Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-03-10
naug,ns on Nebraska.


With no inclination TO anticipate or
volunteer aid to those who are dealing
in Congress with Senator Douglas 5
impudent peversions and sophistries,
we propose to say one word on his
initial point borrowed from Cass) of
1.-THE great right of self-government."
leaving the people of the territoris to
govern themselves" Congressional
non-inlervention," DC, DC.
Who are che People" Of the Terri
tories on whom is,devolyed the de cision
of their future Millions of inhabitants
of the tremendous issue Of Slavery OF
Freedom /? Are they the first ten squat
tiers. within their boundaries respect
lively? or the first twenty, fifty, one
hundred or how many? Col. Hayne
or Hon. Joyce Spifileton, who emigra-
ted thither from Missouri or A rkansas, is
of course one of "the People," but
how is it with Ned, Quashee and Ce-
sar, whom those patriotic immigrants
see fit TO take along with them? Are
they ''pcople?" 1t not, are their Free
Black namesakcs or neighbors who
choose to go along? In short, who
decides who are People" and who
are not? The whole matter turns on
this. and all Douglass loud talk throws
no ray of tight on the vital matter, but
leaves it in dense and meditated OBJ
security.
Then what shall be the legal position
of Nebraska as respects Human Rights
until Territorial legislature shall be
assembled and territorial laws enacted?
VIGOROUSLY, cit is the first step that
COSTS" and that decides also. Given
"a place whcreon to stand" and Sla-
very will have little difficulty in erect
ing its black Juggernaut and starting
its whole machinery. Mr. Douglas no
where aiiirms nor intimates that Free
dom is to be the law until Slavery shall
be expressly recognized and entablsh-
ed; he keeps dark on this vital point;
but we know shat Slavery has already,
in defiance of the express inhibition OF
the Missouri Compromise, planted its
outposts in Nebraska, and we hear
that it has chosen one of its seyitors q
Delegate to Congress. Ii such things
are done in ostentatious defiance OF
law, what may not be expected when
that law shall be repealed and the in
hibition Withdrawn? Missouri. Texas
and Arkansas adjoin or approach Ne
brask, while no free States but Iowa,
and that but thinly peopled at its south
west corner, comes near it. No man
can nationally doubt that the passage
OF Douglass bill will prompt an imme-
date and extensive migration OF slave
holders to the new territory, for the
express purpose of fastening il forever
TO the car OF Bondage. They may take
their chattels along at once, or leave
them behind for a season, us they
may deem expedicnt or safe; but they
will go as shareholders, to subseryc
the interests Of Slavery, and devote to
politics and cleclioneering the time
which other settlers must give to their
clearings and their crops, SO that one
stakeholder will have more influence
in organizing the Territory than hall
a dozen settlers who live by their own
labor. But in truth no one doubts
that Nebraska will be a Slave State il
Mr.. Douglass bill passes, unless de-
feated by popular arousing which
shall compel virtual or actual repeal
of the repudiating clause. Every thing
turns on the laws which shall prevail
prior to any legal action Of the settlers
therein; and he who talks of those set
tiers making their own laws and fra
ming their own institutions, yet keeps
dark with regard to the laws which
shall prevail prior to any Legislation
by the settlers, is dissembler who
walks in craftiness and lies in wait tC
deceive. He does not mean to be hon
est and straightforward; he is using
words to conceal his purpose, and dar
kening counsel by jugglery and fraud
" y Tribune.