The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-01-26
THE LAST ARTIFICE.


THE LAST ARTIFICE.
Bear it in mind, that from the time the bill
of Mr.. Douglas was reported, it was assumed
by the Southern Press, and by Northern jour
nails under the influence Of the South, to SCI
aside the Missouri Compromise, until Friday
January 2Osh, when the organ" in a leader
embodying, it is supposed, the revised views o.
the Administration, made the following an
nouncement:
&c It will be remembered that the bill, as pro-
posed to be amended by Mr.. Douglas, re-enacts
and applies to Nebraska the clause on Slavery
adopted in the Compromise of 1850. That clause
as silent as to the question of Slavery during the
Territorial condition of the inhabitants, but ex-
pressly recognises and asserts their right to
come into the Union as State, either with or
without the institution of Slavery as they may
determine in their Constitutions"
The Administration hopes by this announce
ment which fatty contradicts the assumptions
which ran through all the editorials of "the
organ" on the subject up to Friday to gain
for the bill the undivided support Of the Demo-
cratic Representatives from the three great
States, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
They can send home to their constituents the
Union, containing an authoritative declaration,
sanctioned by the Administration, that the
clause relatingt o Slavery is "silent as to the
question of Slavery during the Territorial con-
dition of the Neutrality-suspicious. leaving they
will add, the Missouri Compromise in full
force in the Territory. So, you see, dear
People, they will argue that the clause, after all
the clamor of the agitators, only asserts right
which you yourselves have never questioned
that of people, forming State Constitution,
to adopt what institutions they choose
We shall see whether the "dear People u
are to be cheated by this last dodge" They
shall not be, if we can help it.
"That clause" the organ" says "is silent
as to the question of Slavery during the Terri
torial condition of the inhabitants" So we
said, in our first article on the subject but, as
it was inserted without any reason, was extra
neous to the bill, in no respect relating to a
Territorial organization, and as it was sssoci-
ated with other provisions in the bill contem-
plating the existence of Slavery in the Terri
tory, we fairly inferred that it was intended
virtually TO annul the Missouri Compromise,
and raise presumption in favor of Territorial
Slavery. This inference was confirmed by the
arguments of the report, which assimlated the
condition of the Territories of Utah apd New
Mexico in 1913 with that of Nebraska in 854,
arguing that the same provisions in rela-
ton to Slavery should be applied to the latter
as to the former, and explaining that such was
the effect and intention of the Bill This view
was taken by the "organ," which, in COM
menting on the first article Of the Albany 1T
les, said of the Bill:
1t leaves the People of the Territory I'm
trammeted by Congressional Intervention"
But, as the Sentinel and the section it repre-
sents, although inclining to the same view,
desired to put the intent and effect of the bill
beyond doubt, Mr.. Douglas supplied an ad-
ditional section, which, we were gravely in
formed, had been omitted through I" a clerical
error" Here it is again-we like to print it
so explicitly does it define and establish the
meaning of " that clause" which the organ
says is silent as to the question of Slavery
during the Territorial condition Of the inhab-
itants" Aye-;t gives it voice 80 clear and
unmistakabe, that the Northern man who now
gives his support to the Bill must stand con
victed of a vote to repeal the Missouri Com
promise. No sophistry of "the organ can
save him from this condemnation.
SEC. 81. Ind be 1t further enacted, That,
in order 10 auoid all demonstration, it is here
by declared to be the true intent and meaning
of this act, 30 far as the question of Slavery is
concerned to carry into practical operation the
following propositions and principles ostab-
lished by the Compromise Measures of 1850
viz
Frst, that all questions pertaining to Sla-
very in THE TERRITORIES, and in the new
States to be formed therefrom, are to be left
to the decision Of the people residing therein,
through their appropriate Representatives.
This is the doctrine of General Cass in his
Nicholson Letter, and this, if the bill pass, is
to be the Law of the Territory the People Of
the Territory may exclude or accept Slavery,
without Congressional Intervention, in utter
disregard of the Missouri Compromise
And yet, now that it is necessary to furnish
Mr.. Dean, and other gentlemen of that class,
pretext to justify before their constituents a
vote for this BILL @the organ" in the teeth Of
its previous editorials, and in the face Of this
2lst section of the bill, asserting that its true
intent and meaning is, to give to the people Of
the Territory the right to exclude or establish
Slavery, coolly asserts that it is "silent as to
the question of Slavery during the Territoria
condition of the inhabitants J"
Will the dear People" suffer themselves K
be cheated by their honest representatives
Before dismissing the organ" we would
call attention to rather a laughable betraya
of the true character of that 2lst section
The Sentinel published it as having been omit
ted through "a clerical error" The organ,