Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-24


quences of this measure. Language fails to
express the sentiments of indignation and alb
horrence which it inspires; and no vision, less
penetrating and comprehensive than that Of
the All-Seeing, can reach it's evil issues.
To some of its more immediate and inevitable
consequences, however, we must attempt to d.
rect your attention
What will be the effect of this measure,
should it unhappily become law, upon
the proposed Pacific Railroad? We have
already said that two OF the prjocipal routes,
the Central and the Northern, traverse this
Territory. If Slavery be allowed there, the
settlement and cultivation of the country must
be greatly retarded. Inducements to the inn
migration Of free laborers will be almost de-
stroyed The enhanced cost Of construction
and the diminished expectation Of profta-
BILE returns will present almost instp erable OBJ
stacles to building the road at all !; while even
if made, the difficulty and expense of keeping
it up in country from which the energetic
and intelligent masses will be virtually ex-
cludcd, will greatly impair its usefulness and
value
From the rich lands Of this large Territory,
also. patriotic statesmen have anticipated that
a free, industrious and enlightened popula-
ton will extract abundant treasures of individy
ual and public wealth There it has been
expected, freedom-loving emigrants from Eu-
rope, and energetic and intelligent laborers
Of our own land, will find homes Of comfort
and fields Of useful enterprise If this bill shall
become q law, all such expectation will turn
to grievous disappointment The blight Of
Slavery will cover the land The Homestead
Law, should Congress enact one, will be worth
less there. Freemen, unless pressed by hard
and cruel necessity, will not, and should not
work beside slaves Labor cannot be respect
ed where any class Of laborers is held in ahject
bondage 1t is the deplorable necessity Of
Slavery, that to make and keep single slave
there must be slave law; and where slave law
exists labor must necessarily be degraded.
We earnestly request the enlightened con-
ductors Of newspapers printed in the German
and other foreign languages to direct the at
tention Of their readers to this important
matter
II is Of immense consequence, also, to scru-
tinize the geographical character of this pro-
ject We beg you, fellow citizens, to observe
that it will sever the East from the West
of the United States, by a wide slaveholding
belt of country extending from the Gulf of
Mexico to British North America. 1t is bold
scheme against American Liberty, worthy of an
accomplished architect Of ruin. Texas is al
ready slaveholding, and occupies the Gulf
Region from the Sabine to the Rio Grande and
from the Gulf Of Mexico TO the Red River,
North Of the Red River, and extending between
Texas and Arkansas, to the parallel of SO deg
80 min, lies the Indian Territory, about equal
in extent to the latter State, in which Slavery
was not prohibited by the act Of 1920. From
So deg. 80 min to the boundary line between
our own country and the British Possessions
stretching from west to east through more
than eleven degrees of longitude and from
south to north through more than twelve de-
grees of latitude extends the great Territory,
the fate of which is now to be determined by
the American Congress. Thus you see, fellow
citizens that the first operation Of the proposed
permission Of Slavery in Nebraska, will be to
stay the progress Of the Free States westward,
and to cut off the Free States of the Pacific
from the Free States Of the Atlantic. 1t is
hoped, doubtless, by compelling the whole
commerce and the whole travel between the
East and the West to pass for hundreds Of
miles through slaveholdng region, in the
heart Of the continent, and by the influence Of
a Federal Government controlled by the Slave
Power, to extinguish Freedom and establish
Slavery in the States and Territories Of the
Pacific and thus permanently subjugate the
whole country to the yoke of a slaveholding
despotism. Shall a plot against humanity and
Democracy, so monstrous, and so dangerous TO
the interests of Liberty throughout the world,
be permitted to succeed
We appeal to the People We warn you
that the dearest interests of Freedom and the
Union are in imminent peril. Servile dema-
gogues may tell you that the Union can be
maintained only by submitting to the demands
of Slavery We tell you that the safety Of the
Union can only be insured by the full recog-
milton Of the Just claims Of Freedom and Man
The Union was formed to establish Justice and
secure the blessings Of Liberty. When it fails
to accomplish these ends it will be worthless
and when il becomes worthless it cannot long
endure.
We entreat you to be mindful Of that funda-
mental maxim of Democracy, Equal RIGHTs
AND EXACT Justice for all men. DO not SUBJ
init to become agents in extending Legalized
Oppression and Systematizcd Injustice over q
vast Territory yet exempt from these terrible
evils.
We implore Christians and Christian Minis.
tiers to interpose Their Divine Religion requires
them TO behold in every man brother, and to
labor for the Advancement and Regeneration
Of the Human Race.
Whatever apologies may be offered for the
liberation of Slavery in the States none can
be urged for it, extension into Territories where
il does not exist, and where that extension in
wolves the repeal cf ancient law, and the vio-
lation OF solemn compact Let all protest
earnestly and cmphatically, by correspondence,
through the press by memorials by reson-
tons OF public meetings and Legislative Bodies,
and in whatever other mode may seem expedi-
emit against this enormous crime.
For ourselves we shall resist 10 by speech
and vote, and with oil the abilities which God
has given us. Even If overcome in the i'm
pending struggle, we shall not submit. We
shall 90 home TO our constituents; erect anew
the standard Of Freedom, and call on the
People to come TO the rescue OF the country
from tho domination Of Slavery. We will not
despair: for the cause OF Human Freedom is
the cause OF God
S. p. CHASE,
Senator from Ohio.
CHARLES SUMNER,
Senator from Massachusetts.