The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-02
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH or HON. NIX. BRIDGEs,

The House being in Committee Of The Whole on the
sisie Of the Unon--
Mr. BRIDGES said.
Mr CHAIsMAss Having on previous occasion dev-
s.sa upon nor my 10 relation 10 the subject OF
slavsry presented during the Thirtieh Congress-
Il is with reluctance that am compelled
iiiee ihs dlscuss'on OF any subject either intimately
or reuotey connected with il. And, In doing So hope
slavery, (or opposed % s existence II the abs,raci
hut supporter, tar am able, Ot the constitution
Of The United Stsiss--thai great charter Of American lib
shy 70 Which owe. - every American % citizen owes
and the sign6csnt and helmng endorsement which
that action received by the people oi this great nation
issa had hoped 'ssi sli .s',ans questions which which
ern portions OF this confedcsacy were settled, and
settled forever When took my scat here =, the
compsncsmsn. 81 ,ns pTe.saa s.'s'on. asa 'oossa
osns ot good the country and strong indca6ns that
this HOUSE would be working House, and devoted
10 the consideration OF the more immediate wants anu
necessities OF The people, rather than theoretical and
abstract questions, prohess 10 ourselves and useless
to the county had hoped that the voice OF dlssen-
sion and discod would not again be heard within ms
ball. that all sgitatng themes had been laid aside and
that no attempt would be made 10 disturb the peace
and repose Of this House and the country But sir. in
this was disappointed soon found, IRON speech
made BY an honorable member from Ohio and IRON an
other made by member from New York, that the spirit
Of the Thiftieth and Thirty first Congresses was again
within these walls, sowing It's seeds OF dlscord and
the hideous monster OF slavery agitation was not
dead, but only crippled soon beard the challenge
given by The North 10 The South and found that the fan
cied repose Of the country but dream from which
il to be aroused by the cry of faDaticai agita
tors And this effort to disturb The peaceful elements OF
the House was entirely voluntary and uncalled Tor,
elected by action here or elsewhere, but the off,
spring OF deep-roo,ed ami an ungovernabe hostility to
some OF the domestic Institutions of the South But
while saw this with no small degree OF dissatisfaction
aud pain on the hand, could bu, admire on the
other the calm and digned composure exhibited by the
representatives. from the South, and experience thrill
Of Joy seeing how harmlessiy the shafts Of abolition
ism fell at their ee And suppose, sir, that that ad-
guard OF the enemy, reinforced By others OF sim
liar creed, Will lay hold Of The Nebraska bill preexi
for another and more furious attack upon that portion
OF our contederacy II will no doubt be said that that
bill has resuscaled the question Of slavery, and has
opened the door for wide discussion. But l. or one.
think that such inference will be enormously drawn,
nssmuch the main principles involved 10 il, in my
view, have been previously and finally settled The
merits OF that bill now propose TO discuss and TO
lice some objections already urged against II
The principal difficulty seems 10 be embraced in the
latter part OF the fourteenth section, and is follows
That the constitution, aud all laws of the United States
which not locally inaPplicabe, shall have the same
and effect ihin the said Territory OF Nebraska
elsewhere withn the United Ssses except the eigh
oi the act preparatory 10 the admission OF Missouri
no the Union. approved March $780, which was super
seded by the pne pies OF the legislation OF 1850, common
H called the promise measures and is hereby declared
inoperauvs." t#
This phraseoogy has been somewhat changed in The
Missouri Con promise and The compromise measures OF
1850 are inconsistent with each other" In order 10
certain whether the latter does repeal, or supersede or
10 ncon with The omeT, will be necessary 10 re-
Ter TO The OF Congress OF March g. 1890 authorizing
the people OF the Missouri Territory TO form consttu
lion and Stale government But before noticing partcu
lsry what believe TO be the effect OF the act Of 1880.
will reler TO what uanspired before is passage II VIII
be recoleeied that the Missouri Territory was pai oil
the territory which France ceded 10 the United States
der the of Louisiana II will also be recolecled
thai under French laws slavery existed IN II al the time
Of its eession and 10 order 10 settle question which
arose bew the North and The Southtrom what par,
OF hat purchase slavery should be excudedthe eighth
sction inserted in the Missouri act which reads
iollows:
"P,ovidsa, Ths all that terory ceded by France TO the
usi,ed States under the nam OF louisiana which lies
no,b Of 30 des 30 min north latitude included within
The limits OF thc state contemplated by this set, slavery
OF cfnes whereof the par ie. stall have been duly
convc'ed shall hs, and hereby, forever proh bi'ed"
1t is coutended by the opponents of The present
bin, pary perhaps from the word Of perpetoy forever
beng us~d this section Dc fnvey settled The char
sexr oil the Territory north Of 30 deg 30 min for all H.
iafs lime, or long as II should remain Territory.
Although do not admit the principle that one Legislature
can pass laws TO limit restrain OF bind The action OF any
future legislature, unless BY future legislation vested
ngbs and interests 10 bs impaired destroyed, yet
willing to admit that II probably the meaning and
intention OF The Congress OF 1870 ba, the line % deg
20 MN should be extended through subseque vac.
qu,fsd territory the w.st. Blu with how le respect
the oil i620 and the intention with which it was
passed was treated al the very next session, will
coed 10 show Alter the passage OF the act oi 1870, be
came the duty OF the people OF the Territory OF Missouri
adopt constitution, and 10 present IL TO Congress for
acceptance This done at the succeeding session.
On the 2oth Of November $780, Mr Smith, of South Car
DINA, " from the Senate committee, To whom re.
feued the constitution adopted Tor the government OF
ibe State oi Mseoun. reported resolution declariog
the admission ri The State oI Missouri into the Union
which read, and ordered to second reading" On
the ilth OF December II passed the Senate by vote ri
% 10 10 The resolution sept 10 The House, where
the l3lh oi December II was defeated by OF p3
10 10; and 1t was defeated because the North took an
exception clause IN The constitution, which an hor-
izsd the leg-laure OF Missouri to pass laws TO prevent
hs immigration OF tree negroes and moattoes into The
State In lees Than year. thereiofe the prin-
epes oil the Missouri Compromiss usreg and tram.
pied under foot by northern representatives. and by the
very men, too who IN the previous had adop ed
hem and for the ooly that that people which
were about TO become asovefegn people. wished pro
vide by law against the ,nnx OF free neg and must
toes into the Slae--ihs very thing that of the
slsss have recenlly done On The 25ih OF February.
1871, Mr. Clay, then a member OF the House. from the
oiht committee appointed for that purpose reported the
following resolution
Rssorrd That State Of Missouri shsl be admitted
o'o thts Union equal oong With the original ates
NAL Respects Whatever. upon the fundamental condition
mat the ouuh elsns. OF tweniysixlh section OF the
.niId article Of the constitution submitted the part
sd state 20 Congress shall be construed 20 author.
NE passage Of sny law, and that law shall be passed
W. meohVmiY thereto, by which czSn OF eihef oi The
se' - THIS Union sha be excluded from any Of the PRIV.
Re and iuauntues which such eittzeu entitled
epsatnfe ot the said State by public shall
ose he assent of the tsd STATE the said fundamental
s.o"oo s 500 transmit 10 bs Pfesdent o, the United
oo o. before the ioufb Monday IN November nent
10 ,nbenc copyof said act npon he receipt whereof
ssrrrfoeh, oy presentation shs announces the fso ;
ofcon.s. 'ha @ saSs any further eeeding on the psrr