The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-24


Gen. Pferce's Opinion OF the Nebraska Bill.
From the Nashville Banner, March 49,
AsT0UNDINa NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FROM yHRE.
cLEsEss-PREsIDENT PIERCEs OPINION. OF TIE
NEBRASKA BILL.
We take from the Huntsville advocate the following
copy Of letter recently addressed by Senator Gle
mems 20 gentleman Of that place stating the views en-
grounds upon which he is opposed to It, Those grounds
are precisely the grounds which have occupied the
S Of bin as he e s s day. snos
says Mr.. Clemens, in conversation with Northern
Senator and myself he president Percsl gave as his
decided opinion that Douglas bill q proposition In
favor Of reedomand added that II it should pass al
though might absorb the schole Of Merico not another
area, surprise AZ de oppoo Il met os from ne Te,
and equal surprise that the South should Be pq 10 take
IL Iagreed with him fully and could help recurring
to the stratagcm by which the Greeks effected the de-
trucon OF Troy" These declarations President Pierce
according 10 Mr. Clemens not made to him alone
Cthern senator.v We forbear comment until Il shall
appear whether President Pierce admits or denies the ac
WASHINGTON, Feb. rs, 1854.
MY nEaR SIrI have received your letter. in which you
that some my friends surprised at the position
10 be made acquainted with the grounds upon which my
opposition based
had determined not to be forced into the political
arena by anything enemy might say but that rule has
application to the misapprehension Of friends. am
opposed to the bill of Mr. Douglas because it supported
upon the avowed ground that the people Of Territory
While it remains Territory may regulate the subject of
slavery for themselves. This you viii remember, was
the doctrine Of Gen Cass Nicholson letter, which was
sspudiated by the entire South in 184S. The wings
charged Il upon him grievous political offence ana
the democrats evaded the issue by placing different
sion of 1880 when General Cass ayowed that tn.
Northern construction Of his letter the correct one
1t at discamed by the whole body of Southern
Senator's including the present Secretary OF War. Judge
Douglas in alludng to the letter, stated that the
doubts entertained by the then Senator from Mssis
sippi Colonel Davis,) had caused him to be luke
warm In the support of General Cass Colonel Davis
INSTANTLY rcpliedsI had doubts fears and apprehen
sons which reached to conviction that the Senator
of the Territorial inhabitants; yet, sir took him
choice Of evils say 1t in terms of disrespec The
senator from Michigan knows thought 1t was wrong
doctrine. uAc Colonel DaS.s VAS warmly sustained by
Judge Butler and Colonel King emphaticaly declared
that he did and could, subscribe to the doc
trne held by General Cass There disagreement
dangerous doctrine, and which cffectnally ex
cuded from the Territories as the Wilmot proyso IT,
d. the Pyesi~ Of the Unsted States n;mse Bm Jss
days since in conversations aih Northern Senator and
myseIf he care has decided opinion that Donglcs bill
IF should pass although sue might absorb 4he ,choe Of
Aerco not another Stare State ond ever come into ne
met with from the North and equal surprise that the
South should BIO willing to take it. agreed with him
fully and could not help recurring to the stratagem BY
The only quotation Mr.. Calhoun was ever known to
make tiSaeo Danaos ct dona terentes and If ever
IL
ing to the South It is the present Northern man.
unasked and unsolicited, brings forward proposition
ts steal away us all the fruits Of our for
er trials and struggles The citadel which has resisted
every open assault about to be destroyed by the fool
ish confidence Of its defenders in delusive gift which
opy serves to convey the enemy within the walls.
In 1850 the doctrine of the South let alone
We asked nothing from Congress-we wanted nothing:
the emphatic language Judge Butler heartily
sponded to everywhere "All ask is, that you will
keep your hands of. We want no extension. Let us
.I.~. HV,.s Ia oek
hold 10 that doctrine yeti and that is the substance
Of my late letter to Mr. Van Buren, about which much
has been s but which no one has to ana
1--WE and refnte.
have other objections to MI. Douglas bill which are
insuperabe Of themselves It provides that foreigner
shall be vested with the right Of voting and thus places
1T in the power Of foreign paupers and criminals to de-
from the Territory with his slaves do not speak for
any mans constituents. There may be communities
who win sustain ae % sra % tbe
under which they are laborng
The bill states, in substance, that the compromise of
is either true it is not Hrue where the necessity
of repealinst aganS It s an anomaly In legisa
o to s - ~ n:nq
weapon in the hands of Northern agators 1t gives them
opportunity to deceive theignorant and minimizing
By representing the South fathlesby asserting that
we seized the first moment OF power to repeal
solemn compact and that reliance can be placed upon
any compensate that may make. They will assert
that as we have repealed the Missouri restriction,
they ought &c aaas
common answer to this view Of the subject but it is
,ase 10. oas the North are told that
violated tie ccRroWise Of 1920 and We are no longer
sOans sppsd to the TERRITORY Of Louisiana and to
that alone There provision that It should be ex
tended to any other Territory The contract was com.
thereafter to be acquired 80 that compromise was
concerned We might without any violation Of its provi
high as the 4eth parallel Of Latitude we had the power
or they might excluded 1t a. low as the equator
would submit In sS o., we % sacn new s Yos
merely extension of the old contract to which they
could agree disagree without any breach Of faith
They rejected it, but this refusal to enter into new ar
rangement cannot justify in violating the first
mention this however, merely to show the view which
win be taken Of the subject North and do not care to
have said that If the legislation of 1850 did in point
of fact supersede the legislation Of 1920 then the nser
ton Of such provision in the bill was not only unnc-
cessary but mischievous. If it is not true then the
bill ought not to pass because it bears fasehood upon
fts face. -
The value Of any compromise depends upon its fnalty
when one party has the power it may repeal the part
which disaseful to them, when the other party has
the strength why may they not also repeal that part
which is dsagreeabe to themselves and thus the whole
compact will be abrogatcd and all hope Of new one de-
sood tS Of the other hold It to BE- good rule that
we ought to be very careful how we make compacts
but made to abide by them firmly, fairly and no.
nestly.
This letter has been written in haste and amid
sant interruptions but hope have furnished with
snfacient reasons to justify my OF one thing
need not you and that Is whether right or wrong
I am influenced by none but honest motives-seekng
nothing asking nothing COnfining myself exclusively to
professional duties at least free from the tempta-
lions which often besct the politician, and less liable
to error except such as may arise from defect Of udg
ment. Your friend, JERE, CLEMENS.
Mich. Davis, Jr, Huntsville, Ala.
Our Boston Correspondence.
Boston, March o. 1854
An address from Kossh to the German Population Of The