The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1854-04-13
Wa ShingfOn News.

discussions:
'The Nebraska question is in full blaze
in Congress. 1t is the theme of daily dis
cussion in the House. The oponents Of
the bill pretend that there side of the
question is indorsed in Connecticut
They affect to claim the result of the cleo
ton in that State few days ago as an
anti Nebraska triumph. But the friends
of the bill, SO far from regarding that
election as a decision against them, only
see in it seeming temporary advantage,
which has been gained by those who are
SO industrious in misrepresenting it. Be-
side, the Nebraska question was but one
of the many elements which formed the
great combination against the Democracy
of Connecticut. 1t was blended with
Freesoilism, Abolitionism, Maine Lavish
and all the other isms of the day, and the
heterogeneous coalition carried the day.
The friends of the bill are inspired with
renewed zeal by the constant misrepresen-
tation to which its delay subjects it in the
North. The Abolitionists there denounce
it as directly introducing slavery into the
territories. This is not true, and to show
that it is not, the advocates of the meas
ure say, let it be be passed and presented
to the people in a good tangible FORM
They will then see what it is, and, SO far
from finding the huge monster which the
Abolitionists describe it to be, they will
find it the embodiment of genuine repub
licanism. They will find it based upon
the true Constitutional doctrine of self
government.
The great feature of to-day's proceed
ings was Mr. Peston's Nebraska speech in
the House. He spoke in favor of the bill
and no speech of the session was listened
to with more eager or profound attention.
The gallaries were densely crowded with
'the beauty and fashion of the city, The
speech was able, eloquent and effective.
He defended the Badger amendment
against the carpings of some of the ex
treme abstractionists of the South, in a
manner which was as original as it was
sound and conclusive.
That amendment, it will be recollected,
provides that no law upon the subject of
slavery which may have existed in those
Territories prior to the enactment OF the
Missouri Compromise, shall be revived
three or four of them, object to this
amendment, saying that Nebraska is a
part of the Louisiana purchase, and at
the time we acquired it, slavery existed
therein. The Missouri restriction exclu-
ded it obove the line of SO, 80, and now,
they say, to repeal that restriction and
at the same time declare that the old law
which it superseded should not be re-
vived, would not be on-intervention-
1t would be practically as much an exclu
sion of slavery as the Missouri Compro-
mise was. It may be mentioned, also,
that this same class of Southern men are
rigid stickIers for the doctrine that slavery
can only exist by express authority of
statutory law; and upon this assumption
they resist the whole strength of their
opposition to the Badger amendment.
Now, Mr.. Preston showed that slavery
existed in the Louisiana Territory only by
custom. It was never legalized by any
special act either of Spain or France It
was merely introduced, and passively re-
cognized, and practiced by custom. But
when Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri
formed themselves into States, they form
ally legalized the institution of slavery in
their respective constitutions. According
to the theory of the Southern extremists
slavery did exist in Kansas and Nabraska
Hence their objection to the Badger a
mendment was absurd.
Any one listening to Mr.. Preston to-day
would be naturally led to inquire why it
was that that gentleman was classed as
Whig. His speech abounded with the old
Democratic doctrine of State rights. He
defended the sovereignty of the States
and strict construction of the Constitu-
ton, in the spirit of true disciple of the
political faith set forth in the resolutions
of '98.
Mr.. Preston was followed by Gerritt
Smith, who delivered, perhaps, the most
ultra Abolition speech ever deliver
ed in Congress. He denounced slavery
in every possible form. He said it had
existed nowhere by authority or under
the sanction of the Constitution, but
however, it was upheld by brute force
and in defiance of the Constitution.
He declared that he did not consider him
self bound by any law which protected or
tolerated slavery in any shape.
The Gadsden Treaty is not disposed of
in the Senate. Many reports from this
city profess to state what is being done
with it, the character of the amendments
the progress of the debates,
&c. But it is extremely dificult--in-
donJ II &c oavt To on ;p,,,ore;bi1;t1 to