Demoine courier., 1854-06-29
consequences Of the Nebraska Bill.

paper, C~isCOurSes as lOlI0 VS. on the ex.
riting topic now before the public, ia re.
marking on the passage Of the Nebraska
Bill:
Yesterday the bill passed by ll3 votes
10 l00-a meager majority, II IS true,
and meagef as il was, an artificial and
Fictitious majority, in which mems votes
were at variance with their convictions.
The administration have been actively
ond openly canvassing Tor The votes Of
members ever since the bill was sent to
the Committee of the Whole. The
Washington Star, one Of The journals by
which the measure has all along been
sustained. spoke only two or three days
since Of The general rumor that clerk
ships in the public Offices were to be con-
ierred upon the friends Of the members
who voted for the bill-a rumor which
was treated as authentic, and which no
body has taken the trouble to deny or
discredIt. Indeed, il is well understood.
that all the influences of patronage and
solicitation has been exer,ed BY the Pres
idsnt to secure the passage of the BILL
, Blu, for this influence, continually put
tursh and daily reinforced, the measure
would have found in the House the ig.
nominious end it deserved.
~ Of the dishonor which a measure re
opening to the barbarous institution Of
slavery a vast region closed agains, il for
a third part Of a century. mus, bring up.
IN our country, we have already spoken.
There is another roint Of view in which
we must now, whelf er willing or not,
look at the question. The Presidrn, has
taken a course, By which the greater part
Of This dlshonor is concentrated on The
Democratic party. Upon him. and his
administration, and upon all the northern
friends of The Nebraska bill in Congress.
and upon the Democratic party who
gave the present Executive his power Of
mischief. The people will visit this grea.
political sin of the day. The Wings Of
abe free States have taken care that no
part OF the guilt shall be found on their
"kirts. Their representatives in Con-
gresr. 10 a man., voted against the Ne
hraska bill. as if they had agreed among
'udk liz CufOGIdlIN IdIlf Vi
ihe north should take and bear the en-.
lire responsibility OF The measure. The
sesuit is inevitable; Seward is in the as.
rendancy, in this State and the North
generally; the Democratic party has lost
Its moral strength in the free States: il is
stripped of the respect of the people by
The misconduct Of those who claim to be
its leaders, and whatever boas; we may
make Of our excellent maxims of legls.
non and policy 10 regard 10 other 4ues
'i"ns. the deed Of yesterday puts us in
the n inori'y for years to come.
Let j, be remembered, tina there are
Two classes OF men al the north whose
resentment. is awakened by this proceed
ing-ihat is to say, those who acquiesced
IN the Compromise Of 1850 and those
who did not. The latter class relied
upon she promise made with such EN-.
phasis and solemniiy in Mr.. Pierce's in
augural speech, that the agitation of the
slavery question should never be revived
during the continuance Of bis admins.
~,ration, if any power which he could
exert might prevent it. In the very
teeth OF this engagement they have seen
him consen, to be made an instrument
inr r~eviSing this agitation. wantonly,
withou. any urgency On the part OF the
south, no, casually or lhoughllessly, but
with The most deliberate rre-deiermina.
lion. Not only he enemies Of the
Compromise Of 1850. therefore. but its
very friends at the North, are deeply Of
Tended. If Mr.. Fillmore sacrificed his
- popularity by the part he took in the leg
Islation OF 1850; il he saw himself, in
consequence. excluded from a nomina.
ton to the Presidency two years after.
wards, his northern associates compelled
30 60 into private life, and the Wing party
defeated and broken up, wha, may we
expect the retribution of this still greater
political transgression TO be?
Sill more strongly will The public dis
appreciation and disappointment, be ex.
pressed II The people shall see, as they
probably will, that the admission OF
slavery into Nebraska is the preparation
for yet other n ensures having in view the
aggrardizement Of the .'ave power-,he
wrestling Of Cuba from Spain to make
several additional slave States; the crea
ton Of yet other slave States in territory
acquired from Mexico, and the renewal
Of the African slave trade. These
things are contemplated; the Southern
journals already speak Of them as ia
m%iliarly and fippan,ly as they do of an
ordinary appropriation bill. anc who
shall say that they are not already at our
door! When we think of how improb-
able il seemed at first, ,ha,ihe Nebraska
fraud would become a law-when we
reflect what pledges hive been broken.
what expectations have been disaproin,
ed, and how the public opinion Of the
free States has been Aousd in the vote
procured for it-what measure is there
Of the same nature, too foul or too auda-
cious to be expected from the present
Congress now in the mids, Of its first
session?
: We hope, for our part. Ina. none of
those METHODS Of opposition to the series
of measures. OF which this is the pre-