The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-06-06

labcr. Those interest cannot possibly be both
! adjusted to tho same common territory. That
was demonstrated at the beginning. Tho con-
stitution could not have been formed until the
territorial question had been first disposed OF
| by the ordinance Of 1887. IL new territories
come in, they, TOO, must be disposed Of sovo-
| rally, to one or the other of the two interests;
tho spirit that presided over the birth Of the
| Constitution demands Il. In other words. a
line Of division and demarkation. such as the
Missouri compromise, is absolutely required by
the genius of tho Constitution, and is, in fact
! tho only wise, just and practicable solution ol
the great difficulty in tho way Of the presorya-
] tlop, in peace and harmony, of the American
Union.
In another point of view, line of dcmnrka-
ton, dividing the common territory between
these two sections is required by tho nature oI
the Constitution. A territory in common is
an anomaly in our system. That system
knows only the States scperatoly considered
and tho States united; common territbry is
necessarily exiraneous to, and outside H the
system II compcls the Governmontso ope-
rate beyond its appropriate sphere, If now
territory is acquired BY conquest or annexation
tho genius of our form Of government requires
to prevent trouble and mischief, that it be at
once divided and distributed, according TO
some just arrangement or method of apporlion-
mont, to tho several members Of the CInfcdc-
racy, each State to take its share under its
| own jurisdiction, and extend over il its own
laws and institutions. This, however. would
bo practically, very inconvenient, the States
would be separated, many of them by wide dis
| tances, from the districts allotted to them, and
free States and slave States would bo badly
mixed up together. Tho only practicable
division, in accordance with the nature Of our
system-the only really constitutional arrange
| ment is to draw limo centrally across the
map, as was done in tho Missouri compromise
act.
In view of these considerations, hesitate
not TO say, that instead of tho Missouri com
promise being unconstitutional the Nebraska
and Kansas biil is itself in more complete and
utter antagonism to both the Constitution and
the Union than any measure ever proposed TO
| an American Congress.
Mr. Chairman, thereis more than poetic fe.
liciiy thoro is grand and sublime significance
| in the sequence Of the great epochs that mark
our Union and constitutional history. As
observed at the commencement of my argu-
| mcnt just one hundred years ago, in Con
gross at Albany, in 1854 the first feeble at
| tempt was made Of general American union.
TIN ty-airee years aAeywards. in the Congress
oiiu tuc SOlhcutiOu OI 400, tuo WOrk was
consummated on the basis have described
Thirty three years after that. in 1920, the
same great process was repeated by tho enact
mont of tho Missouri compromise line; and
when, just thirty years more having passed o.
yer US President Picrco took the oath of Office,
on the eastern front of this Capitol. it was a.
gain proclaimed to the world by tho American
people, speaking through his election Us that
event was thon understood by those who had
brought it about, that the conflicting interests
of tho two antagonist sections of tho Union
,Sa-eseSosshs5 sos J~ .-,d ,r~.-..~y --ri-~
stage Of life, thus solcmnly reafirmed the COM
pact which you now propose to repudiate.-
Dissent has in each instance, gradually, sunk
to silence, and tho whole country acquiosced.
Applause
In that spirit wo came together Of the open
ing of tho present session. Tho Representa-
iivcs on this floor of the whole American peo-
plc--we met as n band of brothers-the most
harmonious Congress ever assembled under
the Constitution. AS my eloquent friend from
Illinois Mr.. YATEs] SAID, there was no North
no South, no West, no East, but ono undivi.
dcd America We met to dov;so and carry
through wise, comprehensive and truly nation
ell measures; to promote tho welfare of the
whole Union: to dcvelopo with fostering caro-
the vast and diversified, but to great extent
still latent resources of tho continents TO spread
cultivation anil civilization over its central
wastes; to bring together its opposite shores
| linking HON by tho iron rail and magnetic
| wire in near and ndissolublc union, and thus
| to grasp the commerce Of tho world, waiting
to fall into our hands. if wo will but stretch
them forth 10 the Pacific coast. Our harmony
is turned into confusion, and a fatal paralysis
has crippled our legislation. Never did such
a sudden, mover so ruinous change como
over tho affairs OF a nation, and all in conse-
Quence of the encouragement which has been
| given to tho renewal Of tho slavery agitation
| by those whose duty and whose interest it was
to havo frowned down, ut once, tho authors oi
this untimcly movement
| Mr.. Chairman. / resist that moypmcnt, be-
cause am friend of peace and tranquility =
| believe that the only power that can DO ro
lied upon to bear an individual or people
onward and upward is tho power Of good feel
ing. The law of lovo that rules the spheres
of the universe, and the councils of Heaven, il
the law which every wise man and true patr
ct ought to bring to bear upon the legislation
and administration of his country. Following
tho guidance Of this SUPREME sentiment,
havo done my utmost. in tho humble sphere
in which have moved, to prevent alienation
between the different sections of this Confed
eracy and to maintain tho compromises upon
which tho Constitution was founded, and the
Union has been preserved. / would have q
kind, charitable, and generous feeling pcrvade
tho whole land--thc points in which we differ
kept out of sight. and our thoughts and afcc
ions concentrated exclusively upon tho com
mon slorios of tho whole Rcpublio, and tho
special distinctive excellencies Of its various
parts. Many ofmy earliest and dearest friend:
havo thcr homes in tho South. All of us have
felt during the short months Of our acqusin
TANGO hero. warm and strong attachment
growing within us, and binding members from
tho most distant lands of latitude and longi
tudc by personal affection. Lot southern vote;
extinguish tho Nebraska frobrand-lct south
ern Representatives tread ii out beneath thcil
| foot on this hoor-and then the amiablo. gen
iaI, and noble process of fratornal good feeling
will again go on. binding Us and the people W.
represent to perpetual bonds Of union. harmo
ny and happiness. Before such spirit rada
ting from this national metropolis, and perva
ding tho country every evil and cvery wrong
will melt away. [Applanse.
But If you pass tho bill or il it is defeated
in spite oftho combined southern vote. there
1 ,xtn In al <.c all a