Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-05-26

TINS NEBRASKA BILL as our readers are nd
yised, has passed the Lower House OF Congress
with an important alteration a. It passed tue se-
nate. and is now, or in few days Will De- inc
law of the land. Shall rejoice or not
our feelings. we confess, are not OF the most
;,,h;,.,t character. So far rs the enactment OF
,b;s Law shall serve to establish a principle aud
or5.;r A.. nrcoedent for the future observance OF
Congress and the people of the Territories We
accent il with satisfaction--but when we consul
ar the number and character oft opponents'and
The means resorted 10 by them to defeat t--when
We reflect that upon the simplest and most pal
nahle elementary principle Of repuhlioansm' one
hundred representatives in Congress could DC
found 70 record their voices against 1t. Tor no
,,bar reason than that they feared the Southern
s,s,es might derive some advantage from It
when we remember the revolutionary and sedi'
tons scenes that disgraeed the halls of the M.
.;onal council. while this bill under consider
ation-and that. finally, to obtain favor with
hare majority, it was found necessary to emasen-
late II Of one of its most salutary features--ihe
CLAYTON amendment, we repeat these re-
collie ,tions force themselves upon ns--we admit
that our emotions of joy are not nnmixed with
sentiments of sterner and grayer quality.
Rut il is well for the peace of the country and
the preservation of the Union, that the principle
contained in the Nebraska bin has been affirmed
hanover small the majority in its favor Orr
ginally the South was indifferent to any action
upon the question. Her representatives did not
raise the issue-nor do we believe they would
have done it. But when the question was pre-
sented--and il was found to involve the vital and
cardinal principles of their political faltt,-the
great doctrines of popular sovereignty and state
riehts-ifthe north had fanatioally and t.oasona-
hly refused the sanction Of the government TO
such a proeosition--had denied and repudated
Il. we would not for all the gold that avarico ever
coveted.or all the henors that ambition ever pant
ed for, have been answerable for the consoqoen-
ces. A storm would have broken loose upon the
land that would have swept away the very foun-
datons of the republic. The Southern people
NAV have no reason for rejoicing over the relac-
tant and partial admission of what they so obYl-
ously had right to demand--but they would
have known how to resent and avengo the i'm
measurable wrong of Withholding IT,
Practically we do not conceive that the South
is in any better condition than it was before the
agitation of this question. The institution of
slavery is by no means likely to be established
in Nebraska or Kansas. The South does not re-
greet this. Few. even among shareholders, have
any desire to see the limits of slavery extended.
They only demand that it shall be considered Il
mong the reserved rights and domestic arrange
ments, over which the states are sovereign
They will not tolerate any intermeddling with it
from without, and they require only that the
states authorizing it,and those which may choose
to adoptit, shall stand before the constitution
equal in rights, power and dignity with those
that prefer contrary policy. Less than this,
they cannot, without a forfeiture OF all that
makes men and nations respectable submit to.