Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-14
LET THE RECORD SPEAK.

have taken the field in opposition to the Nebraska
not il the Hon. LYMAN TRUMBULL, who recently
addressed an assemblage Of the people in speech
in which occurs the following sentence:
To remove all doubt as to the meaning Of
s this section (the fourteenth) an amendment to
the bill was offered in Congress that the people
should have the power to allow exclude slavery,
(which was voted down by the friends of the bill"
The Chicago |" Times" in reviewing this speech,
emphatcay denies the truth of the above assertion
1t states that "the fourteenth section of the bill
tains the gerry ,ooyds which Judge Trumbull says
we're voted down" 1t then challenges the pro-
duction of any record showing that the friends of
the bill voted down proposition that the people
should have the power to allow exclude slavery
in the Territories"
The phrase in the fourteenth section of the Ne
braska act upon which the Times relies is this
.. It being the intent and meaning of this act not
to legislate slavery into any Territory State nor
exclude thereom but to leave the people thereof
fecty free form and regulate their domestic institu-
lions in their way, subject only to the Constitution
OF the United States"
The Times, however, does not tell its readers how
and when the people are to regulate these matters
IN their own way in the face of the following pro-
viso, which is part of the same section, immedi-
ately following what is above quoted:
% PROVIDED That nothing herein contained shall be
construed revive put in force any law or regulation
which may existed prior to the act Of 9th of March,
$780, either protecng, esa6shmg prohibiting, OF a6oisafng
slavery"
In these provisions, it may be said, there is a
disclaimer and surrender Of all power over the
Territories on the part Of Congress. But when Mr..
MACE, and afterwards Mr. FULLER, attempted to
give vitality to the Peoples power through their
Representatives, what did the majority say? We
republish the proceedings on that point in the
House Of Representatives on the Goth of May, in
Committee Of the Whole. The yeas and nays
could not be recorded whilst the House was in COM
mittee, but the friends Of the bill had majority
present, and of course controlled the result
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MAY 20, 1864.
Extracts from the Official Reports.
The House being in Committee Of the Whole,
fMr. OLDs in the chair,) and having under consi-
Iteration the bill for the organization of the Terri
tories Of Kansas and Nebraska
propose the following amendment to the bill under con-
sderation: Insert after the word admission, in the
frst section
And the Legislature of said Territory hereby clothed
With full power session thereof establish or pohbt
slavery in said Territory.
This amendment is offered for the purpose Of testing
the sincerity of Western members who support the bill
and especially my colleagues from Indiana With them
and in my State the burden Of the song part
tho friends Of the bill is that establishes the great doc
ne Of popular sovereignty whereby the people Of the
Territory are left perfectly Free through the Terrific
rial Legislature, to admit reject slavery.
know, and every man knows who has read the bill
carefully that it does not and con-
fer the power upon the Territorial Legislature pass
laws rejecting slavery admitting il. But if in this
an mistaken and the friends Of the bill are, in fact in
favor popular sovereignty and particularly the
friends Of General Glass; the father Of the doctrine Of
popular sovereignty in the Territories, the committee will
readily adopt my amendment, and relieve the bill Of all
doubt the power of the Territorial Legislature
the question Of slavery. But, sir full well do know
that the amendment will be rejected not by the vote Of
the members acting with against the BILL but by the
friends the BILL the pretended friends Of popular
signify. desire to place the record the fact that the
friends Of the bill did most directly and distinctly repu
date the doctrine Of "squater popular sovereignty
while those who act with support it the fullest
tsnt, 80 far IS this bill is concerned
has been said that the following clause Of the four
tsonh section Of the bill confers the power upon the
gsature to legisate on the subject of slavery, to w.t.
It being the true intent meaning of this act not to
lsxate slavery any Territory State nor to exclude it
thoraom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free
and regulate their domestic institutions in their
way subject only the Constitution Of the United Staes
Now what is the true construction placed upon this
Southern clause Of the bill by its friends and perhaps
others Is that the people Of the Territory when they
form State constitution, and not before "tsn per-
Jecfly free form and regulate their domestic insutions
(which slavery in their Say, ONLY TO
THE CONSTITUTION UNITED STATES" The vote on
my amendment will demonstrate that have placed the
upon this clause intended by those who con-
cocted the bill Squatter sovereignty has vitality
in the bill All she has is short, gh-sounding well
adjusted little stump speech put in to enable vena
and crossroad stump orators deceive the people The
bill, in fact, is nothing more less than ordinary
bestablshng Territories such has in the main been
adopted since the organization Of Territories except the
repeal Of the Missouri compromise and the provision
granting foreigners the right to they make
the declaration to become citizens Members from the
free States argue that 1t does not admit slavery
bers from the slave States argue the reverse with the
further declaration that slavery will go into the Ter
Ttory account Of the soil and climate The truth is
that slavery viii 60 into the Territories Of Kansas and
Nebraska both II the bill passes in its present FORM
For proof OF this assertion the fact and defy
contradiction, that there is Christian country
earth where slavery and involuntary
Sude do not exist unless specially prohibited by law
All the States Of this Union where slavery does not exist
would have slavery to greater less exont if proh-
btion against it did not exist Remove the slavery re-
stricton in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and oil Of those
States would have slavery in few years equal Mary
land, Kentucky, or Tennessee
Mr.. ENGLISH. Will my colleague vote for the bill il
his amendment is adoptedY
Mr.. MACE. l will i am safe in making the pledge
because know the amendment win be rejected by the
friends Of hill IF ed will