The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-31

freedom to her, his case looks almost hopeless.
When he says that Congress has exercised for
sixty five years the right of designating the in
situations Of new States, and says SO knowing
that every State that has been admitted to the
Union since 1887 including Vermont, Tennes-
see, Kentucky, Florida, Mississippi Louisiana,
and Alabama, has chosen whether or no it
would tolerate slavery within its limits, what
reply can we possibly make :? he taunts Sena-
tor Douglas with not having had the 'manli-
ness to move to "repeap the Missouri compro-
mise. He lawyer wants us formally to "re-
peal" law, which on the face of it is waste
paper, mere trash, as FULL and void as would be
an act Of Congress passed at last nights
meeting!
Reasoning is wasted in reply to such special
pleading. We said that it was meeting Of
abolitionists we will 60 further and add that
the arguments were Of the true abolitionist
stamp. Neither the chairman nor either of the
two speakers has ever looked into the question,
or studied its bearings. No one left the meet
ing last evening wiser than they went. There
was reason for the silence of the speakers.
Even they could not have searched the history
of their country, and auatomized the anti
slavery agitation, without being thoroughly
convinced that opposition to Senator Douglas
bill is as rank treason to the constitution and
to the North, as to the South. A candid man,
summoned to address the assemblage of last
evening, would have had few words to say but
words pregnant with meaning.
"This Nebraska bill'' he might have said
deserves the warm support Of every lover of
freedom because it gives the finishing blow to
Congressional tyranny over the free States OF
the Union, and definitely establishes the self
control of the latter. 1t deserves the warm
support of every lover Of peace because it will
crush out the anti-slavery agitation, and after
its passage, abolition cannot possibly reappear
in Congress 1t deserves the warm support of
every lover Of truth and common sense, be-
cause practically it only comedies to the peo-
pie of Nebraska the natural rights of freemen !;
rights which, if they are not fit to use, they are
certainly unfit to exercise any form OF self
government whatever"
The French Seizure OF New Caledonia
In the Pacific Manifest DcAtIny.
The seizure of the beautiful island of New
Caledonia in the name of Louis Napoleon, the
Emperor of the French, has very naturally ex-
cited the Indignation of Her Britannia Majesty's
loyal journals of Australia Read the article
from the Sydney Herald which we publish this
New Caledonia was among the dis
coveries Of Captain Cook; but the British gov
never having formally occupied it,
but having permitted it to remain under the
sovereignty Of the aborigines it also remained
fairly, under the law of nations, the lawful prize
of any civilized Power that might think fit to
appropriate it. John Bull, therefore, has no
legal ground of complaint in the premises. He
may grumble at his own want OF vigilance in
reference to the colonial ambition of Napoleon
the Third but it will not help the matter. New
Caledonia is gone; and, worst OF all, within
striking distance (nine hundred miles east) OF
Australia it is to be made, according to the
Sydney journals, penal colony for such red
republicans, intractable socialists, smugglers,
aud other contraband materials, as may be de-
clared unworthy the soil of France.
But in this and other colonial seizures OF
Louis Napoleon in the South Pacific Ocean
we discover broader sagacity than the paltry
object of penal colonies for unmanageable
Frenchmen. The policy Of Louis XIV. OF re-
stricting the expansion Of the British colonies
in North America by Gordon Of military posts
from the mouth OF the Mississippi around to
the mouth OF the st. Lawrence, we apprehend,
will furnish the true solution to these seizures
by France of the Marquesas Islands, the So
ciety islands, and this last movement upon the
rich island Gas large as Jamaica,) Of New Gale
donia. Quite likely, before he stops. his I'm
perial Majesty's naval commander engaged in
this business will annex also the neighboring
group of the New Hebrides. Nor should we
be at all surprised if, in like manner, before his
final return to France, he were to appropriate
all the unappropriated islands OF that prod-
gious and countless archipelago which divides
the Pacific from the Indian Ocean between
Australia and the main land of Asia AMI
what for Let us briefly endeavor to explain
To Captain John Tyler, (may his shadow in.
crease for the next twenty five years. to Cap
tain John Tyler belongs the immortal honor Oh
introducing the new commercial and civilizing
epoch Of this nineteenth century into the great
Pacific Ocean. He it was who threw the Texas
6ombshell into Congress was the man that
accepted the war alternative of annexation
and sent it down post haste to Texas few
hours only before Mr. Polk came into the Pre-
sidency. But the messenger was gone, and
could not be overtaken- the war followed-the
peace followed the war and the acquisition of
good sized empire, including Alta California
Then those immense gold fields were discover
ed, emigration set in across the continent over
every pass between Canada and Cape Horn. and
around the continent, by thousands, and from
beyond the continent, including thousands and
tens Of thousands from China. A new Anglo.
Saxon State, full armed, like Minerva from the