Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-10
DEBATE In THE SENATE.
THE NEBRASKA QUESTION.
In rHE sENArE. MAY "a AND Is. 1854.


The Senate having under consideration the House bill
to organize the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas and
the pending question being the amendment OF Mr.
PEARcE to the fifth section, to strike out the words
And those who shall have declared oath their intsn
become SUCH and shall taken oath to support
the Constitution of the United States and the provisions Of
this act" .
so that the proyiso shall read:
Prordd, That the right Of suffrage and Of holding ONCE
shall be exercised only by citizens Of the United Stale
Mr.. BELL said: Mr.. President, / did not expect to
provoke personal assault my course in relation to the
before the Senate by any thing which said this
morning trust that did touch the honorable gem
temans mir. TooMBs) sensibilties when stated that
supposed his only object what he consider
ed violation of the Constitution of the United States
from the statute and that that seemed to be the
great principle which he had in view in giving his support
to this bill leave it to the Senate TO say whether did
not state with sufficient dstinctness that wanted to
know from those gentlemen who had expressed them
selves yehemeny SO loudly, and eoquenty If you
please in favor of great fundamental principle
which they wished to establish by this BILL what that
great principle really was? Each said that there
was great principle in it. which they did not wish to
risk even by voting for proposition which their Judg-
ments approved turned to the honorable Senator from
Georgia. trust in offensive manner, and asked what
principle he wanted to establish by the BILL He said he
wished repeal that odous infamous restriction called
the Missouri compromise.
Mr.. TOONBS. I did not uss the term said uncon-
sttutional.
Mr.. ATCHISON. said infamous.
MIR. BELL. l know some Senators spoke OF 1t as in
famous but does not matter in what terms that COM
promise is denounced. My object was to know what
the great principle to be established by this bill
which was so important that honorable Senator's would
sacrifice their opinions and principles upon other
questions in order to effect that object My honorable
friend from Missouri mr. AfcMsoN said that if the bill
contained thousand Objectionable features they would
not prevent him from voting to get rid Of that infamous
Missouri compromise. Ii such views-f that was the
only obechad been avowed at the outset OF this pro-
ceedng how many supporters do you think the bill would
have had even from the South? believe, though am
not certain that the honorable Senator from South Caro-
lima Mr. BUTLER) expressed the same sentiments in his
remarks upon the Nebraska bill before it passed the Sc
nate That honorable Senator said that to repeal the
Missouri compromise would be plucking thorn from
his side which had been long time ranking there, and
that that consideration the bill to his favor
had no idea of provoking the honorable Senator from
Georgia. with whom have been relations Of friend
ship to an attack upon me when called upon him to
know what was the great principle which he in the
bill believe he is the only Senator from the South
with whom conversed who thought that this was
good thing in itself Of all other Southern Senators with
whom have conversed the subject do not re-
member single one besides who did not deprecate the
introduction Of this of repeal But they thought
that they could against it, presented as 1T seemed
be- from the North though they believed practical
good would come to the South fromit.
Now, it that the great object pf the honorable
Senator from Georgia. in supporting the bill as sent from
the House OF Representatives to gel clear OF the re-
strction of 1920, which, by the by viii say, gave the
highest to the authors Of it which public man
in this country attain which gavs repose to the
country and preserved the harmony Of tie sections for
period of thirty years. and which has bn acquiesced in
by both sections Of the Union from ls2O up to very
period. Now it is said to be infamous, and gentle
men say they quite willing to rskthe boiling cal
dron at the North alluded to by the Senator from lnd
ana Mr. PETTY i'll order to get released from that
odious restriction Sir did the honorable Senator when
he first gave his adhesion to the repeao the Missouri
compromise anticipate such state of hngs as now ex
lists at the North? did not believe Myself during the
of IF
ment would be great at the North. l spoke with
Northern gentlemen about it. They thought there would
be deep feeling implanted at the North against the
measures but great excitement would be created ex
cept perhaps at the meetings which might be got in
the populous cities. Did any gentleman of the South,
however believe that such state Of things ap-
excitement and as North may subside. The
present bubbing Of the caldron may soon evaporate
after the passage of the bills but the cadron certainly
exhibits very high degree of fermentation and excite
ment just
Now does the Senator mean to say that merely get
rid of that satutethe restriction Of 1S2Oas lover Of
the Union he would risk all the mischevous consequences
which the honorable Senator from Indiana has held
to view likely to arise in the North Is there
locus panitenta?
Mr.. ToOMBS. You have right to change.
Mr.. BELL. But the honorable Senator will not. 1
suppose that the honorable Senator from Indiana Mr.
PErTr would be prepared to change his opinion in re-
gard to the Importance OF establishing what he regards
great principle of this bill if he were to find that all
the consequences which he described to-day likely
arise before another session of Congress would follow
the repeal Of the Missouri compromise. do not think
he would be stubborn and obstinate as to insist at all
hazards, upon getting his great principle established
upon furnishing that white sheet of paper the abula
upon which the people of the Territory might write
what they pleased and thus naugurate the doctrine of
squater sovereignty promulgated by the Senator from
Michigan amended and improved by the admission the
right of suffrage of foreigners not naturazed well
natives Would he convulse the country for the sake Of
establishing such principle in violation of all our terri
toria legislation for sixty years think he would not
be as obstinate the honorable Senator from Georgia;
nor do think he would have the vindctive feeling
against others for any change of their views this sub
Ject However ght have thought at first that should
be forced under the circumstances to support this
sure, however much disapproved it, yet thought bet
ter afterwards, when became satisfied that the mschef
were likely to be far greater than at first supposed they
would be.
Now, sir with regard to the Constitution any thing
else which is to be INDICATED established by this bill,
as it now stands, what is the great principle involved in
Why sir you should acquire Cuba what is the first
thing you have to do conform the doctrine proclaimed
IN this bill The first step to be taken will be to abolish
slavery as egallyestablished institution. How else
can the great principle commended for Senator from
Indiana be naugurated established? Freedom in the
of squatter sovereignty would require that Cuba
should first be made free territory you have provided
in this bill that Nebraska shall be- Ivoted for the amend
ment to which the Senator has referred. had idea
that such principle intended to be established but
still do not say that that consideration regulated my
vote The principle conended for when carried out,
quires that you shall take the stylus and rub out erad
cate every thing that written the tablet and leave
the inhabitants free to prescribe snsii 20 written
upon it, uutrammeled by existing institution That
il the great principle in addition the repeal of the
Missouri compromise, which the South much