The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-09

that States had neither the power to adopt or
abolish Slavery; right that had been cxef-
cised"by every State. He held that the Cunsti-
tuition did recognise property, and secure it !;
and any prohibition Of the property of any
man from the Territory was void and unjust.
Senate, Monday, February 6, 1854.
Mr.. Johnson, from the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs, reported a bill for the relief of
Elizabeth c. Smith. He asked that the bill
be now considered This lady enlisted in tho
Missouri regiment of volunteers for the war
in Mexico, under the name of Bill Eucher,
! and served for eight months when her sex
was discovered and she was honorably dis
charged. She had never received any pay or
bounty land. This bill proposed to give her
| both
| The bill was then passed
The Senate then proceeded to the considera-
tlon OF the bill to establish Territorial Gov
eminent for Nebraska.
Mr.. Wade expressed the difidence with
which ne rose to address the Senate He laid
no claim to be debater but he confined him
self generally to q silent performance of his
duty. He remembered the time of the adon-
ton of the Missouri Compromise, and the
struggle in which it was adopted Since that
day he had known nor heard of no man bold
enough to propose Its repeal till now
The Compromise of 1880 was also adopted,
and for four years since, and during it's consid-
Grafton, he had heard nothing but that it was
a fnali.y forever TO be kept, and not to be
questioned in Congress or elsewhere. 1t was
now not only proposed to set aside this finality,
but to go further, and set aside the mo,e sacred
one of 1920. No reason had been given for
this repeal The Senator from Illinois, last
year, introduced and supported Nebraska
bill, with no provision for the repeal Of this
prohibition.
The Senator from Missouri who was so
deeply interested in this measure, admitted at
the last session that the Missouri Compromise
had not been and could not be repealed The
! Senator had given no Just cause for this meas
ure so calculated to rouse the people to mad
ness. This conspiracy to overturn the time
honored Compromise and sacred guarantee of
| freedom to these Territories, was not vet six
weeks old it had been Matched liz this city,
within that period
He would not stop to investigate the course
OF the Senator from Illinois on this subject. 1t
was, he knew, exceedingly mutable; but it
would be Of little value to show that mutabilty.
The committee had reported their bill at
first not on the ground that the acts of 1850
repealed the Missouri Compromise but on the
ground that it would be unwise for Congress
to decide one way or the other. They then
said, in their report, that it was not wise to re-
peal or affirm the Missouri Compromise. They
then, in few days after, reported measure
for its repeal.
He controvorted at length the doctrine of
supersedure and commended that the acts Of
1850 affirmed and continued the Missouri
| Compromise. The fact that part of this Ter
ritory had been included in Utah, did not
repeal the Missouri Compromise. Such doc
trine he illustrated by saying, that if dis
pute arose between two men ebout the bound
aries of their farms, and line was run to
strengthen the same, taking from one to give
to the other, it could not be said that If A
got part of BIS land, by running this line.
it did not follow that the principle of run
ming the line destroyed BIS title to the rest
of his farm.
He did not propose to comment on tho Sena-
tors speech. His colleague had so completely
pulrerized that speech, that there was not
enough of it left on which to hang en- idea.
| The Territories he held were now free, and
nc earnestly invoked that they be not punish
ed with the soourge of human slavery.
The South had had the whole benefit Of the
Compromise; and now, when the North desires
to avail herself of her share, will the South
deny it? He denied that the North had au-
thorized any one to propose the repeal of this
Compromise. 1t was per6dious betrayal Of
the North. If during Che last election, Gen
Pierce had been pledged to this measure, he
could not have received single Northern vote
Major Andre was hung for making O proposal
less base than this
He enlarged upon the utter exclusion Of thir-
teen millions Of free laborers from this Terri
tory, by admitting Slavery to them.
He spoke till after two o'clock, in earnest
denunciation of the bill pointing out it's nefa-
rious provisions, dangerous to the liberties and
permanenoy of the Union.
Mr. Jones' of Tennessee, was replying when
this report was closed.
House Of Rep. February G, 1854
On uotion of Mr. Houston, the House took
up the Senate bill prescribing the duties of the
Secretary Of the Senate. This bill was re-
turned to the House. the Senate non concurring
in certain amendments of the House. 1t pre-
posed to make the Secretary the disbursing
ctfcer of the Senate, under the SUI supervision of
the Treasury Department, and gives him an
addition of ore thousand dollars to his present
compensation of SO 900, and extra compensa-
ton.
Mr.. Breckenridge was in favor of the House
| receding from its amendments, ard stated that
as the Senate had yielded a point in making
the Treasury Department, and not committee
of the Senate, the auditor Of the Secretary.
the House should in courtesy yield point,
and permit the increase of salary
Mr.. Mace said SO 900 was ample, and urged
persistence by the House in its refusal 10 sane
ton any increase.
Mr.. Jones, of Tennessee, very clearly ex-
planned the subject, as it stood before the
House.
The House assented to the plan of auditing
the accounts of the Secretary, but upon the in.
crease of salary the ayes and noes were called,
and the House refused to recede from It's posi-
tlon--ayes Sc, noes o.
Mr.. Bissell, from the Committee on Military
Affairs, presented bill to increase the army,
and another to increase the pay of the officers
and men which were referred to the Commit
tee of the Whole, and ordered to be printed
Mr.. Benton, from the Committee on Militia
ry Affairs, reported back, with recommends
ton that it pass, a bill to give the right of way
to the Iron Mountain and ST. Louis railroad
through the grounds of jefferson Barracks.
A call of the House was accordingly order
ed, pending which, our report closed.
Baltimore Market
BALTIMORE, FEB. 6.--Flour-sales Of 500
bbls. of City Mills, at $500; an advance on
Saturdays prices. Howard Street held at
1915. Grain advanced. Wheat SALES of
1900 bus white at 50 O5 a 50 OF; red at So 90
Corn - sales of 16 900 bus white at SO a 80
cents; yellow at 80 go market firm Wits
KY sold at IS cts. per gallon. Butter in kegs