Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-04

Oceanw was demanded. The records show that
lie feported, as chairman Of the Committee
on Terriluriesa resolution 70 extend the line
% the Pacific. This was adopted 10 the
Senate, but when il was sent to the House,
IL was rejected by Northern votes. That
opened the flood-gates of the agitation Of
ls4S, which only were settled by the Com
promises of 1850. When we settle this
question in the Territories, thenAFe shan
settle it entirely.
The Abolitionists could never have
brought the Union 70 the verge Of iissolu-
tionsbut for the question in Territories IL
was the rejection of the extension of that
line in ls4S, which opened the agitation.
The arguments Of 1919 and 1920 were re-
peated. The positions Of the North and the
South were the same. The purest patriots
in the land were alarmed, and Mr.. Clay
came back to the Senate to see if he could
not bring peace. He found no trouble with
the Southern members, but he could find no
support of this line in the North. The
Missouri line was abandoned because its
friends said they could not carry it out in
good faith. Then they turned to see what
was next best. They desired to take the
question out of Congress and secure the
peace Of the country. At last it was de-
cided to leave the question to the people of
the Territories themselves. The records
show that he supported both compromises,
all over the country.
But in 1859 and ia 1t became necessary to
organize the Territories of Kansas and Ne
braska. The committee in forming the bill
determined TO carry out the compromise
measures Of 1850, though they bad all been
in favor Of the Missouri Compromise as long
as it could be carried out. A hue and CRY
was Immediately raised that they were
violating sacred compromise, but the bill
did not mention the Missouri Compromise;
but did the people have the power of settling
the question for themselves2 The history Of
the Government might be divided into
three parts. Before 1920 the Government
admitted many Territories, but all was
peace. After the agitation of 1920 was
settled, all was peace again till 1850 Since
then we have had continual controversy,
and the result Of the late election has con-
WINGED the South that it was the fixed policy
of the dominant party of the North to in-
wade their constitutional rights. The
Senator frem Ohio (Wade), admitted the ex-
istence Of this belief at the South but
charges it to the misrepresentation of the
Northern Democracy.
1t matters not whether these evils are real
or imaginary, if the South were resolved to
rush into the horrors of disunion and war,
rather than suffer them, he was sorry to see
the Senator bring it, a partizan question,
here; but as it was brought, he felt bound to
defend the Democracy. Norman was better
pleased to learn that he had misrepresented
the Republican party. He asked the SEN
ator from Ohio if it was not the policy of
that party to confue slavery within its pres.
ent limits by the action of the Federal
| Government, and whether it was not the
policy of that party to exclude slavery from
the Territories we now possess, or may here
after acquire whether or not that party were
in favor. of returning the fugitive slaves /;
and, in short, whether it was not the policy
| of that party to exert all the power of the
| Federal Cos under the Constitution,
| according to their Interpretation, TO restrain
and cripple the institution of slavery, with a
view to its ultimate extinction in the States
| old as well as new, North and South
| Mr.. Wade said he could find the answer in
his speech already made. He had no ad-
| ditions to make. t sr..-4-
| Mr.. Douglas said he did not expect an
squivocal answer. He proceeded to argue
| that such was the policy Of the Republican
Party, and quoted Mr.. Lincolns speeches,
when he said the crisis must come, and the
States must become all one thing or the
| other, to show that he maintained such
| policy. He said he had a hope that Nv. Lin
| coin would repudiate all sach extreme senti-
ments. Be that as it may, neither he nor
his party have the power to do harm to the
| South. The South, however, are ready to
rush into disunion and meet the conse-
| quences. No men would go further than
her to enforce the laws, but we must look
facts in the face. Rebellion often becomes
successful revolution, and a Government was
| often forced to recognize de .fdcto Govern
ments in Fevolted provinces. In this Gov
eminent the laws must be enforced by civil
process. How are we going to execute the
law when the Federal Government has no
power? How are we going to enforce the
laws in South Carolina?
He denied the right Of secession; but she
has done it, and how could we help it Z
South Carolina will not be alone, and how
are we going to enforce the laws unless we
make war and conquer the State Are we
prepared for war with our brethren? He
would not-tolerate the idea till every hope
of adjustment was gone. He was for peace
to save the Union. Was disunion certain
and inevitableP He referred to the pur
chase of Louisiana, and said it was pur.
chased for the benefit of the whole Union
and for the safety of the Upper Mississippi
in particular. The possession of that rive
was more necessary now than it was then
We can not expect the people of the interio
to admit the right of a foreign State takinj
possession of that river. He also referred t,
the purchase Of Alabama, and the amour
paid, and asked If she could go out now
The President, in his message, first said W
could not coerce State to remain in tn
Union, but in a few sentences he advised th
acquisition of Cuba, as if we could pay $500,
0e0,000 for Cuba, and then the next day sh
might secede and reannex herself to Spain
and Spain sell her again. He had admitte
that Texas cost us war with Mexico an
10000 lives. In the name of the 1000 gal
liant men from Illinois who fought those bat
ties, l argue against the right Of that Stat
to secede.
Mr.. Hemphill asked if the protection @
Texas was, the only reason Of the war, and
theIIpited States paid any thing to Texa
for the land, and if we did not acquire Cali
fornia from that war
Mr.. Douglas said the only cause of com
plant of Mexico was the annexation Q
Texas, and'we had only paid Texas $40, 900,
600 for some barren land she did not OWL
He said the Constitution was intended To b
perpetual, and he denied the right of seces
sion under the Constitution as against tn
Constitution and against justice and goo
faith. He said there could be no govern
} ment without coercion, but coercion must b
used in the modes prescribed by law. Thi
is not q question of coercion. In a Stat
where no authority of the Federal Govern
ment remains, we are bound to recognize
! government de fdcto where the State main
, | tains individual sway. The man who love
the Union, who loves to see the laws en-
{ forced, will love to see rebellion put down
How does he intend to enforce the law in
I seeding State, except by making war; L
t his opinion we had reached the point Wher
!. disunion was inevitable, unless a compro
: mise, founded on concession, could be mad
Q He preferred compromise 70 war, and cor
5 cession TO disunion. No compromise will
= | available which does not carry the questiO