broadhead, Brown, But
Ter, Clay, Clayton, Dawson, Dixon, Dodge
Of Ia, DOUGLAS, Evans, Fitzpatrick.
Gwin, Houston, Hunter, johnson, Jones Of
Ia, Jones Of Tenn, Mason, Morton, Norris.
Petit, Pratt, Rusk, Sebastian, Shields, Sill
dell. Stewart, Touccy, Walker, Weller and
williams-36.
Douglas thus voted against declaration
by Consrcss that the people Of Territory
might prohibit slavery. That was the time
to show his devotion to real popular sovcr-
eighty, but he proved traitor. Seward,
Fescnden and Hamlin all voted for the
amendment, together with every other Re-
publican Senator present. An amendment
was the same day offered by Mr.. Chase, CIV
ing To the people Of tho territories tho right