Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-03-08
speech of Hon. $. p. Chase, of Ohio,

:. IN THE SENATE, FEBRUARY 3, 1854,
On the BIZ to organize the Territory of Nebraska
and Kdnzas aIe.i 1T. a.. ~ i'..s..G
The bill for the organization Of the Territories
of Nebraska and Kansas being under considera.
ton p 7 1.as -,h'. ~ .rHt 'au .elI
r Mr.. CHASE submitted the following amendment;
"Strike out from section IA the words was su-
lperseded by the principles of the legislation OF
, 1850, commonly called the compromise measures
and; so that the clause will read: i.s .TfH ah
4 "That the Constitution and all laws of the Uni
ted States which are not locally inappicable, 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 6, 1920, which is hereby
declared Imperative" 20, p. .-..e.
Mr.. CHASE said:
Mr.. President, had occasion, few days ago,
to expose the utter groundessness of the personal
!, charges made by the Senator from Illinois Mr..
Douglas against myself and the other signers of
the Independent Democratic appeal. | now move
; to strike from this bill statement which will
to-day demonstrate to be without any foundation
or fact in history intend afterwards to move to
strike out the whole clause annuilng the Missou-
ri prohibition.
/ enter into this debate, Mr. President, in no
IopTlL VI p6ESUnul uUhtHu0ebSs InU issue Is 100
grave and too momentous Cor the indulgence of
such feelings. see the great question before me,
and that question only. '' ''.' 10
Sir, these crowded galleries, these thronged lob
bes, this full attendance of the Senate, prove the
deep transcendent interest of the theme.
! A few days only have elapsed since the Congress
of the United States assembled in this Capitol
Then no agitation seemed to disturb the political
elements. Two of the great political parties of
the country, in their national conventions, had
nounced that slavery agitation was at an end, and
that henceorth that subject was not to be discuss
ed in Congress OF out of Congress. The Presi-
dent, in his annual message, had referred to this
state of opinion, and had declared his fixed pur-
pose to maintain, as far as any responsibility at
tached to him, the quiet of the country. Let me,
read brief extract from that message: z n . .,
at is no part Of my purpose to give prominence
to any subject which may properly be regarded as
set at rest ny the deliberate Judgment of the peo-
pie. But while the present is bright with prom
ise, and the future full of demand and inducemeLt
for the exercise of active intelligence, the past can
never be without useful lessons of admonition and
instruction. If its dangers serve not as beacons.
they will evidently fail to fulfil the object of wise
design. When the grave shall have closed over
all who are now endeavorng TO meet the obliga.
tons of duty, the year 1850 will be REQUIRED to as
a period filled with anxious apprehension. A sue
cessful war had just terminated. Peace brought
with it vast augmentation of territory. Distur-
bing questions arose, bearing upon the domestec
institutions of one portion Of the Conederacy ard
! involving the constitutional rights Of the States
| But, notwithstanding differences of opinion and
sentiment, which then existed in relation to de-
tails, and specific provisions, the acquiescence of
distinguished citizens, whose devotion to the Union
can never be doubted, had given renewed vigor to
security to the public mind throughout the Con-
federacy. That this repose is to suffer. no shock
during my official term, if have power to avert
it, those who placed me here may be assureu."
| The agreement of the two old political parties,
thas referred to by the Chief Magistrate of the
coantry, was complete, and large majority of the
American people seemed to acquiesce in the leg
islation of which he spoke. "-
| A few of us, indeed doubted, the accuracy of
these statements, and the permanency of this re-
pose. We never believed that the acts of 1850
would prove to be permanent adjustment of the
slavery question. We believed no permanent ad-
justment of that question possible except by re-
turn to that original policy Of the fathers Of the
Republic, by which slavery was restricted within
State limits, and freedom, without exception or
Limitation, was intended to be secured to every
person outside of State limits and under the ex-
elusive jurisdiction of the General Government.
! But, sir, we only represent small, though Wig
orous and growing party in the country. Our
number was small in Congress. BY some we were
regarded as vsionaries-by some as factonists;
while almost all agreed in pronoupcing US mista-
ken. .t 4, .., d.. ..-.-,r.. .. 3d., .. ...,;.. -,
And so, sir, the country was at peace. AS the
eye swept the entire circumference of the horizon
and upward to mid heaven not cloud appeared;
Ito common observation there was no mist or stain
tbo ,lo of Z cLv
But suddenly all is changed. Rattllng thunder
breaks from the cloudless armament. The storm
bursts forth in fury. Warning winds rush into
conflict. -3hgam@ a'J7n.a2 .riE aslnlaag bar
r "Eqrus Notusque ruunt, creberque procels gln,,
| Ahicus.'' i''' .
Yes, sir "creber procenis Atricus, the south
wind thick with storm. And nowlwe find our
selves in the midst of IAN agitation, the end and
issue of which no man can foresee. .,,.,.,. ,.t,,t
Now, sir, who is responsible for this renewal Of
strife and controversy! Not we, for we have in
tr0duced no question of territorial slavery into
Congress--notwe who are denounced as agitators
and tactionists, No, sir; the quietists and final
lists have become agitators; they who told us that
all agitation was queted, and that the resolutions
Of the political conventions put final period to
the discussion of slavery RBi gsa asgu3 III EUi 20
} a This will not escape the observation of the
country. 1t is Siavery that renews the strife 1t
/ is Slavery that again wants room. 1t is Slavery,
with its insatiate demands for more slave territory
and more slave States. fgm.R us lE7tyaa 9dl /.
And what does Slavery ask for.n now! Why sir,
u it demands that time honpred and sacred com
Epact shall be rescipded-a compact which has en-
dured through whole generation-a compact
which has been universally regarded as involate,
North and South--;a compact the constitutional
: ty Of which few have doubted, and by which all
hat tn !,t7a
:. 1t will not, answer, to violate such a compact
without pretext Some plausible ground must
; be discovered or invented for such an act; and
such ground is SUPPOSED to be found in the doc
trine which was advanced the other dayaby the
Senator from Illinois, that the compromise acts of
1850 ''supersededn prohibition Of slavery north
Of 36 deg. 80 min, in the act preparatory for the
admission Of Missouri. ,,Ay sir, superseded" is
the phrase superseded BY the principles Of the