Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-04


word and every syllable Of that address thank the
Senator from Illinois for having brought prominent
y before the country II will reach thousands and
tens OF thousands whs would not have read it but for the
discussion which has taken place here to-day 1t will be
SEEM read and judged by the people, and they w deter
mine for themselves whether its doctrine be sound
and its facts truly stated.
In this appeal "we arragn this bill gross viola
ton of sacred pledge" The Senator from Illinois thinks
that the pledge of the Missouri compromise was nothing
worth We think it Of vast consequence and abso
lutely binding; and the bill proposes to abrogate it.
do choose soft words but characterize 1t at once
it deserves We arraign also IN criminal betrayal
of precious rights" WE'LL what rights are precious If
those free labor and free aborers in that vast
Territory mott What can be criminal if it be not
criminal subver these rights for the purpose Of giving
to slavery? When the bill proposes to reach this
bad end the baseess declaration that the Missouri pro-
hibon is superseded by the principles of the legislation
of 1861 singular mode Of repeal that-we call 1t "a
criminal betrayal Of precious rights"
4 The appeal goes to denounce the bill as part and
parcel Of atrocious plot to exclude from vast unoc
cupied region emgrants from the Old World and free la
borers from States, and convert IT into dreary
region Of despotsm, inhabited by masters and slaves.
Well, suppose this Territory opened to slavery VINO
does know that upon the western borders OF
there many Shareholders restrained now by the pro-
hiton but eager to enter the new Territory with their
Who does not know that the effect OF the intro
duction of slaves will be the exclusion Of free aborers
and, TO great extent of the emigrans from Europe!
Why sir in my judgment concerted movement by slave
confederates to open this great Territory larger by
twelve times than the whole State of Ohio larger than
oil the existing free States with the exception OF Callfor
niato the ngress Of slavery is mildly characterized by
the language Of the appeal. But will not further re-
view this document It will appear with these remarks,
and will speak for itself.
shall ask the indulgence Of the Senate to hear ut
another time in reply the argument of the Senator from
Illinois have set myself right in respect to the two or
three points which the imputaton of the Senator made
necessary for me to notice am ready to meet his ar
gument at any me but 1t is too late to enter upon it to-
day sha ask however the attention Of the Senate at
early day while demonstrate that the prohibition Of
1920 compact that it not repealed BY the COM
promise Of 1885, that not single word was uttered in
this chamber in the other House. where through
the whole land indicating any idea purpose the part
body that those measures were to operate as such
and that when the Senator vouches the authority
Of Clay and Websterto sustain him he vouches authorities
which would rebuke him could those statesmen speak from
their graves. Twill detain the Senate no longer.
MIR. SUMNER. Mr.. President before the Senate ad-
journs crave single moment AS of the sgners of
the address referred by the Senator from Illinois Mr
DoUGLAs accept openly before the Senate and the
country my full responsibility for it, and deprecate no
criticism upon it from any quayer. That document was
put forth in the discharge of high public duty on the
introduction into this body of which,
it me- is not only subversve of ancient land
marks, but hostile to the peace the harmony and the
best interests of the country But, sir in doing this
| judged the act, and not its author. saw only the
enormous proposition, and nothing of the Senator.
The language used strong, but it is not stronger than
the exigency required Here measure which reverses
4 Ume-n0nOreQ
Of slavery which sets aside the Missouri compromises
solemn compact by which all the territory coded by
France under the name of Louisiana was forever con-
secrated reedomand which violates also, the alleged
compromises of 1850 and all this is to open an immense
territory to the ngres of slavery Such measure
not be regarded without emotions too strong for speech
1t cannot be justly described in common language 1t is
souess eyeess monster-horrd, unshapely and vast
! ftly pictured in the verse Of the poet
| "Monsrum horrendum, nforme, ingens, cui lumen
ademptum''-
And this monster is now let loose upon the country.
Allow me other word of explanation. 1t is true
desired that the of this should
be pressed at with indecent haste, pro-
posed before the Senate could read the bill in which
it embodied had not forgotten that the Missouri
BILL appears from the Journals Of Congress- when first
introduced in December 18l9 allowed to rest upon
the table nearly two months before the discussion
menced The proposition to undo the only part of that
work which is in any degree within the reach of Con-
should be approached with greater caution
and The people have right to be heard this
4 monstrous schemes and there is apology for that
driving gaopng speed which shall anticipate their voice.
and in its consequences despo them Of this right
| The Senate then adjourned
appeal of tie Independent Democrats IN Congress
! to the People Of the United States.
| WASHINGTON, JANUARY 10, 1854.
FELLOW CITlzENs As Senators and Representatives in
the Congress OF the United States it duty
constituents whenever imminent danger the
freedom of institutions the permanency of
Union.
Such danger, as we firmly believe, now mpends, and
| we earnestly solicit your prompt attention to it,
AT the last session of Congress bill for the organiza
ton of the Territory of Nebraska passed the House Of
Representatives with overwhelming majority. That
bill based the principle Of excluding slavery from
the Territory 1t not taken for consideration
in the Senate and consequently failed to become law.
At the present session Nebraska bill has been
reported by the Senate Committee Territories which,
should it unbappy receive the sanction of Congress- will
open all the unorganzed territory of the Union to the
ingress of slavery.
We arraign this bill gross violation of sacred
pledge; criminal betrayal of precious rights;
part and parcel of atrocious plot exclude from
vast unoccupied region immigrants from the Old World
into dreary region of desposm, inhabited by masters
and slaves.
Take your maps, feow-ctzens, we entreat you, and
what country it is which this bill gratutously and
recklessly proposes to open to slavery
From the southwestern of Missouri pursue the
parallel of36 30 north latitude westerly Arkan
the north fork Canadian the northeastern
angle Of Texas then following the northern boundary of
Texas the limit of New Mexico then proceed
along that line to its northern terminaon then
again turn weswardly and follow the northern line of New
Mexico to the OF the Rocky Mountains then ascend
northwary along the crest of that mountain range
the line which separates the United States from the Bril-
north latitude then pursue your eastwardy along
that line to the White Earth river, which falls into the
Missouri from the north descend that river to its
huence with the Missouri descend the Missouri along
the western border of Minnesota of Iowa, of Missouri
to the point where il he boundary line and
enters the State to which it gives it's name; then
nue your southwark course along the western limit of
that State to the point from which you out. You
have made tho circuit of the proposed Territory Of
Nebraska You have traversed the distance of