Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-02-15
Guuper's GlarRsbllrQ Reglstpr
Equal RIghts and Equal Lava: 81
cLARKsBURG, WEDNESDAY, FEB.15, 1854
The Nebraska Bill.

out inc country uuEluS JIG paSH &c"
weeks by the discussions which have ia
ken place upon the bill for the organiza-
ton of territorial government of Ne
braska--thc territory Immediately west of
Missouri and Iowa.
A bill organizing this territory was
passed by the last House of Representa-
tives, if we mistake not, but failed to get
through the Senate. In the early part
of the present session, Hon. S. A. Doug
lass, Chairman of the Committee on Ter
ritories, presented bill for establishing
a territorial government in Nebraska, in
which the principles of the Compromise
measures of 1850 we're incorporated, and
declaring the Missouri compromise of
1920, superseded by that act. Suisse
quenLly it was amended so as to form two
territories, Nebraska and Kansas The
repeal of the Missouri Compromise, pro-
hibiting the introduction of slavery north
of Sc degrees and thirty minutes, and
leaving the question open to be decided
by the people upon the formation of the
State governments, has aroused the ire
of the abolitionists and Free Sellers in
Congress, who are strenuously opposing
the measure. Mr.. Douglass, Mr.. Chase,
the free-soil Senator from Ohio, and a
number of others have made able speech
es on the subject.
TO what extent this question will re-
new the agitation experienced in 1850,
time alone must show; but believing that
the bill has a large majority in its favor
in both Houses of Congress, we hope it
will be pushed rapidly through, as pro-
feet than to again arouse the animositie5
that shook the Union during the long
and exciting debates attending the pas
sage of the compromise measures. The
Missouri Compromise being of both
doubtful constitutionality and exPediency,
and the compromise of 1850, leaving
this exclusively State question to be deci-
ded by the people, when the State go
vernmcnt is formed, we cannot she how
any honest man can for one moment he
state between the two. Nor do we be-
lieve that opposition will be made to the
bill now pending, except by the few who
expect to profit by it.
The whole county is sick and tired OF
the agitation Of the slavery question, and
the non-intervention doctrine of the com
promise of 1850, so we'll calculated to al
lay excitement and forever put to rest
this subject, has been seized with avidi ty
by the people, and scarcely man can be
found, whatever may have been his for
mer feelings, who is not now unqualiiedly
in favor of those measures. The Missouri
act, on the contrary, is far from being q
proper one. If Congress has power to
say that slavery shall not exist in territ O.
ry north of SO degrees, 80 minutes, it has
the power to say that it shall not exist
south of that line, or anywhere else; OF
that it shall exist in any other State.-
Surely the Constitution gives Congress
no such power as this.
We do not doubt, for one moment the
ultimate passage of this bill in its present
shape, or at all events without any m ate
rial alteration. The votes already taken,
Enthusiastically point to this result, and we
hope it will put final quietus to the ia
natical carpings of the abolitionists. Il
is fortunate that this question has came
up. if come up it must at all, so soon af
ter the triumphant endorsement of the
Compromise measures by the people, ir
the election of Franklin Pierce to the Pre-
sidency. And it is with pleasure that W.
learn (althou gh no one could for one mo
ment have expected anything else) sha
he is throwing the whole influence of the
government in favor of Judge Douglass
bill.