The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-01

fenhly ha ~ nay opinion, this measure w' DC az popular
at the North the South when us provisions and prn-
cpes shall been fully Developed and become well UNI
dersood The people at the North attached 20 The pln'
epes Of government and you cannot convince them mat
that is sefgovernnent which depryes peoule of tbs night
OF egsang for themselves and compes them To receive
laws which are forced upon them BY legislature m weh
they are not represented We willing 10 stand upon thus
great principle OF seltgoyenment everywhere ana rs 10
us proud reflection that in this whole dscusson no friend
OF The ball has urged argument N ts favor which could
not De used with the same propney IN Tree state as 10
slave Sate and rice No enemy Of the bill has used
an argument which would bear repetition mile across
Mason and Dixons line Our opponents have dealt en-
tirey in sectional appeals The friends Of the bill have dis
cussed great principle Of universal application, which can
be sustained by the and the arguments
| 10 every time and IN every corner of the Union.
i Mr.. HOUSTON said Mr. President, believe this unu-
sua night sitting without precedent IN the history OF any
previous Congress this stage of the session The extra
ordinary circumstances in which find ourselves placed
would seem TO Indicate crisis IN the affairs OF the country
of no ordinary Importance crisis that porends either
good or evil 10 our institutions may MOI be so fortunate
as TO have similar views with other gentlemen who have
spoken; but feeling the same interest IN the subject shall
take the liberty of expressing the views which entertain
The extraordinary character Of the bill before the Senate
as well the in which is presented 10 the body
demands the gavest elaboration. Al this hour twelve
months ago the Senate IN session, and discussing The
Nebraska bill This sir the anniversary Of that pro-
racted session. In which the organization of the Territory
of Nebraska deliberately discussed the last day OF
the last session la that discussion, which, like this had
kept in seats to the morning dawn, the prominent
points OF opposition were such as related to the indian
| tribes
i Such bill the present session would have met pre-
sume with nsuperabe obections but what do we now
fndi bill entirely variant and bill which involves new
and important principles II has unexpected meas
ure without harbnger for no agitation heard Of and
the breeze bore no whisper cara that the Missouri
Compromise to be repe led Its presentation has been
as sudden as the itself is bod and the excitement
Of the public mind is Of corresponding intensity We are
told TO be sure that there necessity for ogtaton and
that the public mind will be tranquil and the country
will be IN state of repose and queas was at the INTRO
dncuon of this measure The honorable senator VINO mas
just taken his seat Mr.. DOUGLAS, the chairman of the
Committee Territories in his lecture to the South ex-
horted them stand by the principle of this BILL with the
that will be good for them and that the entire
country will maintain it, Sir under proper circumstances
should recognise the exhoraon but is the principle such
should be adopted by this body it be sane
toned by the nation' Whether is expedent and useful
at this time shall take the liberty to examine.
Mr. President cannot believe that the agitation created
by this will be confined to the Senate chamber
cannot believe, from what have witnessed here tonight
that this will be the exclusive for the exercise of hui
man PASSIONS and the expression Of public opinions the
only receptacle of all the strife of elimination and recriml
nation If the republic be shaken will thank Heaven
for its kindness in maintaining its stability.
We told that this bill based upon the principle OF
non-ntevenon but what extent is proposed to estab
lsh that prncipe Are you extending it to domain In
habed by citizens, barren prairie, Wilderness OF
even forty thousand wild ndans IL this the dlfusve
excellence of sir, for non-incrven-
on upon the principles which have heretofore been recog
Missed by this government Hitherto Territories have been
erganised-within my recollection, Alabama, Missouri
Florida Arkansas, Mississippi, Wisconsin, and Iowa have
been orgnnzed-and the principle now proposed was no
deemed essential to their we-belng and there
trinity their constitutions their growth Sir, has any
malgn influence attached them from their staple econom
cal organization II may be that the word economy"
deemed obsolete the present condition of treasury
Were otherwise am simple enough to confess that the
organization of two Territories when there not people
enough constitute ordinary county in of the popu
ous States of this Unon and when those who do inhab
the Territories United States soldiers, who not
titled to at elections in the States Territories, is not
procedure that can be characterized as economical
If the principle of nonnteryenuon be correct 1t is correct
where the Territories have been governed by laws OF Con-
gess until they have the requisite number of inhabitants
and are prepared DUPLICATION for admission States
Then they have right elect their delegates to conven-
ton for the purpose of framing State constitutions which
accepted by Congress, invest them with all the sovereign
rights of States and them for the first tne they have the
complete power of sefgovement Territory under the
tuelage Of Congress form organic laws either ad
hitting or excluding slavery. people without organic
laws might alternately, and repeal all laws, and
enact them without limitation, they would have no oca
constuton Congress has supervision the action
all Territories until they become sovereign States In The
formation of State governments, say that they have the
exclusive right determine whether they will come into
the Union with without slavery There, sir is the APP
pcaton Of the principle of nonnteventon and one that
( have always maintained
But gentlemen speak of sovereignty; they say that the
people sovereign and supreme Sir, bow with al
Difference that sovereignty but do not apply the prln
cple the Territories in their unorganized and chysa
condition. Sovereignty implies the power OF organization
and sefacng, sefmoviog, and sefsustaning principle
but the Territories have not They only acquire IT when
they become constituent parts OF this confederacy.
But told that the South has stood by the compro
: mise, L glad OF IT. YET gentlemen nave protested
against the recognition of North and South. Why, sir
they recognised every day The distinction has beer
recognised by the statesmen OF every day. and every
ton of the country. Am to be told that the question
has not assumed that character and that will not opc
rate carry sectional influence with II to certain OK
tent II is Impossible that you can divest 1T OF chaac
extent sectional Why, we are told, IN the
very breath that declares there is such principle recog
nsed that the North has violated the Missouri Compro
mise, and the South has maintained il and yet do you
tell that there North and South Let us look
at the action of the North and South am not gong
back TO make technical legal constitutional nrgu
men upon the facts and circumstances Of the Missouri
Compromises creation its progress, ITS recognition, and
final decision not going to characterize 1t as com
pact distinguished from compromise, because car
see no obligation the that does not belong
to the other. The word compromise" is compre
hensive and rational when applied to an amicable
adjustment OF differences existing between two parties who
arc reconciled - .... ....... ....
well remember that the organization of Oregon Ter
ritory, the South denounced the Missouri Compromise
and did recognise it, Was not that denunciaton sub
sequen Joint recognition by both sections OF the Union
the North and the South Had they united the South
perhaps, with unanimity than the North, upon us
application Texas her annexation Yes, sir, they had
That was in 1886 and in l54s three years after without
any intervening Of bad faith the part of the North
the South repudated the organization OF Oregon Ter
ritory ..# ~ IN.
i MI ATCHISoN The senator says that the southern
members of Senate repudated the Missouri Compromise
on the Oregon bill Now, that, think with all due defer
ence the SENATOR is not The senator from Illinois
proposed TO the Oregon bill the Missouri Compromise and
every southern gentleman, according to my recollection
II voted for it--every in the Senate.
DOITC,T vas sir