The true Democrat., 1854-04-25

The Nebraska Question.
 A REPLY TO MRS. HARRIET BEEcHER STOWE,
 ON THE NEBRASKA QUESTION, BY MRS. A. P.
 PETIT
 Washington Csty, March 13, 1854.
 ! ind an article in the Boston Congregation allst of the 17th ultimo, which purports to have been written by you, for which article l, in be- nal1 or the women of the free States, am truly sorIy-sorry tor It's unblushing misstatements and the fanatical spirit with which it is temper ca; yet am not surprised that such statements should have emanated from such source- mere are certain attributes of woman, among winch are virtue and truth, and from which sne cannot depart as long as she continues wo- man.
 l have alleged that you are guilty of an "un- olusnlng mlsstatement" and, were it not unbe- coming woman, would say that you are gross ly ignorant ot the provisions of the bill organi- zlng the Te rritory of Nebraska, or had uttered malicious falsehood-false in fact, malicious in its intentions
 You charge that the South are urging the agitation of slavery, and are attempting to fast en It upon the free territory of the United States. You charge treason upon the United States Senate, and allege that they desire to folst slavery upon free territory. Irepeat, your allegations are false, your charges are malicious. The South have notsought agitation, the Senate have not designed to establish slavery within the Territories; but, on the other hand, the South have justly contended for great Ame- rlcan principle, based upon constitutional right, and the patriotism of the North has as justly responded to recognition ofthat great principle
 To sustain the truth of my assertions, I refer to the latter clause of the 14th section of the bill passed by the Senate on the morning of the 4th instant, which provides "That the constitu- tion, and all laws of the United States which are not locally inapplcable, shall have the same force and effect within the said Territory of Nebraska as elsewhere within the United States except the eighth section of the act preparatory to the admission of Missouri into the Union, approved March 9th, 1920; which, being in- consistent with the principle of non-interven- ton by Congress with slavery in the States and Territories, as recognised by the legislation of 1850, Commonly called the compromise mea- sures,) Is hereby declared imperative and void; It bemg the true intent and meaning of this act not to legslate slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the constitution of the Uni ted States Pro0ided, That nothing herein con- tained shall be construed to revive or put in force any law orregulation which may have ex- isted prior to the act of 9th March, 1920, either protecting, establishing, prohibiting, or abolishing slavery"
 This section, then, expressly declares, it being the true intent and meaning of this act not to legisate slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and re- gulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the constitution of the Unit ed States" And yet in the face of this provi- sion, you charge that the Senate of the United States is about to establish slavery in the free Territories. Are you aware, madam that all the territory acquired from France ill the Loui- sana purchase was slave territory? Are you further aware that this Nebraska Territory was part of the Louisiana purchase, and that slavery was prohibited in this Territory by the 9th section of the act of the 9th March, 1920? Do you know that the constitutionality of that section is much questioned by able legal men, both of the North and South? Do you know that still a greater number, from all sections of the Union, both whgs and democrats question its propriety at this time, especially since there has been almost a universal acquescence in the great Compromise of 1850? Do younot know that the South, in contending for the great con- stitutional right of self-government, abandon their right under the law of Spain, which es- tablished slavery in all of this territory? You cannot but believe that the South are sincere, but the Senate are in earnest, when they say this act shall not "legislate slavery into this Territory" But if doubt can remain, even with fanatic, the proviso must forever set the matter at rest, which says: "Pyovided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to revive or put in force any law or regulation which may have existed prior to the act of the 9th March, 1920, either protecting establishing, pro- hibiting, or abolishing slavery"
 When you deny the right of the people to govern themselves; when you question their intelligence, their integrity of purpose, and their patriotism, you strike at the very foundation of American liberty; you deny the most sacred right guarantied by our constitution-you deny the sovereignty of the people. You repudiate the constitution when you deny any of its guar antied rights. You assume to believe in a "higher law'-the law of your conscience, a law of despotism and of tyranny, a law with out any eStaDllSned rule Ot action, law de- pendent entirely upon the acquiescence of your own conscience. You assume to hold the ob- servance of any law not compatible with the " higher law' as violation of conscience and violation of your duty to your Creator.
 Of what fatal tendencies has such theory? What government could exist upon such a baseless fabric? It were government based upon moonbeam-aye, even less upon the shape of shadow; as various as are the con- sciences of men would be your laws, without power to enforce them, since each would only be bound by the law recognised by his con- science. It were worse than madness to pro- pose such law.
 will ask you, in all candor, who desires agi- tation? Who have agitated this question of slavery? Who have published inAammatory addresses? You we'll know your only answer can be, "the abolitionists' those miserable fanatics, who only draw upon their sickly sen- timentality, and exist upon its internal excite ments. You do not suffer one ray of reason to come athwart your thoughts; one unvarnished fact cannot be uttered by your lips; what you want in fact, you supply in imagination; you exhaust the superlatives, and revel in the er-