The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-02
WASHINGTON, d. C..
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

From Tie Missouri Daily Democrat, Jan. IA.
1S54-lG leading Democratic PGper)
ATCHIS0N vs. TIRE MISSOURI COMPROMISE.
The position of David r. Atchison, with re-
gard TO the organization of Nebraska, is well
known He has publicly proclaimed that he
will oppose the measure unless the Missouri
Compronise Act, which forever prohibits Sla-
very in our Territories north of SO deg 80 min,
shall be repealed. He has the infamous dis
tinction Of being the first to announce this re-
quirement on the part of tie slave propaganda
lists, although lie doubtless had his INSTRUCTIONS
to that effect before he left Washington last
spring The demagogues who use the Hpecu-
liar institution" as q political lever, are in the
habit of using him as a cats paw, and, before
openly committing themselves, they wished to
see what effect such = proposition would have
upon the country. Since their re-assemblage
as Washington this winter, they have con.
cluded that their policy will be best subseryed
by fresh agitation Of the Slavery question,
because on the question Of organizing the Ter
ritory Of Nebraska, they have everything to
gain and nothing to lose by pursuing such q
course. Acc 1rdingly, they have laid their pro-
gramme before the Senate through another
instrument, Stephen A. Douglas, who repre-
sents free State and constituency who are
where it does not now exist.
Mr.. Douglas, as chairman of the Committee
on Territories, has made report in which he
impsaches the vaiidity of the Missouri Gem
promise, and submitted q bill which provides
that tho settlers in Nebraska may take with
them into the Territory all kinds of property,
(which description ID intended to include slaves
10 defiance Of the prohibition in the Missouri
Compromise Act,i and very reasonably, as be
and his cosdjutors would have US belieFe,
leaves to the people, at the time Of the fOrIna-
ton OF q new State, the question whether tbey
viii sanction or reject the Institution Of Sla-
very. This is a right which the people have
IN any event but unless the Missouri Compro-
misc be repealed, or, SIS Mr. Douglas proposes,
nuillfed, there will be no slaves IN the Terri
tory prior to the time il becomes = State, and
therefore fewer chances that 1t will be organ
lied as a slave State. The manGuvre, then,
is to authorize Slavery whilst IL IS a Territory.
To accomplish this, the propagandists have net
as vet thought il necessary TO take open ground
in favor of repeating the Compromise Act, y but
they aim nc what il equivalent for their pur-
pose, If their efforts bo successful, and will
evoke to the same extent an agitation danger
Gus to thc peace and integrity Of the country
null fsatlon OF the Compromise, by discroditing
it's validity, and authorizing slaves to be held
north OF SO deg 80 min, notwithstanding the
prohibition remaining upon the statute book.
This scheme has Atchlson's appreciation and
his support, such as it if, and therefore it be-
comes pertinent to inquire whether as g SEN |
ator frora Missouri hs If exclusively represent |
ing the slave propagandists OF the South, or,
in any measure, the wish and sentiments Of
his constituents at home The people of Mis-
souri, have at a recent date, explicitly declared |
Their views through Their immediate repre-
sentatives upon this very question, and have, |
IN accordance with recognised Democratic |
doctrine, instructed Senator Atchison how to
act upon it whenever it should come up. The |
following are the resolutions of instruction, |
and the eighth section Of the Missouri Compro- |
mise to which they refer ia the enc which pro |
hibits Slavery forever from the territory lying |
north OF latitude thirty-six degrees and thirty |
minutes.
JOINT Resolution IN relation to the Missouri |
Compromise act Of 1921.
Resolved by the General Assembly of the |
State Of Missouri, as follows:
Sec 1. That the peace, permanency. and |
welfare Of our National Union depend upon
strict adherence to the letter and spirit of the
eighth section OF the act of Congress of the
United States, entitled Gan act to authorize
the people Of the Missouri Territory to form a
Constitution and State Government and for the
admission of such State into the Union on an
equal footing with the original States, and to
ffrcsAs5fs Slavery in certain territories" ap-
proved March the sixth, eighteen hundred and
twenty.
Sec. .. That our Senator'S in the Congress of
the United States are hereby instructed, and
our Representatives requested to vote in &C
oordance with the provisions and the spirit of
the said eighth section of the said act in all
I.ro-
lation TO tie organization Of new Territories OF
States out of the territory now belonging to
the United States, or which may hereafter be |
acquired either 10y purchase, by treaty, or con-
quest.
Sec. 3. ReSolUcd That copy Of these reso-
lutions shall be forwarded by the Secretary of
State to each Of our Senator's and Representa-
tives in Congress of the United States
Approved February 18th, lS47
These are the resolutions of instruction. and
never having been repealed directly nor ndi-
rectly, they are still binding upon our Senator's,
If there be any virtue in the Democratic doc.
trine" Of the right of the People to instruct.
But Atohison, who, not long since, Joined in
tho "wolf howl" against Benton, who by the
way, never voted in opposition to his instruc-
tionst) calling upon HIM to obey or resi9n,D
sets them at deiance He nullifes the will of
the People at the bidding of politicians who
find it impossible to make themselves conspic-
uoiis except by means OF Slavery agitation.
VIII the Democracy Of Missouri tolerate such
reckless demagogue? such vile traitor
We cannot do them the injustice to think so
Tor moment His doom is already fixed.
III. was written before the introduction of tho
ne" bal OF Mr. Douglas, expressly annulling tho
Missouri CompTomiso-Ea Era