Stephen Douglas took the position that territories should be unable to ban enslavement before becoming a state. He supported the concept of popular sovereignty, which meant that the residents of a territory could vote on whether to allow or ban enslavement before their territory became a state. This position was evident in the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which Douglas proposed, allowing settlers in those territories to decide the enslavement issue through popular sovereignty.
1. Stephen Douglas believed that it was essential for territories to have the power to decide on the issue of enslavement themselves rather than having the decision imposed upon them by the federal government.
2. His stance on popular sovereignty was aimed at promoting democratic principles and letting the people in the territories have a say in determining their stance on enslavement.
3. By advocating for popular sovereignty, Douglas aimed to maintain peace and unity within the nation by attempting to diffuse tensions over the enslavement issue.
Therefore, Stephen Douglas's position regarding enslavement was that territories should not be able to ban enslavement before achieving statehood, as he favored the application of popular sovereignty in determining the status of enslavement within a territory.
