The daily union., 1854-02-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
SPEECH OF HON A. DIXON,

On the bill to organize ihs Territories ol Nebraska and
Kansas delivered IN the Senate oil the United States.
Saturday, February 4. 1884,
blr DIXON Mr President, but for the peculiar po-
so0 occupy reatIon To that section OF country most
deeply interested in the act OF Congress passed in the
wear 1890 commonly known by the name OF the Mis-
souri Compromise act. | would be conteut 10 give a
silent vote rather than lroshe the Senate with any re-
marks upon the merits oil the bill The original bill INTRO
duced BY the honorable senator from Iowa Mr. DoD0El
was referred The Committee Territories that conmlt-
Tee reported back substitute Tor the original bill That
substitute MIR President, proposed the repeal TO Inn
tied extent, the act prohibiting slavery north OF the
line OF 36 deg 80 min OF north atiude-that rs. so far
as it would apply The Territory now proposed to be or
ganzed into The territories OF Nebraska aud Kansas
That bill declared the OF the States thereafter TO
be organized Out Of this territory 10 dsteraine throush
their appropriate The Question oil whether
they would or would net have slaves II also extend'
ed the people OF his territory the right through their
appropriate representatives. 10 determine the same qnes-
ton Ii Will al be perceived that although TINS dd
no, repeal The entire provisions OF the Missouri Compro
mise act, did repeal that act 10 the extent OF giving 10
he Stale the right have slavery not, she might
think propergving 10 the people OF the Territories.
living within The limits described BY this bill. the power
determine tha, question also d,d not Ike The slll
as was reported, because felt perfectly satisfied
that wholly imperative 30 far respected placing
the people OF the dherent States Ct the Union upon an
equal footing 10 relation TO their right OF carrying into
this proposed Territory the property which they possessed
whether that property consisted OF slaves or else
saw that the effect Of the bill would necessarily be 10
exclude every STAKEHOLDER until particular 'lme maj
time was Inc meeting together OF the representatives OF
the Territory and then declaring that slavery should
exist within its limits. That bill, then. sir, gave the
right 10 determine this question exclusively, as
understood il, 10 those people who did not possess
slaves; it gave the right 10 determine THIS question
10 people who live in those States where slavery
aid mol exist II gave the right 10 determine this
question 10 foreigners who should emlgIae to the Ter
itory and exercise the privilege OF voung upon ques
ton like this lttheeIore excluded slaveholders IRON the
Territory, as necessary consequence. by leaving this
question 10 be decided by those who had Interest
slavery, except 10 txunsuish IT, Taxing that view Of
the question: as dt. Mr. President. gave notice TO the
Senate that would, proper lime, offer amend
meat, which was read The Senate. and which proposed
10 repeal direct ansuagr the act allowing this restrc
ton upon the people OF te slaveholdg Sates carry ing
their property within The limits OF the Territory where that
restriction exists fhe amendment which then pro-
posed to offer the bill was subsequently, at least IN
substance. accepted by the Committee on Territories, and
incorporated the bill itself That amendment, as IN
cnrporated into the BILL far j, repeas the Missouri
Compomtse act, my entire appro5ation and, sir,
give 1t my hearty soIpoft II meets my appIooa-
ton because reieas that act, ani 5ecasse II places
the people OF the different States within this Union upon
equal footing. so far respects the right 10 settle The
,erriofy in question and 10 carry their property along
with them Ihsy to b. protected IN oeir property
as well in their persons The senator from Ohio, Mr..
CHASE however, seems 10 ,hnk that the amendment 10
tbe bill which repouei By The able senator IRON li-
nois Mr. DOUGLAS chairman oil the Comm,tiee on
TsprIes, poraled into II Tor soTe sfntstet prr-
pose-tnat it placed tsere with view that me
question snould b. taken fairly BY the Senate upon tue
N its OF the bill bui thai intended rather TO de-
ceve the Senate intended also oIDpose upon
the pubic. do not honestly think that the construction
which TO The conduct aad to the motives of NE
Committee ON Territories warranted a, all BY the
usual amenafy course which Is pursued n maiiefs
OF that kind II Is the province OF committee 10 amend
any bill which may be referred to them ii 10 Their jadk
men, such amendaeal is Just and proper II ~ the PROV
ince OF committee 10 petite It's bill; nay, sf II Is ihc'f
duty do They are 10 do that which they Get oato
DO and # This Bit, 10 lis original daugh iailed % ex
press iher and convictions was their tuiy 10
change il In sac a 10 meet The object which
intended. What do understand TO have been ihe
purpose and the intention OF the COMMITTEE on isirIo-
riesi presupe that no improper motives could te at
buied tnen, because II ought 10 be wen understood
By The Senate those who favor oil the repeal
Of the Missouri -Conpromise act. CONSTITUTING me mem
bers oil that commliee, were members from States IN
which slavery doe. not exist What could have been
The motives which Influenced that committee in acting
npon ihis question IL consciousness on iheir
usn that The aci which had been passed laying ha Ter
r,ory under ths restriction upon the people who should
20 there from slaveholding States. was an unjust
act--ihat ii act which would break down
the rights OF a particular section OF this countrY,
and therefore that il ought 10 be repealed Ire ropo-
sllon To repeal this act comes not iron the slave
holding States il from the States where slavery
does exist; comes from men who are aciualed oy
the great principles OF public justice and magaanlmy
il from those who looking lar and wids over
this extent OF territory OF ours, aud who look al he
equality OF the States and the equality OF the people with
OF placing all our citizens rpon an equal footing,
far respects the great rights winch were inlehded
TO be secured BY the federal constitution. II comes IRON
,hem--not from SHAREHOLDERS, but from those VINO have
no slaves.
Ii is true, Mr.. Pfesdea that the slayeholdng States
have looked upon ihis wrong TO heni but They
have waited patiently, that the movement ~ THIS mailer
sght be made by those whose eondoct and motives
could not be misapprehended-tha II might be made by
those who had no slaves. AID lhat might thus carry
along with ii the sanction OF that high aulhofnywbch
those who are wholly dgnWresied never fsil 10 give
.ssprv which hey propose. That was the reason that
.naueuced the commute. acting upos this gea ques
ton Tue committee under The impression that ac-
codng the provisions OF the act OF 1850 aud Toe pun
eples settled by those acts-which acts were called the
errat compronIse and wefe intended 10 be
hnalIty with regard to tlls question OF eiavery-he
committee of the opinion, repeat, az am OF The
OPINION and. Ms think, the whole country Is OF the
opinion. outstanding the gentleman from Ohio seem
10 think that the country asllsed IRON one eDd OF v
10 the other with alarm meiitasd yolsuoo ol pub
lie aiih-i say the whole country have been and are o
the opinion thai THIS a pslpahe wrong Wblch wa
originally done the people OF the sayehoding States
and that IL ought be removed they think That II y
Inconsistent the prncplss which ese selied ~ the
ses OF 1850. and understand that The Commltiee on
Territories, IN The measure which they propose 70 ne
Senate ael upon the principle that The provisions OF the
Of 1850 nrons,s ent with the inrlher existence
OF the act OF 1870 Sir, what the provislons oil the
act OF upon This great question ol slavery 30 lar
as respects the Territories, there can be no doubt AZ s
but hat the people left precisely IN the ssms condi
ton thai they would have been IN the act OF 1870 had
never been passed do not hnk, sif, that the se can
amt OF any uhsf Interpretation ,ban ns La The fsro
luton which hss bees referred 10 by The senator IRON
ohio,he resolution which xDpexed Texas TO the United
Sais-,nsr. ~ provision wbieh dsc res that slavery
shall not exist nor,h oi SO deg 80 mia, norm latitude
uilln the ims OF any State formed olt ol ssch rffi
tory, .., -
Of 1850 Incorporating The Territory OF New Msxco'
whica declares mat pfovlso ~ The act oi $780, s
neyps Texss 10 tbr United States shall be snfokaiea