Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-06-19
By COVER & GOLDSMITH.

Slavery can be repealed and the Union
nevertheless remain firm. If you in
quire why they do not stand by their
rights and their interests more firmly,
will tell you to the best of my ability
1t is because they are conscious of their
strength, and therefore unsuspecting and
slow to apprehend danger. The reason
why you prevail in so many contests, is
because you are in perpetual fear
There cannot be convocation of ADO
litionists, however impracticable, in Fa-
neuil Hall or the Tabernacle, though it
consists Of men and woven who have
separated themselves from all effective
political parties, and who have renoun-
ced all political agencies, even though
they resolve that they will vote for no.
body, not even for themselves, to carry
out their purposes, and though they
practice on that resolution, but you take
alarm and your agitation renders neces-
sary such Compromises as those of 1920
and Of 1850. We are young in the arts
of politics-you are old. We are strong
You are weak. We are, therefore, O.
ver-confdent, careless and indifferent
you are vigilant and active. These are
all traits that rebound to your praise
They are spoken not in your disparage-
ment. ! only say that there may be an
extent of Intervention on your side, Of
aggression on your side, which may in
duce the North at some time, either in
this or in some future generation, to a.
dept your tactics and follow your exam
pie. Remember now, that by unani-
nous consent this new law will be re-
pealable statute, exposed to all the chan
ces Of the Missouri Compromise. 1t
stands all infinitely worse chance Of en-
durance. The Missouri Compromise
was a transaction which wise, learned,
patriotic statesmen agreed to surround
and fortify with the principles of a com
pact for mutual consideration, passed,
executed, and therefore, although not IT.
repealabie in fact, yet irrepealable in
honor and conscience, and down at least
until this very session Of the Congress
Of the United States, it has had the force
and authority not merely of an act Of
Congress, but of covenant between the
free States and the slave States scarcely
less sacred than the Constitution itself.
Now then who are your contracting par
ties in the law establishing government
in Kansas and Nebraska and abrogating
the Missouri Compromise What are
the equivalents in this law Z? What has
the North given and what has The South
got back that makes this contract p
Who pretends that this is contract p
Who pretends that it is anything more
than the exercise of an ordinary act Of
legislation ? If, then, law which has
all the forms and solemnities recognized
by common consent as compact, and
covered with traditions, cannot stand a.
mid the shufiling Of this balance between
The free States and the slave States, tell
me what chance this new law that you
are passing will have? You are, more
over, setting prece dent which abro-
gates all compromises. Four years ago
You obtained the consent of portion OF
the Free States-enough to render the
effort at immediate repeal or resistance
alike impossible-to what we regarded
as an unconstitutional act for the surren-
der Of fugitive slaves. That was decla-
red, by the common consent Of the per-
sons acting in the name Of the two par
ties, the slave States and the free States
in Congress, an irrepealable law-not
even to be questioned, although il viola
ted the Constitution in establishing this
new principle. You expose the law al
SO TO the chances of repeal. You not
only SO expose the Fugitive Slave law
but there is no solemnity about the arti-
cles for the annexation of Texas which
does not hang about the Missouri Com
promise; and when you have shown
that the Missouri Compromise can be
repealed, then the articles for the an.
nexation Of Texas are subject TO the vii
and pleasure and the caprice Of tenn.
porary majority in Congress. Do you
then, expect that the free States are tc
observe compacts ard you to be at liber-
~ TO break them? that they are to sub
nit to laws and leave them on the stat
ute-book, however grievous, and that
you are TO rest under no such obliga-
ton ? | think it is not a reasonable ex-
pectation. Say, then, who from the
North will be bound TO admit Kansas
when Kansas shall come in here if she
come as a slave State? The honorable
Senator from Georgia Mr.. Toolnbs
and know he is as sincere as he is ar.
dent, says tina if he shall be here wher
Kansas comes as free State, he viii
vote for her admission. | doubt not thai
he would; but he will not be here fol
the very reason, if there be no other
that he triA vote that way. When Or.
egon or Minnesota comes here for ad
Inission-within one year, or two years
or three years from this time-we shall
then see what your new principle i:
worth in its obligation upon the slave.
holding States. No: you establish nj
prinoiple-you only abrogate principle
which was established for your own Sc.
curity as well as ours, and while you
think you are abnegating and resignine
all power and all authority On this sub
iect into the hands of the people of tht
Territories, you are only getting over /;
difficulty in settling this question in tht
organization of two new Territories BY
postponing it until they Gene here to BIZ