Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-20
CONGRESS-.
THIRTY-THIRD coNGREss--FIRsr SESSION.

mise, py Mess'fs. seward, Wade, Everett, Fish,
Chase, Sumner, and Brodhead
Mr.. Johnson introduced bill to establish
three Indian Territories in the country west Of
Arkansas He said it proposed to give an an
swer to tho anxious question: as to what was to
become Of the Indians This bill provided
kind Of Government for the Indians, which was
calculated to encourage them in civilization,
and induce them to become citizens Of the
United States, and ultimately be admitted to
the enjoyment Of selfgoyernment He moved
that one thousand extra copies Of the bill be
printed for the purpose Of distribution among
the Indians in order that their views may be
asccrtained The motion was agreed to, and
the bill referred.
House resolution, authorizing supplemental
contract for supplying marble for the Capitol,
was taken up and passed
Mr.. Shields introduced a BILL making Cairo,
Illinois port Of delivery
Mr.. Benjamin reported bill, making ap-
preparations for the improvement Of the mouths
of the Mississippi, and moved that it be taken
up.
Mr.. Stuart objected to the consideration Of
the bill. He would oppose all separate bills
for snch improvements. He was for q general
measure.
The motion was not agreed to.
Ho ochdbc tHou pIOCccuCu w tuo COuoiucTu-
ton. Of the bill to establish Territorial Gov
eminent for Nebraska.
Mr.. Petit read u despatch, announcing the
arrival Of the Baltic, with intelligence Of a gen
eral war in Europe and offered his earnest
thanks to Providence that this country was not
participantin that catastrophe. Though the
day was gloomy his feelings were regulated
by the dictates Of duty That duty towards
tho States and the people required Of him that
he should do all In his power to preserve har-
m0ny among them, and to SECURE to each State
and its people equal rights and privileges.
There was only one provision in the bill which
seemed to meet with any serious opposition.
That provision was the one repeating tho Mis-
souri, Compromise. The bill properly gave the
people the sole power to legisate upon all sub
ijects, Slavery included, for themselves. He
was, however, in favor Of striking out the pro-
vision giving Congress power to veto the acts
Of the Territory.
These Territories were large, extensive do
main, belonging to the whole people. Was
there any Justice in excluding from this COM
mon domain either North or South? He was
opposed to it, He could see no objection, when
you gave the people Of the Territories full
power of legislation over all the political and
social rights Of white men, to giving them the
groes The people of the Territories were more
qualified than could Congress be, to Judge Of
the propriety or necessity Of having or not hav-
ing Slavery there. It was preposterous to say
that it was the desire that all negroes going to
the Territory should be free; for nowhere could
two distinct races exist, with freedom to both.
One or the other must be inferior. So was il
ordained to Moses from on high, when ooni-
manded that he should put the Canaanites to
death, leaving not one. Negroes in no State Of
this Union enjoyed the rights of freedom. The
bill introduced this morning to make the In
dams civilized and equal community, would
prove fallacious For the Indians there was no
future Their doom was fixed and no act of
man could prevent it.
This act did not carry Slavery there. Upon
the acquisition of Louisiana, it was governed
by the civil law, which sanctioned Slavery; the
Missouri Compromise repealed that civil law,
This act will repeal the Missouri act, but would
not revive the civil law repealed by the act of
1920. There was not, in his opinion, any law
under which slaves could be carried there.
He examined the doctrine Of equality, and
said that he did not believe MIR. Jefferson ever
meant, in saying that we hold these truths to
DO sefevident that all men are born free and
equal, to say it in the sense which had been
put upon it. He denied that all men were
born free and equal, and run the parallel be-
tween himself and the lame blind, idiotic, in
sanc, go, Sc and denied that all these were
born free and equal with himself He also de-
MED the equality Of the slaves South, the Afri-
cans in Africa, tho serfs in Russia, &c., with
the European race in the North and contend
ed that though political equality might be so
CURED by law there could DO no social moral,
or mental equality among men.
He denied that Mr.. Webster ever referred
To the Missouri Compromise as a compact, or
as an irrcpealablc law. What Mr.. Webster
meant by an irrepcalable law, was the law of
nature, which forbade Slavery going where the
soil and productions were not suited to it. He
considered the Missouri act rs nothing beyond
any other act Of Congress, to DO repealed when
ever tho interests or circumstances OF the times
required It,
He contended that Congress had full power
10 regulate this subject in the Territories, and
commented mt great length and with much
severity upon some remarks by Mr.. Cass upon
this question, and in reply to former speech
by him in the House Of Representatives. He
is still speaking
House of Representatives., Feb 20, 1854.
Mr. Latham, from the Committee ON Public
Lands, reported back the Senate bill extend
ing the presumption law Of California, with an
amendment, recommending its passage Mr..
L. explained ut some length the necessity Of
the enactment and urged its immediate pas
sage
Mr. Washburn, Of Illinois, expressed his APP
prevail Of the objects Of the bill
The amendment was agreed TO, and the blu
was passed.
Mr. Warren, from the Committee ON Public
Lands reported back bill extending the
granting Of bounty lands, for services in the
war of 1912. and recommended that il do not
pass Pending the discussion Of d motion TO lay
the report on the table and print it,
MIR. Richardson, ON leave, moved that the
9Th, 9Th, and 9th Of March, DO set apart for
the consideration Of local bills for tho organ
lied Territories
Mr.. Orr said the time was too early. The
committees were not prepared.