Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-16

wAsHINofoN NEWS And GOSSIP.
The South ON tho Bil.-We regret to find
that our friend j. s. p" of the New York
Tribune, echoing the cry that "there are
Southern Representatives who are disrosed to
vote against the Nebraska and Kanx.s hill ),
We know as much Of the sentiments of the
House on the subject, as any other living man
and can assure the public that this is not so.
There is not single Southern Representative
Of either party, unless I" for the fun of the
thing" We call Col. Benton one, who does not
heartily sustain the measure and we call
upon J. 3. r. to name even one more, if in his
power 50 to do We want no better evidence
that the cause of opposition to this measure is
hopeless, than the Misrepresentation not only
Of the motives of gentlemen in public life
who sustain it, but of the well known senti-
ments of members upon it This is the first
occasion since the formation of the Govern
ment, when upon great measure agitating
the country to its centre, as it were. the South
exhibited an unanimous purpose in Congress
In their attitude on this bill, there is evidence
either that they struggle for great constitu.
tlonal right-and that they are aware tina,
their constituents as unanimously require them
to defend it to the death-or that they have
feloniously combined to accomplished a SIMS
! tor end. The New York Tribune, VIM. Lloyd
Garrison, and the preacher-politicians vehe.
| mently insist on the latter. Those who know
the members from the South, however, are
| we'll aware that all of them cannot be men
willing to combine for any sinister end. We
will not put the case in a stronger light for
them, however indignant we may be against
the dishonorable imputation involved in this
now hourly advanced accusation against them
But We recognize in their present unanimity a
powerful element Of strength, which cannot
fail to tell on the final vote. The Administra-
ton, too, are equally as well known to be most
anxious for the enactment of the bill as re-
ported. He who fancies that their position does
not greatly strengthen the measure, knows
little, indeed, of the history of the legislation
Of Congress for twenty-five years past There
are but seventeen members of the Senate who
will possibly vote againstit, among them being
gentlemen believed by its friends to be its we'll
wishers, though so entangled in Buncombe
matters that they cannot support it without, as
they believe, injuring their own future pros
pect This so large Senatorial majority is
also an important element of strength, to
count, in the end. The Pennsylvania Senate
have emphatically made support of the bill
the Democratic policy in their State; and thei,
action cannot fail to tell in Washington The
New York Hards are for it to a man, while we
know more or less Northern gentlemen (mem.
bers) by no means identified with the Hards now
or heretofore in sympathy even, who are its
firm friends. There are more or less Western
members-from non-slaveholding States-whc
are its most active supporters. Now it cannot
possibly require more than twenty -four north
ern votes, at most, to pass the bill. Under the
circumstances which we explain above, its de-
feat is therefore matter of impossibility
He who fancies otherwise, knows little of the
history of the legislation of Congress. The
contest is over great principle that of future
entire non-intervention of Congress in the
matter of slavery, leaving it to be wholly a
local affair, to be disposed of by the locality
Immediately interested in such questions az
they may arise The fear of demagogues al
home may make honorable gentlemen quake
for the time being. Yet it will not prove suf
iciently powerful to endanger the success Of
this Nebraska bill, our readers may rely on it
Business Before Congress. Nothing Of much
public interest will be contaminated in eithe,
House until Nebraska shall have been dis
posed Of, and We are not among those who an.
ticipate that either branch Of Congress will
| bring its consideration to conclusion for week
to come. The opponents of the bill look t.
Northern pulpits to aid them as their forlorr
hope, as it were, and will speak, speak, and
| speak again in the Senate, so long as the ma
jority will consent to adjourn so as to give tn,
| preacher politicians time to effect as much o
possible for them. The system of outside tao
tics resorted to to kill the BILL is in all respect
identical with that upon which those actin,
with Rufus King in 1920, threw themselves
The sermons now being preached against tn
right of the people to choose institutions fo
themselves, are identical in language, as vel
as sentiment, with those which were preached
from every abolition pulpit in thoseSfays.
The threats made against northern member
Of Congress who fail to bow to the demi-god-
abolition-are but literal repetition of thos,
with which some of the newspapers of 1921
were filed. One has only to look over file O
Niles Register, to be powerfully impressed
with the unvarying identity Of abolition tao
tics then, and now. ALI the old women in tn,
land, who prefer regulating public affairs t,
patching their husbands brooches, have en-
listed for the campaign, and are screechins
right merrily in the melee. Messrs. Gerri
Smith, Giddings, Chase Co., show in thei,
every look and action, that they are solemn,
impressed with the belief, that they now hold
the reins, and are about to handle them for ,
long drive. The every motion of these honor
able gentlemen in the halls of Congress
they move about, advising, consulting, arrang
ing, and laying down the law as it were-tel
that they already fancy that they have sue
ceeded in driving into their fold any number
of ambitious gentlemen, who, until recently
have refused to acknowledge their right to die
tate on their class Of questions, as on al
others. t...
The Point Of Ordor.-As much oonversat;o,