Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-02-10
ADDRESS
of the Free Democrats in Congress.

TO the People of the United States.
SHALL SLAVERY BE PERMITTED IN NEBRASKA?
Ea [Concludedl
The Compromise Acts themselves refute this pre-
tension. In the third article of the second section
oil the joint resolution for annexing Texas to the
United States it is expressly declared that in such
State or States shall be formed oat Of said Terrific
ry north Of sad Missouri Compromise line, slaugy or
involuntary Serutude, e1ce for crime, shall be prob
aed;"t and in the Act for organizing New Mexico
and settling the boundary of Texas, proviso
Incorporated, on the motion of MIR. Mason, of Vr-
ginia, which distinctly preserves this prohibition,
and iouts the bare-aced pretensons that all The
rory of the United States, whether south north
of The Missouri Compromise line, is to be open to
slavery. 1t is as follows:-
&c Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be
construed to impair qualify ANYTHING
tanned in the third article of the Joint Resolution
for annexing Texas 10 the United States, approved
March ], 1915, either regards the number of
States that may hereafter be formed out Of Texas,
OR oTHERwisE."+
Here is proof, beyond controversy, that the prin
cipe of the Missouri Act prohibiting slavery north
of &c deg. 30 mln,, tar from being abrogated by
the CompromseAGts, is expressly affirmed and that
the proposed repeal of this prohibition, instead oil
being an affirmation Of the Compromise Ac's, 10
repeal of very prominent provision of the most
important act of the series. 1t is solemny declared
in the very Compromise Acts g that nothing herein
contained shall be construed impair qualify the
prohibition of slavery north OF 36 deg. 30 min.,
and yet in the face of this declaration, that sacred
prohibition is said to be overthrown Can presump.
ton further go To all who, in any way, lean upon
these Compromises, we commend this EXPOSE
ton.
The pretences, therefore, that the Territory, COW
cred by the positive prohibition of 1920. sustains a
similar relation to that acquired from Mexico
cred by prohibition except that of disputed con-
sitntonal or Mexican law, and that the Compro-
| IL
slavery clauses Of the Utah aud New Mexico Bill in
the Nebraska Act, mere inventions, designed to
c0ver up from public apprehension medated bad
faith. Were he living now, no would be more
forward, more eloquent more indignant in his de-
nunciation Of that bad faith than Henry CLAY
the foremost champion of both Compromises.
In 1920, the slave States said to the free States,
s'admit Missouri with Slavery, and refrain from pos
tive exclusion south of 36 deg. 80 min, and we
will JON you in perpetual prohibition north Of that
line" The free States consented. In 1854, the
Slave States say the free States, 'Mssouri is adj
mtted; no prohibition of slavery south of sc deg,
30 min. has been attempted; we have received the
full consideration OF our agreement; no more 10
be gained by adherence to 1t on part; we, there
fore, propose to cancel the compact" II this be
not Punc faith, what is il2 Not without the deep.
est dshonor and crime can the free States acquiesce
in this demand.
We confess total inability to delneae the
character or describe The consequences OF such
measure. Language fails to express the sentiments
Of indignation and adherence which il inspires: and
no vision, less penetrating and comprehensive
than that OF the AllSeeing, can reach its evil is-
| sues.
| To some of its more immediate and inevitable
| consequences, however, Elust attempt TO direct
| your attention.
/ What will be the effect of this measure, should it
| unhapplly become a law, upon the proposed Pacific
| Railroad? We have already said that two of the
| principal routes, the Central and Northern traverse
| this Territory. Ii slavery be allowed there, the
| settlement and cultivation Of the country must be
| greatly retarded. Inducements 10 the immigration
| Of free aborers will be almost destroyed The en-
HANGED cost of construction, and the diminished ex-
pectaton of profitable returns will present almost
| Insuperabe obstacles to building the road at all;
while even if made, the difficulty and expense Of
| keeping it up, IN country from which the energet-
ic and intelligent masses will be virtually ex-
Guided, will greatly impair its usefulness and
value.
| From the rich lands OF this large Territory also,
| patriotic statesmen have anticipated that free, in.
duslrious, and enlightened population will extract
| abundant treasures of individual wealth. There,
| it has been expected freedom. loving emgrants
from Europe, and energetic and intelligent Iaborers
Of land, will find homes of comfort and fields Of
useful enterprise. II this bill shall become law
all such expectations will turn to grievous disap-
| poiutment. The bligh. of slavery will cover the
| land. The Homestead Law, should Congress enact
one, will be worthless there. Freeman, unless
! pressed by hard and cruel necessity, will noi and
| should not, work beside slaves. Labor cannot be
respected where any class of laborers is held in alb.
ject bondage. 1t is deporable necessity OF slavery,
that to make and keep single slave, there must
| be slave law; and where slave law exists, labor
must necessarily be degraded.
We earnestly request the enlightened conductors
/ Of newspapers printed in German, and other foreign
languages, direct the attention Of their readers 10
| this matter.
1t is Of immense consequence, also, to scrutinize
the geographical character of this project We beg
/ you, fellow Citizens to observe that it will sever
the East from the West OF the United States, by "a
wide, slavehoIding belt of country, extending from
the gulf OF Mexico to British North America. 1t is
bold scheme against American liberty, worthy OF
| an accomplished architect Of ruin Texas is already
| siaveholding, and occupies the Gulf Region from
| the Sabine to the Rio Grande, and from the Gulf
| OF Mexico to the Red River. North of the Red
| River, and extending between Texas and Arkansas
| to the parallel OF 36 deg. 80 min, lies the Indian
Territory, about equal in extent to the latter State,
| in which slavery was not prohibited by the act of
| 1920. From So deg. 80 min. 70 the boundary line
between our country and the British possessions,
stretching from west 10 east through more than eev
ell degrees of longitude, and from south 10 north
through more than twelve degrees OF latitude,
tends the great Territory, the fate of which is be
decided by the American Congress. Thus you see,
fellow citizens, that the FIRST operation Of The pro-
posed admission of slavery in Nebraska, will be to
stay the progress the free States westward, and
to cut off the free States Of the Pacific from the free
States Of the Atlantic. Ii is hoped, doubtless, by
Act of March /, 1856, g. 8. Statutes at Large,
Congressional Globe, ls4s-'5o, p. 1859; Act Sep.
0kofn AZ 4 arUaA