The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-01-19
WILL THEY NEVER LEARN

GA burnt child breads the fire, is proverb
that does not always hold good of politicians
They arc apt to rely too much upon cunning
too little upon the lessons of experience. One
might suppose that the Compromise Measures
of 1850 had proved the death Of 80 many, that
there would be little disposition to revive the
issues then passed upon, and re enact the ar
rangcments then forced through Congress.
Who has been the gamer by that settle
ment" IS it is facetiously styled? Where are
the men prominent in bringing it about
WEBSTER, heart broken by the disappoint-
ments and ADVERTISEMENTS in which il involved
him, sleeps in the grave. CLAY was saved from
the same fate, only by death. FILLMORE was
unable to obtain the vote of q National Wing
Convention, against q rival candidate who had
performed no signal service for the Compromise.
CAss, BUCHANAN, DICKINSON, DOUGLAS were
thrust aside in National Democratic Conven.
ton, to make room for one who had taken no
part in the great labor of Union saving. COBB
is politically dead, by the hands of members of
his own Party. FooTE is defeated in Missis-
sipp, and rated by the organ,7 while his
riFd; bA'Io iOI OppOniSiOu W
the Compromise, holds a comfortable seat in
the Cabinet, beside MARCY, the head of that
section of the Now York Democracy that origi-
nally upheld the Wimot Provsc, through
whose influence, DICKINSON, (the Chcvalicr
Bayard, as the Compromises used fondly to
call him. and his lesser Chevalers, are outcasts
from Executive favor.
We can easily understand why the Admins
tration is 80 Jealous in behalf of the ComprO-
mise: General Pierce and his associates arc tic
| only politicians who have profted by it, 50 far
as the emoluments and distinctions of Cffice arc
concerned but it is marvellous that Cas-,
Douglas, and all that genus, shOud evince 90
profound devotion to it as to seek its reaf-
frmation. They certainly gained nothing by
| the settlement " Of 1850, and we ON tell
| them they will gain great deal less by the
| attempt to unsetslo Nebraska. They are West
ern men -men from the free States Of the
West-their constituents will not thank them
for countenaneing conspiracy to plant a Sc
ries OF slave States along the track of the Pa
cifc railroad, between them and the Pacific
ocean.
There can be no pretence, in this case, Of
Nationality, or devotion to the Union. Party
lines have not been drawn upon the Question.
| 1t has hitherto scarcely been made Question.
| The country has not been agitatcd-the Union
imperilled. All that was needed for the organi-
zaton of Nebraska, was quiet, settled pur
| pose on the part of members representing the
non-slaveholding interests, to pat through both
| Houses simple bill for that purpose. No agi
| tation was necessary. Such bill passed the
House last year, and not word was uttered in
regard to Slavery. 1t was too clearly right,
to be opposed by any organized hostility among
the Southern members Many of them voted
for it, feeling, doubtless, that opposition from
them would be too fagrantly sectional. Had
| the same policy prevailed among Northern men
this year, there could have been no serious diff
fculty. Beyond all doubt, Nebraska would
have been organized with almost as little dis
cussion as took place in relation to the Terrific
ry of Washington, or Minnesota 1t would
have been regarded free, as matter of course.
Who has broken up this unity among North
ern men! Who has Matched this Internal plot,
TO disorganize the North, and invite Slavery to
new aggressions For what accursed object is
this Pandora's box openeda Thus always is
Freedom stabbed in the house Of her protested
friends. Thus always como from the North
the brain that devises, the hand that inhiots
dishonOr and injury upon it.
We hope Mr.. Douglas ID not the author of
that Report, or Bill-that, as chairman of the
Committee, he acts only as its mouth pioce-
we hope that, as an individual member of the
Senate, he will take occasion to review this
whole matter, and, ere it be too late, relieve
himself from oil responsibility for measure
which must sink any Northern politician who
shall attempt to support it.