The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1854-02-01
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE SrAVE
OF Ohio.
Shall Slavery be Permitted iu Me-
braSk82
Washington, Jan. 10, 1854.

Washington, Jan. 10, 1854.
FELLow- CIrIzEN:
As Senator'S and Representatives iu the Con-
gress of the Urited States, it i. duty warn
our constituencies whenever mnent danger me-
naces the Freedom of our Institutions or the Per-
manency of our Union.
Such danger, as We firmly believe. now i'm
pends, and we earnestly solicit your prompt atten-
ton to it.
At tho last session Of Congress, a bill for the or
ganizalon of the Territory of Nebraska passed
the House of Representatives, with an overw helm
ing majority. The bill was based on the principle
of excluding slavery from the new Territory. L,
was not taken up for consideration in the Senate,
and consequently failed to become law.
At the present session, new Nebraska bill has
been rero,ted by the Senate Committee on Ter
ritories, which should it unhappiIy receive the
sanction Of Congress, will open oil the unorgsnzed
territory of the Union to the ingress of Slavery.
We arraign this bill as gross violation ofa sa-
cred piedge; as a criminal betrayal Of precious
right; part aud parcel nf an attrocious pot to
exclude from vast unoccupied region. immigrants
from the Old World, and free laborers from our
despotism, inhabited by masters and slaves.
Take your mape, fellow citizens. we en,reat
you, and see what country it is which this bill,
gratuisonsly and recklessly. proposes to open to
Slavery.
| From tho south western corner of Missouri
pursue the parallel of 80 80 min. north latitude
wes,wardly across the Arkansas, across the north
| IF tbo has nofa of
Texas; then fellow the northern boundary Of Tex
as to the western limit of New Mexico; then pro-
ceed along that western line to its nOrthren ter
mination; then again turn westwardly, and follow
| the northern line of New Mexico to the crest of
the Rocky Mountains; then ascend uoHhwardly
along the crest of that mountain range 10 the lns
which separates the United States from the Bit
ish Possessions in North America. on the
4oth parallel of north latitude; then pursue your
course eastwardIy along that line to the White
Earth river to its conf1ueLce with the Missouri
descend the Missouri, along the Weston boundary
of Minnesota, of Iowa, of Missouri. to the pon,
where it cesses to be a boundary line, and enters
the State to which 1t gives its name; then centiu
ue your southw ard course along the western limit
ofthst State to the point from which you set out.
You have now made the circuit of the proposel
Territory If Netra ska. You have traversed the
vast distance OF more than three Thousand miles.
You have traced the outline of 40 area of four
hundred and eighty five Thousand square miles;
more than twelve times az great as that Of Oho.
This immense region, occupying the very heart
Of the North AWerican continent and larger by
thirty-three Thousand square miles. than all the
existing Free States excluding Caiiforn'a-this
| immense region, we'll watered and ferte' through
which the Middle and Northern Routes from the
Atlantic to the Pacific must pass-this immense
| region embracing AL the unorgan'zed territory OF
,ba na,;on. except the comparatively Insignificant
d;s,r;c, of Indian Territory north Of the Red Riv
.r .,6 bstwssn Arkansas and Texas, aud now for
more than thirty years regarded by the common
consent Of the American People as consecrated to
Freedom; by statute and by compaot-this i'm
mense region, the Bill before the Senate. without
reason and without excuse, but in fagrant disre.
gard of sound policy aud sscred fath. proposes to
open to Slavery.
We beg your attention. fellow citizens. to few
historical facts.
The origind. srtt!ed policy Of the United States,
clearly indicated by the Jefferson Prosiso of 1884
and by the Ordinance Of 1887, was NON xxTEN.
sion OF SLAVERY.
In 1906, Eoassisna wss Asqairek BY PssOhasA