Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-07-07
NUMBER "a.

"Your committee do not feel themselves
called upon to enter into discussion Of
those controyerted questions. They involve
the same grave issues which produced the
agitation, The sectional str fe, and the fear
, full struggle Of 1850. AS Congress deem
ed it wise and prudent to refrain from de-
Gliding the matters in controversy then, eth
er by affirming or repeating the Mexican
laws. or by an act declaratory Of the true
intent Oft the Constitution, and the extent
of the protection afforded by it to slave
property in the Territories, so your com
mittee are not prepared NOW to recommend
deplrtuee from the course pursued upon
that memorable occasion, either by affirm
ing or repeating the eighth section Of the
Missouri act. or by any act declara,ory of
the meaning of the Constitution 10 respect
to legal points in dispute
The abrogation has been effected in pur-
suance of the demands Of the adminislra-
ton itself and by means OF its influence on
Congress. In the House of Representa-
tives, that body which is more Immediately
responsible TO the people. the contest was
more equal than in the Senate, though il
is due to justice and candor that it should
be stated that it could not have been car
ried in either House without the votes of
the representatives from the free States
The minority resisted the attempts to ar
rest discussion upon this grave question,
though struggle Of longer duration than
any other known 10 Congressional history
Some attempt was made to stigmatize that
minority as "factionists," yet we fearlessly
declare that throughout the contest they
resorted solely 10 the powers secured to
them by the law and the rules Of the
| House, was effected through subversion
of its rules by the majority, and the exer-
else OF a power unprecedented in the an
nails Of Congressional legislation. The
deed is done with clear proclamation by
the Administration and by Congress that
the principle which it contains, extends not
only to Kansas and Nebraska, but to all the
other Territories now belonging to :he Uni
ted States, and to all which may hereafter
be acquired. 1t has been done unnecessa.
rily and wantonly, because there was no
pressure for the organization Of Govern
ments in Kansas and Nebraska, neither of
which Territories con tanned one lawful in
habitant who was citizen of the United
States, and because there was not only no
danger of disunion apprehended, but by this
reckless measure the free States have lost
all the guarantee for freedom in the Terri
tories contained in former compromises,
while all the States, both slave and free
have lost the guarantees of harmony and
union which those compromises Afforded
1t seems plain to us that, fatal as the meas
ure is in these respects, it is only cover
for broader propagandism Of Slavery in The
future. The object of the administration,
and of the many who represent the slave
States, is, as we believe, to prepare the way
for annexing Cuba at whatever cost, and
like annexation Of half dozen of the States
Of Mexico to be be admitted also as slave
States. These acquisitions are to be made
peaceably if they can be purchased at the
cost of hundreds of millions. If they can
not be made peacefully. then at the cost of
a war with Mexico. and war with Spain,
and war with England, and war with
France, and at the cost of an alliance with
Russia scarcely less repugnant. Unmista-
kable indications also appear of purpose to
annex the eastern part Of San Domingo, and
so to subjugate the whole island. restoring
it TO the dominion of slavery-and this is
to be followed up by an alliance with Bra
zil and the extension of slavery in the val
lew ot the Amazon. 1t is for you to Judge
whether, when slavery shall have made
these additions 10 the United States, it will
demand unconditional submission on the
part OF the free States, and failing in that
demand, attempt a withdrawal of the slave
States and the organization of a separate
empire in the central region Of the conti-
nent. From an act so unjust and wrongful
in itself and fraught with consequences SO
fearful we appeal to the people. We ap-
peal in no sectional spirit We appeal
equally to the North and to the South, to
the free States and 10 the slaveholding
States themselves, 1t is no time for exag.
geration or for passion, and we therefore
speak calmly of the past, and warn you in
sober seriousness of the future. 1t would
not become us, nor is It necessary. to sug-
gest the measures which ought to be adop.
ted in this great emergency. For oursel-
YES. we are ready to do all that shall be in
our power to restore the Missouri Compro-
IN Sc. and to execute such further measures
as you in your wisdom shall command. and
as may be necessary for the recovery Of the
ground lost to Freedom. and to prevent
the further aggressions Of slavey.
SOLOMON FOOT, Chairman.
DANIEL MACE, o.
RErDEN E. FEsroN. secretaries
The meeting was fully attended. and the
Address is indorsed by all the Anti. Ne
braska members Of Congress.
-NON-