The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1854-04-26
rHE NEBRASKA AND KANSAS BILL.
% sHEECH OF a
HON. M. H. NICHOLS, %
lu.t. OF OHIO, ....,a
DeiiVeredin The House o. Representatives.,
AprH 9, 1854. ...,lp

anu SAID nave oOtaineu me 1lO0r, Mr..
Chairman, lur The purpose Of protesting
against the passage Of the Nebraska bill in
its present shape. will not vote for eth
er Of The territorial bills now before US,
while either the one or the other contains
repeal of The Missouri Compromise or
the Clayton amendment. .-a....,
In assuming this position, sir, | am fully
aware of all its responsibilities, Like
most northern men, have felt the rough
consequences Of this slavery agilaipn,-
Like most northern men who have seats
here, have a constituency divided 10 some
extent upon this question. Bpt,in exalnin-
ing the question, | have not counted The
chances Of my own preservation, or esli-
mated what expediency required of me,
The reproach of "skulking behind my
constituency" the gentleman from Virgin.
ia Mr.. SMTH] shall never apply 10 me.
What duty my own sense Of right and
justice demands Of me will discharge,
regardless Of consequences. My own
philosophy has long since taught me, tina,
TO give my vote loa project condemned BY
my deliberate judgment would be a deg.
radiation much too bitter aud unpalatable
for me 10 relish; and regret sir, not The
fact that my own sense Of justice con
strains me 10 vote against this bill, but tina
in doing so cannot feel assured of il;
complete overthrow. .......
suppose, sir, the House will bear will
me while | attempt historical review o.
this question. Ii is necessary 10 me il
defining my position. ...
In 1918 Missouri first pellioned Con
gress for admission as Stale. The ques
lion was opened on the 18Th Of Decembe
of that year, and on the l0ihof the sue
ceediDg February we find The House ap
plying to her clause prohibiting the fulth
er introduction Of slavery into her borders
by a vote Of 81 years 1915 nays. Marcl
10Th another amendment was adopted il
The words following "All children Dor,
in said Stale, after the admission thereof
shall be free after The age Of lwenly.fg
1 years" instance these two amend
menls, Mr.. Chairman, for purpose that
shall indicate hereafter. They were sue
ouI By the Senate, and, as he House re
fused to recede from them, the bill faiIe
al that session. All effort to harmonic
were Intellectual. Al the next session {
Congress, December, 1919, lie suljrC
was resumed. The struggles Of that perio
have been so long matters Of history, the
we're of themselves so pregnant with in
: portanl consequences, thai | may be c,
cuscd from sdverIing 10 lbeA in detail
Out of the contest sprang the far fame
Missouri ACT, the essential feature Of whic
10 the North was the following;
".Andbe il }urther enacted. That in a
1 that territory ceded by France to the |
States under the name of Louisiana, whic
lies north of SO deg. 30 min. north laIIIud
not included within the limits of the S.a
contemplated by this act, siauery and invO
mtary SerUifude, OfherWise than in II
punishment Of crimes Ohereofthcparti'
shall hare been duly cOnUiCtfd, shall b
and hereby is, PROHIBITED FOREVER"
This feature, sir, harmonized the aciio
Of Congressi and in the progress of event
and the lapse of time, It harmoniZed ii
! opinions of the country. ..t
9 Well, sir, Missouri came into the Unio
but not without some further dihicultie
Her constitution excluded free negrOe
and as it was commended in llSs body lh
she could not cOnslinlionally do this thin
Shs was compelled to come in under NJ
d Clay's resolution, giving construction
that provision Of her constitution, whc
under judicial decisions, has rendered
nugatory. Missouri adopted that CO.
struclon; and as this constitutional impet
|. ment was The only difficulty of any ma
, nitude, subsequent 10 the passage of d
act of Congress authorizing her to for
her State constitution, she came into d
Union hound by The faith, spirit, and i
tent of that act. H.
+ This act was one of series, BY whiC
Congress has, from time 10 time, SETH
: the character of particular Territories.
its scope it was limited to the Louisia
Territory, acquired from France in 1870
of As these slavery adjustments, from the e
: citing nature Of the question involved, ha
always been regarded final as to their p;
ticular objects, and in the nature oi irl
y pealabie ia,0S, so the Missouri act has
, ways been regarded as final, SO far as i
Louisiana Territory is concerned. IquC
> now, sir, from Niles Register, immet
aiely after the passage Of this Missol
II act: .. ..r . r..
an is true the compromise is support
only by The letter Of the idU, repealal
by the authority which enacted il b
IT, The circumstances of The case glue 10 IL
lao a MORAL FORCE equal 10 that Of
positive proviSiOn Of The Constitution
and we do not hazard anything by sO
It. ing that the Consiiiutionr wrists in its Q
serUance. We wish 10 see The ooMPA
z kept in good faith, and we trustthat ki
Providence will open the way 10 relieve
" Of an evil which every good citizen d.
y recaies as the supreme curse of the col
y, try" .. '''aI re p.
d, In 1920, the Constitution existed oil
nd in the observance Of the Missouri act.
!. Now we are told the Constitution can oil
= exist in its overthrow.
leo March l, lS45, when the Joint reso
10; lions for the annexation Of Texas W
pending, find in the reported procedin
the following, from the Congressio
Globe, (page. 1893, detailing tho action
the House Of Representatives:
lSs D@s "The question being on the join. re
OS luton 10 admit Texas into the Union.