New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-25
PRESIDENT PIERCE'S OPINION OF THE
NEBRASKA BILL
r,o,, tn. Nashville Banner, March 10

yr.. g., T,< Hu4tsriHs Adsocat the following copy
If ser recently addressed by eI Senator Clemens to
gentleman of that place stating tne views ea Oy
-a.,on 10 ,be Nebraska bill and the grounds upon
onnosed 10 i, Those grounds are precisely the
onrds which we have occupied on the subject President
pierce according to Mr. Clemens thinks oil the o as he
so., aBut few DAYS since, Gays Mr.. Clemens, IN
| conversation with a northern Senator and myself he
rpader, p;ercel gave it as his decided opinion that
ro,s,s hin sssa proposition in favor Of freedom-and
,aded tb,, should pass although ne might absorb the
",lo Of Hx7co net another Stare STATE ToHId e1er come
into he Union eezpressed grea; surprise at tie oPp0-
,, + met Nth from the North and eYrd sHrpri'e that
at, So,l sscrld be Hirg 10 take IT, l agreed with him
fully and could not help recurring to the sraagem oy
(which the Greeks e ted the destruction Of Troy Intse
declarations Of President Pierce according 10 Mr. Clemens
wore not made % him alone but the presence and hear
inc of himself and "a Northern Senator We fJrbear
comment until il shall appear whether President Percs
admits or denies the accuracy Of Mr. Clemenss statement
W,rEIyGroy Saturday. r. b 25, 1854.
| NYDEAR SIR have received your leuer IA "Aich
you say that Of my renes are surprised az me pos
lion have assumed upon the Nebraska question: and de.
sire TO he made acQnanted with the GROUNDS upon Whcn
ny Ia5 determined not to be forced into the political
arena By anything enemy might say but that rule has
no apple aon to the misapprt henson OF friends am
onned 10 he bill of Mr Douglas because Is supported
ufan the ayowed ground that the people OF territory,
while il remains a territory may regulate the subject OF
Say for IN G,9e Cas- IN ScSSS Sp wiz er Wheb was was
rerudi5tfd hy the entire South in 1913. The Wings
charged it upon him ghevous political oense, and the
Democrats eyaded the issue by placing different con.
et,ucon uron tle letter Subsequently at the session Of
1880 when Gen Ciss ayowed that the northern con
structon Of Lis letter he ct one it was az once
dclaired b. the whole body Of southern Senator'S in
olrdnr the present Secretary Of Wer Judge DOIga in
abiding to the letter stated that the doubts entertained
by the then Senate from Mississippi CCo Davis had
caused him 10 be lukewam in the support Of Cen CGss
Col. Davis Instantly replied;
had doubts esis and heh reached 70 con;
The power Territorial inhabitants; yet sif took him
tom MebissD knows fought wrong doctrine"Sc
Col Davis was warmly sustained by Judge Butler and
Col King emphatcally declared that he did and
never could subscribe TO the doctrine held by Gen Cass
There was no disagree ent that Of among
ell held that it dangerous doctrine, and which
as enectualy excluded from the Territories as the VIII
notc entertaned by he President If tie United States him
SET But fer days since an coRreysafion nth nortt
Senator and myself he care II as has decided opinion
net Douglass bW Tas ga proposition IN toror OF free
"dom, and GdC6d that, U Il ShJHiG pass, although Te
might dJsorb The rhol Of MEXICO, not auofer Stare State
rcud into he Union He expressed great sur
prise at the opposition ii met with from the North and
equal surprise that the South should be wiling to take IT,
agreed with him fully and could help recurring to
tie traagem by which the Greeks effected the destrue
The only quotation Mr.. Calhoun known to
make "tim60 Ddn0O ct dona teTentes, and if ever
there was time that it should be repeated warning
to the South il is tie present northern man. unasked
and unsolicited brings forward proposition professedy
for benefit but in reality an iosidous attempt to steal
away from all the fruits of former trials and strng
giles The etadd which has resisted every open assault
about be destroyed by the foolish confidence of It's de
ferders in deusve gift which only serves to convey the
In s5O the doctrine of the South was "let alone
We asked nothing from Congress-we wanted nothing
The emphatic language Of Judge Butler ives heartily re-
! spoIded to everywhere:
A -: you yin KEEP your hands Of w'~'n' no
lOld In nt
my late letter Mr. Van Buren, about which much has
been sad but which has yet attempted to anayze
have other objections to Mr. Douglass bill, which
insuperabe of Themselves 1t provides that foreigner
who has merely declared his intention TO become citizen
shall be vested with the right of voting and thus places
in the power of foreign paupers and criminals to deprive
American citizen of his property drive him from the
Territory with his slaves do not speak for any mans
constituents There may be communities who will sustain
their representatives in this great outrage upon their
rights but if there he pity the deuon under which they
aie lsboripg.
The bill states in substance, that the Compromise Of
1890 repealed By the Compromise Of 1850 Now this
either true not Ii true where the necessity
of repeating over again an anomaly in legisla
ton repeal statute which is already repealed Whist
end can be attained except that of placing dangerous
weapon in the hands Of northern agators Il gives them
opportunity 10 deceive the ignorant aud unihinking.
by representing tie South fahless-by asserting that
We seized the first moment of power to repeal
solemn compact and that reliance be placed upon
any Compromise that we may make. III will assert
that Compromise is no more sacred than another
tnat as We nave repealed the Missouri restriction,
they may and ought 10 repeal the Fugitive Slave law and
thus will be revived that dangerous agitation which all
good men hoped was happily at end. know the com
TO this view Of the subject but il is false
and il il should impose upon people il will not
upon the North We told that northern volated
the Compromise Of 1890, and no longer bound by
it. This is a misconcepton The Missouri Compromise
applied TO the Territory of Louisiana. and TO that alone
There was provision that it should be extended to any
other Territory The contract complete, and bound
neither party in relation TO territory thereafter to be
quired. So far as that compromise concerned we
might, without any violation Of It's provisions have
ried Slavery into territory high the 10th parallel
of latitude, i; had the power they light have
clHded il as low the equator If would submit In
1850 We proposed compromise-that is 10 run the
lire to the Pacific This merely extension Of the
old contract 10 which they could agree disagree with
out any breach Of faith They eected it bat this
fusa 10 enter into arrangement cannot justify in
violating the first mel on this. however, merely to
show the view which will be taken Of the subject North
and Go not 10 elaborate il.
have said that if the legislation OF 1850 did in pon. Of
fact superssde the legislation OF 1890 then the insertion OF
such provision in the bin only unnecessary but
mschevous. If il is not true then the bin ought not TO
pass because it bears q falsehood upon its face.
The value Of compromise depends upon its inality
If when party has the power It may repeal the part
which is dtasefu TO them when the other party has the
strength why they not also repeal that part which Is
dsagreeabie to themselves and thus the whole compact
viii be sbrogated and ell hope of destroyed By
the knowledge that neither rely upon the good faith
Of the other hold il to be good rule that ought TO
be very careful how make compacts but, once made
TO abide by them firmly, fairly and honestly.
This letter has been written in haste and amid constant
interruptions, but hope have furnished You with sufh-
cent reasons justify my OF thing need
assure YOU and that is whether right wrong am
influenced by but honest NOTWITHSTANDING nothing
asking netting Confning myself exclusively 10 pro-
fessional duties am at least free from the temptations
which on bese the politician snd less liable
except such As may arise from defect OF judgment