The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-02
ADDRESS OF THE INDEPENDENT DEMO
GRATIS In CONGRESS-
TO THB PBOPLB OF THR UNITED STATE.

Shall Slavery be Permitted an Nebraska /?
WASHINGTON, January 20, 1854.
FELLow-CIrIzENs:
AS Senator'S and Representatives in the Con
gress of the United States, it is our duty to
warn our constituencies whenever imminent
danger menaces the Freedom Of our Institu-
tons or the Permsnency of our Union.
Such danger, as wo firmly believe, now i'm.
ponds, and we earnestly solicit your prompt
attention to it.
At the last session of Congress, a bill for the
organization of the Territory of Nebraska
passed the House of Representatives, with an
overwhelming majority. That bill was based
on the principle Of excluding Slavery from the
new Territory. 1t was not taken up for con-
sideration in the Senate, and consequently fail
ed to become a law.
At The present session, a new Nebraska bill
has been reported by the Senate Committee on
Territories, which, should it unhsppily receive
the sanction of Congress, will open all the un-
organized territory Of the Union to the ingress
Of Slavery.
We arraign this bill as gross violation Of a
sacred pledge; as a criminal betrayal Of pre-
cious rights; as part and parcel Of an atrociOus
plot to exclude from a vast unoccupied region,
immigrants from the Old World and free la
borers from our own States and convert it into
a dreary region Of despotism, inhabited by
masters and slaves.
Take your maps, fellow-citizens, we entreat
you, and sec what country it is which this bill,
gratuitously and recklessly, proposes to open to
Slavery.
From the southwestern corner OF Missouri pur-
sue the parallel of SO deg 80 min. north latitude
westwardly across the Arkansas, across the
north fork of Canadian, to the northeastern
angle of Texas; then follow tho northern
boundary of Texas to the western limit of New
Mexico; then proceed along that western line
to its northern termination then again turn
westwardly, and follow the northern line of
New Mexico to the crest of the Rocky Mount
aims; then ascend northwardly along the crest
of that mountain range to the line which sep
arates the United States from the British Pos
sessions in North America, on the 49th parallel
Of north latitude; then pursue your course
eastwardly along that line to the White Earth
river, which falls into the Missouri from the
north descend that river to it's confluence with
the Missouri descend tho Missouri, along the
western boundary of Minnesota, of Iowa, of
Missouri, to the point where it ceases to DO a
gives it's name then continue your southwark
course along the western limit of that State to
the point from which you set out. You have
now made the circuit of the proposed Territory
of Nebraska. You have traversed the vast
distance of more than three thousand miles.
You have traced the outline of an area of four
hundred and eighty-f thousand square miles
more than twelve times as great as that of
Ohio.
This immense region, occupying the very
heart Of the North American continent, and lar
ger, by thirty-three thousand square miles, than
all the existing Free States, excluding Califor-
nia-this immense region, we'll watered and
fertile, through which the Middle and North
ern Routes from the Atlantic to the Pacific
must pass-this immense region, embracing all
the unorganized territory of the nation, except
the comparatively insignificant district of In
dian territory north of Red River and between
Arkansas and Texas, and now for more than
thirty years regarded by the common consent
of the American People as oonsecrated to Free
region, the Bill now before the Senate, without
reason and without excuse, but in fragrant dis
regard Of sound policy and sacred faith, pro-
poses to open to Slavery.
We beg your attention, fsllow-oitizens, TO a
few historical facts.
The original settled policy of the United
States, clearly indicated by the Jefferson Pro-
viso of 1884, and by the Ordinance Of 1897,
was NoN-ExTENsIoN OF SLAVERY.
In 1903, Louisiana was acquired by pur-
chase from France that time there were
some twenty-five or thirty thousand slaves in
this Territory, most Of them within what is now
the State Of Louisiana; few, only, farther
north, on the west bank of the Mississippi
Congress, instead of providing for the abolition
of Slavery in this new Territory, permitted its
continuance. In 1912, the State of Louisiana
was organized and admitted into the Union
with Slavery
In 1918, six years later, the inhabitants of
the Territoryof Missouri applied to Congress
for authority to form State Constitution, and
for admission into the Union. There were, at
that time, in the whole Territory acquired from
France, outside of the State of Louisiana. moi
three thousand slaves.
There was no apology in the circumstances
of the country for the continuance of Slavery
The original national policy was against it
and, not less, the plain language of the treaty
under which the Territory had been acquired
from France.
IL was proposed, therefore, to incorporate in
the bill authorizing the formation of q State
Government, provision requiring that the
OOnsueution OF the new SeAte should contain
an article providing for the abolition of existing
Slavery, and prohibiting the further introduc-
ton of slaves.
This provision was vehemently and pertina,
ciously opposed; but finally prevailed in the
House of Representatives by decided vote
In the Senate it was rejected, and, in conse
quence of the disagreement between the two
Houses, the bill was lost.
At the next session Of Congress the contro.
versy was renewed with increased violence II
was terminated, at length, by compromise
Missouri was allowed to come into the Union
with Slavery, bat section was inherited in the
act authorizing her admission, excluding Sla.
very, forevers from all the Territory acquired
from Franco, not included in the new State, ly.
ing north of % deg. 80 min.