Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-07
NATIONAL 'INTELLIGENCER.
THE TERRITORY OF NEBRASKA.

organizing the Territory of Nebraska. summary
of the bill was published in paper of Thursday
.. REPORT .'..."
The Committee Territories, to which referred a
bill for an act to establish the Territory Nebraska
aiven the same that serious and deliberate consideration
which It's great importance demands and beg leave to
report il back to the Senate, with various amendments
IN the form of substitute for the bill.
The principal amendments which your committee deem
It their duty commend to the favorable action Of the
Senate, in special report are those in which the prn
epes established by the compromise measures OF 1885,
far they applicable Territorial organization
proposed be affirmed and carried into practical opera
tiOn within the limits of the new Territory.
The wisdom of those measures attested not less by
their sauary and beneficial effects in aaying sectional
agitation aud restoring peace and harmony to irrtaed
and distracted people, than by the cordial and almost uni
versal appreciation with which they have been received
and sanctioned by the whole country In the Judgment
az your committee those intended to have
far comprehensive and enduring effect than the
mere adjustment Of the difficulties arising out Of the
cant acquisition Of Mexican territory. They were de-
gned to establish certain great principles which would
not only furnish adequate remedies for existing evils but
in all time to come avoid the perils of similar agta
ton by Withdrawing the question of slavery from the
to the arbitrament of those who Immediately in
terea,d in and alone responsible for its consequences
With the view Of conforming their action what they
regard the settled policy Of the Government sanctioned
by the approving voice Of the American people, your
committee have deemed it their duty to incorporate
and perpeuate in their Territorial bill the principles
and spirit of those measures IL any other consider
atious necessary render the proprety of this
course imperative upon the committee, they may be
found in the fact that the Nebraska country occu-
pres the same relative position to the slavery ques
tion as did New Mexico and Utah when those Terri
tories organized 1t disputed point whether
slavery prohibited by law in the country acquired
from Mexico On the one hand, it was contended,
legal proposition, that slavery having been pro-
hibted by the enactments of Mexico, according the
laws o: nations received the country with all its To-
cal laws and domestic institutions attached to the SOIL
far they did conflict with the Constitution of the
United States and that law either protecting pro-
hibiting slavery not repugnan to that instrument
evidenced by the fact that onehaf of the States
Of the Union tolerated. while the other half prohibited
the institution Of slavery On the other hand, it in
sisted that by virtue of the Constitution Of the United
States, every citizen had right to remove to any terri
tory Of the unon and carry his property with him. under
the protection of law whether that property consisted in
persons or things The difficulties arising from this di
Vsrity of opinion greatly aggravated by the fact
chat there many persons both sides of the legal
controversy, who unwilling to abide the decision
Of 1.-THE courts on the matters in dispute Thus, among
those who claimed that the Mexicun laws were still in
Socee, and consequently that slavery already pro-
hbted in those territories by valid enactment there
many who insisted upon Congress making the matter
certain by enactng another prohibition. In like
of those who argued that the Mexican laws had
ceased 70 have any binding force and that the Consu
ton tolerated and protected slave property in those terri
tories unwilling to trust the decision Of the courts
upon that point and insisted that Congress should by d
rect enactment all legal obstacles to the intro
duction Of slaves into those territories.
Such being the character Of the controversy in respect
to the territory acquired from Mexico similar question
E., IL Ln1l a.
proposed Territory of Nebraska when the Indian laws
shall be withdrawn and the country thrown open to emf
grafton and settlement. By the eighth section of
act to authorize the people of the Missouri Territory to
form constitution and State government, and for the
admission of such State into the Union original
footing with the original States and to prohibit slavery
In certain Territories" approved March e. 1890 it was
provided That in all territory ceded by France to the
United States under the of Louisiana which lies
north Of thrtysx degrees and thirty minutes north lat
tude included within the limits Of the State contem
plated by this act slavery and involuntary scrvituae
otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the
parties shall have been duly convicted shall be and is
hereby forever prohibited Provided apays, That any
person escaping into the sa.e from whom labor
is lawfully claimed in any State Territory of the
United States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed
and conveyed to the claiming his or her labor
service aforesaid" ...'
Under this section in the case of the Mexican law
ID New Mexico and Utah. it is disputed point whether
slavery is prohibited in the Nebraska country by vaAd
The decision of this question involves the
constitutional power Congress pass laws prescribing
and regulating the domestic institutions of the various
Territories of the Union In the opinion Of those emf
nent statesmen who hold that Congress is invested with
NO rghtful authority to legsate upon the subject of
slavery in the Territories, the eighth section Of the act
preparatory to the admission of Missouri is null and
void while the prevailing sentiment in large portion OF
The Union ustans the doctrine that the Constitution OF
4he United States to every citizen unaenable
right into any Of the Territories with his pro-
perty of whatever kind and description and hold and
enjoy the under the sanction Of law Your CON-
rtee do feel themselves called upon to into
the discussion Of these controverted questions They
involve the grave issues which produced the agta
o the sectional strife and the fearful struggle of 1850
As Congress deemed it wise and prudent to refrain from
deciding the matter in controversy then, either by
Affirming or repeating the Mexican laws, by act de-
ratory Of the intent Of the Constitution and the
extent of the protection afforded by to slave property
In the Territories, your committee not prepared
now recommend departure from the pursued
on that memorable occasion, either by affirming
peang the eighth section Of the Missouri act by any
declaratory of the meaning Of the Constitution in
respect to the legal points in dispute Your committee
deem it fortunate for the peace Of the country and the
security OF the Union that the controversy then resulted
In theadopton Of the compromise measures which the
great political parties with singular unanimty have
affirmed cardinal article Of ter faith and proclaim
ed the world final settlement of the controversy
and end of the agitation. Que respect therefore,
for the avowed opinions Of Senator'S well proper
Of patriotic duty DIN upon your committee the
propriety and necessity OF strict adherence the prn
eples and literal adoption Of the enactments Of
adjustment in all their Territorial b far the
same are not locally inspplicable Those enactment
embrace among other things less material to the matters
under consideration, the following provisions:
"when admitted State the said Territory any por
ton Of the same, shal be received into the Union with
without their prescribe tn