Washington sentinel., 1854-04-26
THE BADGER AMENDMENT.

The Nebraska bill, which passed the Senate,
has met with considerable opposition at the
north, especially amongst the wings of that
region. Abolition fanatics have also assailed
it with intemperate zeal and disgusting fero-
city, because it repeals the antislavery restric-
ton Of the Missouri act. Three thousand New
England clergymen have even gone so far as to
insult the government and outrage the public
by transmitting to the Senate blasphemous
protest against the repeal of that odious and
unconstitutional restriction.
Candor compels us to state, further, that there
is some show Of opposition in the south to the
Nebraska bill as it passed the Senate; but
that show of opposition does not grow out Of
the proprosed repeal of the Missouri compro-
mise, for it is based principally, if not entirely,
on the amendment adopted on the motion OF
Senator Badger, Of North Carolina, which de-
clares that nothing contained in the bill "shall
be construed 10 reoirc or 7nt an force any laao
or regulation achich may Isare eristed prior to
the act Of 6th March, 1920, either protecting,
establishing, prohibiting, aJolishing slarery.'
We must be permitted to say, with all due
Difference, that the positions assumed by those
Of the south who oppose the Senate bill be-
cause of Mr. Badgers amendment appear to
US as occupying most untenable ground. Some
Of their statements strike, at the bill itself
even if the amendment had never been thought
of; and we believe that all of their arguments,
if carefully analyzed and traced to their legiti-
mate consequences, would be found to have as
strong bearing against the bill without the
amendment as against the amendment itself.
The assertion that the passage of the Senate
bill will be only seeming recognition Of
southern rights and barren and proftless re-
turn to the true principles Of the Constitution,
cannot surely justify opposition to the bill be-
cause of the amendment brought forward by
Mr.. Badger; for the bill as amended extends
the Constitution and the laws Of the United
States, not locally inapplicable, over the two
territories proposed to be erected. 1t is assert
ed that soil and climate and the superior IA
cilities which the inhabitants Of the non.slaye-
holding States have of settling those territories
will insure that they will prohibit slavery. If
these assertions be well founded, they must exist
independent of Mr.. Badgers amendment for
that no more than the bill itself will be re-
sponsible for those peculiarities Of soil and
climate or the superior facilities for emigration
enjoyed by the people of the north. Would
any one undertake to alter the character of the
soil or modify the temperature Of the climate
&C Al o.
Congress to check and curb emigration from
any State to any portion of the Union?
Considerations affecting the character of the
population which may settle a territory and
form a State government have nothing to do
with the Nebraska bill or the amendment, ex-
cept so far as the one or the other may under
take to fix the character of the settlers by
granting privileges to some and imposing re-
straints on others. The Constitution must be
the basis of our reasoning; and when depar
ture has been made from the principles and
guarantees contained in that instrument, it is
safe and good thing to retrace our steps with.
out consulting or scanning an account of profit
and loss
But men who are willing tc sustain the bill
argue that the Badger amendment takes away
from it all virtue as return to the true princi-
pies OF the Constitution, because it prevents
the revival Of laws respecting slavery which
existed in Nebraska anterior to the act Of |
March 6, 1920 And here we would call at
tention to the fact that the amendment does
not touch that provision Of the bill which ex-
tends the Constitution and the laws not locally |
inapplicable over the proposed Territories? 1t
is an unsafe thing for southern man to ex-
press want of confidence in the protection