Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-25
CONG T. L IS.

An incidental debate took place on Monday i
the SENATE which we lay before our readers, i
the succeeding pages, and which we are sure vii
be read by the country with deep interest, ant
be carefully considered by those who have still
to vote upon the Nebraska bill. Mr.. FEssENDEN
of Maine having presented some rclnonstrance
against the BILL several Senators took occasion Il
explain the principles on which they had voted, anc
to state the views which they now entertain of tn.
bearing Of the measure upon the interests of the par
ticular section of the country which they represent
and upon the interests Of the whole Union. We
could not fail to recognise in this discussion, which
we heard accidentally opinions which We must re
gard as of the very highest Importance. Gentlemen
who lad voted for the measure on its final passage
through the Senate by the explanations which they
made of their purposes in giving those votes, made
it clear that there is great question of political ex
pedicncy underlying this whole subject for they
showed that while there is, to their apprehension,
nothing real and substantial to be gained from the
bill by that section Of the country which it is sup
posed to benefit, there is, on the other hand, the
danger Of leaving the country to infer that period
has arrived in our history when the force and virtue
of compromises between conflicting opinions are no
longer operative. There were Senators who spoke
yesterday from whose remarks we could not but
draw the inference that the prospect of good,
which they do not think likely now to be realized,
had alone attracted their support to the BILL and
that its effects the particular interests in question
and on the country at large do not warrant the haz-
ards that Will be incurred by its enactment The
sober secondhought that follows discussion and ac-
ton upon measure like this is always of the ut
most consequence, and we commend the discus
sion which took place in the Senate yesterday to
the calm consideration of the country. One
thing struck US very forcibly, as we listened to
that discussion. 1t was intimated that if the
South really gained by the proposed mode Of repeal
ing the Missouri Compromise no actual power of
establishing slavery in Nebraska, except by the fu-
tuo assent of Congress to Its establishment the bill
to entail another antislayery agitation upon US
and nothing more. We Go not design to renew the
discussion Of this point; but we think it right to re-
fer to what fell from several Senator's as proof that
there are views in this direction which will Justify
the hesitation with which the measure may be ap-
preached in that body in which it now rests
TIE HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVE on Tuesday
having determined to take up the business on the
Speakers table, the fourth bill in ORDER was the Sc
nate iii to establish the Territories Of Nebraska
and Kansas ....@".
Ir. RICHARDSON, of Illinois, moved to refer this
ill to the Committee or the Territories, with Il
view to speedy action upon it, at the same time in
tinating that he desired to have it amended in
several particulars, and despared Of action upon it
at the present session if it should be referred to the
Committee of the Whole
Mr. CUTTING Of New York, moved to refer tn
bill to the Committee of the Whole on the state o
the Union, for the purpose of giving it that cain
and deliberate consideration which . subject Of 5
much importance demanded. In reply to an init
mation'that there was disposition On the part 0
some members to kill the bill by u3irection, Mr.
CUTTING was clear ard emphatic He declared
himself favorable to the principle Of popular soyer
eighty, and Of leaving the people to regulate TIL
question Of slavery in their own way when the,
were ready to ask admission into the Union, bu
doubted whether the bill from the Senate, with tn
proyiso Of Dir. BADGER, did not, instead of main
tanning the doctrine of non-intervention, expressl
iaterrene III regard to slavery, by prohibiting tn
revival of the pre-existing laws of France SPAR
which tolerated slavery III the Territories for whic
this legislation was proposed. Mr.. CUTTING fur
Their intirnated his objection to another clause il
tie bill, which excluded from suffrage persons VIII
had declared their intention to become citizens. A
all events, he said, the questions involved require
deliberate considerations for it was in the Norti
that the members who favored the measure woult
have to make explanations to their constituents, tn
South being more united in regard to it.
The previous question on the motion to refer tn
bill then moved and sustained, and the vote OIL
the reference resulted in referring the bill to tn
Committee of the Whole by yeas 10, nays 50
The progress Of this vote was watched with grea
anxiety and doubt by the House and galleries, a
the decision the commitment Of the bill wa
viewed somewhat test Of it's strength il tn
House.
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We are glad to see that . letter from New Yorl
to the Philadelphia Ledger contradict5 the state
ment of some of the New York papers that tn