Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-31
THE DEBATE ON THE NEBRASKA BILL,

Opcil uoiu anu " iniT CoHtSSt.
THE DEBATE ON THE NEBRASKA BILL,
The debate on the Nebraska bill was opened
yesterday in the Senate by Mr.. Douglas in a
speech Of considerable length. The anger hc
manifested against the authors of the late Adj
lation TO the policy Of the bill, was entirely
uncalled for, and the epithets he applied to
them and their statements were such Us no
Senator, duly regardful Of his own dignity, Of
the decorum Of the Senate, or Of the rights of
his fellow members, could have INDUCED in.
Our impressions are gathered from the report
of tho debate, for we were not 80 fortunate as
to DO present. The prompt and spirited re-
plies Of the Senators SO violently assailed, fur
nish ample refutation of the grossly unjust ac-
cnsations brought against thom.
Mr.. Douglas is greatly mistaken in holding
up the authors Of that Address as responsible
for the renewed agitation in relation to the
Question Of Slavery. The excitement which
he deprecates, (but which we do not is the
legitimate product Of his own Bills and Report
Had he been content with the bill for the or
ganization Of Nebraska, passed by the House
at its last session, which provoked no discus
sion on the subject Of Slavery, yet provided
adequately for every territorial interest, the ag-
tation he appears 80 much to dread, would not
have been awakened.
n He and his associates, deierring, Us we be
Geve, to the pretensions of that powerful, mo-
L.. L.kkr I.a H.
Slave Power, saw proper to bring forward a
proposition to declare temperatures in region
Of country that ought to constitute o dozen
large States. q solemn act of Congress which
for thirty-three years has been in force there,
without any attempt to impair it, consecrating
il, rs was universally admitted, to Freedom and
Free Labor. Could he expect such PROPOSE
tion to excite no more feeling than an ordinary
measure Of Legislation The American People
are not ignorant, or Indifferent to the acts Of
their Legislators. Engrossed as they arc with
material interests, they do not suffer themselves
to lose sight Of the conduct Of those whom they
employ in the business Of Legislation. And the
Press is always wide awake, and, with It's my.
Rad tongues, ready to sound the alarm when
great questions are about to be dealt with II
Mr.. Douglas be reader OF the newspapers, he
must know that before the appearance Of the
Address, the People everywhere were electri
fed by the announcement that Congress, so fal
from considering the Compromise Of 1850 d
full and final settlement Of the Slavery ques
tion, had the question again up for discussion
and were about to repeal the Missouri Com
promise, No NJ TO open the immense Territory
Of Nebraska to slaselabor: he must have
seen that as the announcement spread, the
tide Of indignation was rising at tho North,
while ut the South, Party differences were al
ready beginning to be merged in m intense
sectionalism. He must have seen, everywhere,
indications cf n profound agitation, which no
such sophistry and misrepresentation as he
charges (withont reason) upon tho Address,
could have produced Ere the Address ap-
peared Wing, Democratic, Independent Dem
oeratic journals had already arrayed them
selves against the extraordinary and monstrous
proposition Of the COMMITTEES, in conjunction
with many lending presses that had advocated
the Compromise Of 1850. That clear, compre-
hensivs, and powerful document, threw more
vivid light upon tho nature, extent, and bear
ings Of the Proposition Of the Committee, and
demonstrated that the apprehension aud cx-
element il had occasioend in tho Public Mind.
were but too we'll founded; but we repeat, il
was the Proposition ITSELF involving, as il did
the snbyersion of an old Compromise, mover
before disturbed and tho opening TO Slavery Of
an immense Territory, never before claimed by
the Slave Power, which agitatcd the country
and re opened the discussion of Slavery in
quarters whore IL had ceased almost to be
thought Of
We commence the publication Of yesterday
debate in the Era Of to-day and shall close il
10 our next number. Having from the mo-
msnt MIR. Douglas introduced his report and
bill, never ccased 10 discuss and oppose them
by every legitimate mcans il is but fair to
hear what he has to say in defence Of his meas
ure. For ourselves we must nvow, that how
ever plausible his statements, ingenious bis
analogies, adroit his arguments, he has utterly
failed 10 meet the grave objections urged
against his Bill In fact, before he can prove
the prorr'ety cf a Legislative declaration by
Congress- that the Missouri Compromise was
superseded BY the principles Of the legislation Of
1850 and i inoperafiw, he must answer the
reAscnings Of his own report all Of which were
directed 70 provo that il would DO unwisc and
indircreet for Congrcss TO express any opinion
On tho validity Of the Missouri Compromise, or
psss any net either denying or Affirming Ii.
TsE Ears TsccsLEs "A despatch from
Erie yesterday, stated that the railroad track
bed been repaired Under the protection Of the
United States marshal, and the trains we're
announced 70 run to-day.