Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-03-02

rHrarY-rHlRD coEoRrss--rIRsr SESSION


N 4
Senate, Thursday, March 2, 1854.
Mr.. Stuart, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported adversely upon the memorials
praying grant Of land to New York, for the
construction Of ship canal arouad Niagara
Falls; which was agreed to.
Memorials against the passage Of any law
repeating the Missouri Compromise. or permit.
ting the Introduction of Slavery into Nebraska
By Mr.. Smith-from the professors Of Yale
College, and from other citizens Of Connecticut.
By Mr.. Seward seven from Orleans county,
New York, and one from Albany, in the same
State
By Mr. Fcssenden - one from citizens Of
Maine, and another from women Of the same
State.
Mr.. Rusk reported bill for the relief Of
Zadoek O. Ingraham; and the same was consid-
cred and passed.
Mr.. Jones introduced q bill to do Justice to
all the States Of the Union being a bill for
the distribution of the proceeds of the public
lands among the several States. Read twice,
and referred
The bill granting land to the several States
of the Union, for the benefit Of the INDECENT in
sane, was taken up.
Mr. Brown advocated the bill, and Mr.. But
Ter replied.
The bill was then postponed
The Chair laid before the Senate message
from the President Of the United States trans
hitting certain correspondence relative to the
Koszta affair.
Also message transmitting the plan for
the enlargement of the Judicial system of the
United States mentioned in the annual mes
sage Of the President Of the 9th Of December,
1859.
Both referred, and ordered to be printed.
The Senate then resumed the consideration
Of the bill to establish Territorial Govern
ment for Nebraska.
Mr.. Clayton said that on yesterday when
he closed his remarks, he was considering the
question Of comforting power to the Legislative
Council of the Territory. To give that power
was not comforting power Of selfgovernment,
but the right to govern others. This bill also
gave to the Governor Of the Territory On ab-
solute veto power over the Legislature Of the
Territory As this Governor was not elected
by the people Of the Territory, the bill did not
give the power of self government.
He did not think there was sufficient p0pula-
tion in the Territories to entitle them to .
Government of this high rank. He desired to
see substituted for the provisions in this bill
creating the Legislative Council and giving its
powers, those Of his own Compromise bill Of
lS48, creating Legislative Council consistingo of
Governor, Secretary, and three Judges, and
Withholding from them all power over the sub
ject Of Slavery
He said that the Territory Of Kansas was to
be created from the territory taken off of Tex
as by the boundary act of 1850. He wished
Senators to reflect whether the act of Septem-
Der, 1850, repealed the compact made with
Texas in 1845, that the States formed out Of
her territory north Of SO deg. 80 min. should
be free, and whether, if that compact was not
repealed by that aot the terms of this bill
would repeal it.
Mr.. Douglas was understood to say that the
Texas affirmation of the Missouri line was re-
pealed
Mr.. Clayton resumed, and, as an additional
argument to support the unconstitutionality Of
the Missouri Compromise, quoted the speech Of
Mr.. Adams on the Arkansas bill, wherein it
was held that Congress had no power TO refuse
State admission because her Constitution rec
ognised slavery.
He objected also to the provisions Of the bill
which gave aliens the right to vote upon mere
declaration of intention to become citizens.
He expressed his total dissent to the doctrine
advanced by some Senators in debate, in favor
of the acquisition Of more territory. II this
OulOn Were cVot WIockco, ~ WVuiu DO uPoh
the ground of extension of its territorial limits
Mr.. Chase said the debate had not been up
on the amendment pending, but on the expedi-
ency Of repeating the Missouri Compromise.
This bill was professedly one to carry out the
doctrine Of Congressional non-intervention with
existing law, but in realityit was bill Of in
tervention and repeal Of existing law. 1t ab.
rogated and repealed the existing law which
was the Missouri Compromise act.
The South commended that under the Consti-
tuition Slavery may Of right be carried to the
Territories, and that the Legislature Of the
Territory, having only derivative powers, can-
not exclude it. The Senator'S from Michigan
and from Illinois believe that the people Of the
Territories have the power to exclude or allow
Slavery Those who hold this opinion are in
q majority in the Senate, and he could see no
objection to their voting for his amendment,
which gave the Territorial Legislature the
power to exclude Slavery After this was put
in, the majority could add the alternative Of
giving them the power Of introducing it.
He was still speaking.