The Yazoo Democrat., 1854-05-24
judge Harris and Nebraska.

tive in Congress from the fourth district in
this State, has attained to very wide circu-
lation, and has provoked vast deal Of COM
inent pro and con, from the public press, more
perhaps than it deserves, because Of the op-
position which it sets up to the territorial
bills Of Nebraska and Kansas.
Mr.. Harris is 8 man of ability, and his po-
siticn and opinions are entitled to respect
If the substance Of his speech was separated
from the stuff and nonsense, (for his copia
per6una is remarkably doubtless, some points
would be discovered sufficient to base dis
Esenting opinion upon.
notwithstanding the instructions of our
Legislature, and our opinion that a Repre-
sentative is bound to reflect the will of his
constituents SO far as it is compatible with
his oath to support the Constitution, yet we
do OF belong, nor can we subscribe wholly
to the opinions Of that class Of individuals
who seek to compel members of Congress to
give in their adhesion, 7oteas golens, to an
Administration measure upon instant pain of
political dannatien. It is certainly the duty
of good party man to contribute his aid in
the support of the party in power SO far as he
can consistently do so. But when a meas
ure becomes distorted, and is made to as
sumo different form from the original,
consequent change of opinion by former
adherent ought not to be abhorred. How
ever much it may be deplored, and as friend
of the measure, we sincerely regret it. the
reasons which induced Mr.. Harris to turn
from the support of these bills, with that re-
pugnace which hydrophobia has for water,
are deserving Of consideration, and ought in
fair dealing be allowed to mitigate censure.
To maintain that member of Congress
should so with his party right or wrong, is
advocating principle so remote from native
and scholastic virtue that man must have
undergone great change before he can re-
conclle himself to such doctrine.
Mr. Harris maintains that the bill Will
not restore Nebraska to its original condition
as s1ave.holding territory. Ifsuch was the
contemplation Of the original bill, the Badger
proviso efectually defeats it. He says fur
ther, 81 have been much under the influence
Of the liberal and elevated sentiments which
have from time to inns, in the progress Of the
discussion, proceeded from the Representa-
Of the free States, and much under tho infu-
ence Of those sympathies and associations
which connect h1e personally and politically
with those Representatives from my own Sec
ton, who have espoused the Senate bill, and
whose views and principles generally accord
with mine. So far from having desired. to.
eInbarrass the author and friends Of the meas
ure, have felt a strong wish that they might
receive, at the hands of the House, that de-
gree of courtesy and indulgence which would
enable them, at an early period, so far to con-
troll it as to free it, by amendments, of such
objections as might tend to retard, if not ulti-
mately to defeat, its passage"
The other Representatives from this State
hold a different opinion upon the merits Of
the BILL They appear to have different
idea of the duty of the democracy. The bill
to organize the Territories Of Nebraska and
Kansas, says the Union, and we fully concur
in the opinion, it is based upon great Amer.
ican principle. Wherever applied, this prin-
ciple has triumphantly prevailed. It is op
posed by the same wings and the same abo-
litionists that have from the first resisted the
principles and the progress of the democratic
party. Never yet have these influences
helped the country out of trouble In war
and in peace, whenever the rights or the in
terests of the masses have been involved.
they have either been Indifferent or hostile
too often they have been both Such is their
record. On the other hand, the men who sup
port the Nebraska and Kansas bill are men
whose achievements have reflected the high
est credit upon the country in its march to-
a commanding position before the nations Of
the world. Those who stood by Jacl1son-the
friends Of all the great reforms IN the fnan-
cial and revenue systems of the government
the advocates of the annexation of Texas
and the acquisition Of CaIifornia-where are
these men found now9 Nearly to man
shoulder to shoulder for the Nebraska bill.
The great body Of the advocates Of the COM
promise measures Of 1850 are on the same
side. What, in such state of things, is the
duty of the democracy? The is but one an
swer; and that is, that they should stand
firmly by the bill, and unitedly and harmoni-
Ouslv labor for IFS snnodv nnaafronf into a