The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-02-07

from tho Free States been reconciled to,he
'u - aiissaSsuSsaii ~, af ihii nTahihii
ton into the act of admission. Nothing is
moro certain than that the prohibition has
been regarded and accepted by the whole
country as q solemn compact against the ex-
tension of Slavery into any part Of the Terri
tory acquired from France, lying north 36 deg
30 min., and not included in the new State of
Missouri. The same act-let il be ever re-
membered--which authorized the formation of
Constitution for that State, without clause
forbiddiding Slavery, consecrated. beyond
question and beyond honest recall, the whole
remainder of the Territory to Freedom and
Free Institutions forever. For more than
thirty years-during more than half the period
of our National Existence under oui present
Constitution-ihs compact has been univer-
sally regarded and acted upon os inviolable
American Law. In conformity with il, Iowa
was admitted as a Froe State. and Minnesota
has been organized as a free Territory.
It is strange and ominous fact, well cal
culated to awaken the worst apprehensions
and the most fearful foreoodings of future ca
lnmties, that it is now deliberately proposed
to repeal this prohibition, by implication or di-
rectly-the latter certainly, the manlier way
and thus to subvert this compact, and allow
Slavery in all the yet unorganized territory.
We cannot, in this address, review the va
rious pretnnces under which il is attempted to
cloak this monstrops wrong; bu: We muat not
altogether omit to notice one.
1t is said that the territory of Nebraska sus-
tains the same relations to Slavery as did the
Territory acquired from Mexico prior to 1850,
and that tho pro-slavery clauses OF tho Bill are
necessary 20 carry into effect the Comprcmi-
ses of that year.
No assertion could be more groundless.
The acquisitions of Territory have been
made by Treaty. The first was from France.
Out of this Territory have been created the
three slaves States of Louisiana, Arkansas,
and Missouri, and the single free State of To-
wa. The controversy, which arose in relation
to tho then unorganized portion of this Terri
tory was closed in 1920, by the Missouri act,
containing the Slavery prohibition, as has al
ready been stated. This controversy related
only to territory acquired from Franco. The
act. by which it was terminated. was confined,
by its own express terms, to the same Terrific
ry and had no relation to any other.
The second acquisition was from Spain.
Florida, the Territory thus acquired, was yield
cd to Slavery without struggle, and almost
without murmur.
The third was from Mexico. The contro-
versy which arose from this acquisition is
fresh in the remembrance of the American
People. Ont of it sprung the acts of Con-
gress commonly known as the Compromise
measures of 1850, BY ono of which California
was admitted ms free State: while two others.
organizing the Territories of New Mexico and
Utah, exposed ell the residue of the recently
acquired Territory to the invasion of Slavery.
These acts were never supposed TO abrogate
or touch the existing exclusion Of Slavery from
II : LII a
to tho Territory acquired from Mexico and To
that only. They ~ero intended as a sette-
mont of the controversy growing out of that
acquisition. and of that controversy only
They must stand or fall by their own merits.
The statesmen. whose powerful support car
ried the Utah and New Mexico acts never
dreamed that there provisions would ever be
applied to Nebraska. Even al the last session
of Congress, Mr.. Atchison. of Missouri, in a
speech in favor oftaking up the former Nebras-
ka Bill, on the morning of the 4th of March
1858. said: at is evident that the Missouri
Compromise cannot be repealed. So far as
that question is concerned. we might rs well
agree to the admission Of this Territory now,
as next year, or five or ten years hence
These words could not have fallen from this
watchful Guardian of Slavery, had he supposed
that this Territory was embraced by the pro-
This pre- ention had not then been set up. 1t
is palpable after-ihought
The Compromise acts themselves refnte this
pretention In the third article of the second
section of the Joint Resolution for annoxing
Texas to the United States. it Is expressly de-
clared that ain such State or States as shall be
formed out Of said Territory north of said Mis-
souri, Compromise line, Slavery or involuntary
Servitude. except 70; crime, shall be prohibit
od:" (2) and in the Act for organizing Now
Mexico and settling the boundary of Texas. a
proviso was incorporated on tho motion of Mr..
Mason Of Virginia, which distinctly preserves
this prohibition and fiouts the bare face pre-
tenion that all the Territory of the United
States, whether south or north of tho Missouri
Compromise, line is to be open 20 Slavery -
1t is as follows:
provided, That nothing herein contained
shall be construed to impair or qualify anything
contained in the third article Of the second sec
ton of the United States, approved March l.
lS45. either as regards the number Of States
that may hereafter be formed out of the States
of Texas, or otherwise" (3)
Here is proof beyond controversy, that the
of the Missouri Act. prohibiting Slave
ry north of 36 deg. 80 min, far from being alb
rogated by the Compromise Acts, is expressly
h1u tIht tne IoDoseu Ttpeal VI WIS
prohibition. stead of being an affirmation of
the Compromise Acts. is repeal of very
prominent provision of the most important acts
Of the series. II is solemnv declared in the
very Compromise Acts 'that nothing herein
shall he construed to impair or quail
ifv' the prohibition of Slavery north of 36 deg
30, min. and vet, in the face Of this dcclara-
alton, that sacred prohibition is said to bo o.
verthrown. Can presumption further go'-
To all who, in any wav lean upon these Com
promises we commend this exposition.
Tho pretences, therefore. that the TERRITORY.
covered by the positive prohibition of 1920
sus'sins similar relation to Slavery with thpt
acquired from Mexico. covered by no prohibi
tion except that of disputed Constitutional or
Mexican Law. and that the Compromises of
1850 require the Incorporation Of the proslave
ry clauses of the Utah and New Mexico Bill
IN the Nebraska tct are mere inventions, de-
signed to cover up from public apprehension.
bad faith. Were he living now. no
me would be more forward. more eloquent. or
moro indignant, in his donunciation Of that
bad faith than Henry Cay, the foremost cham