Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-03-06
WASHINGTON, ID. c.



MONDAY, MARCH Q. 1854.
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REVOLUTIONS OF THE LE0IsLA1URE OF ILL
NOIs-A DECEPTION.
The following resolutions, it is said, have
been passed by the Legislature Of Illinois
aRssoived, That our liberty and independ-
ence are based upon the right of the people to
form for themselves such Government as they
may choose that this great principle - the
birthright Of freemen, the gift Of Heaven, 60
CURED 10 us by tho blood OF our ancestors
ought to be extended to future generations,
and no limitations ought to be applied 70 TINS
power in the organization OF any Territory OF
the United States, Of either Territorial Gov
eminent or State Constitution; provided the
Government, as established, shall be republi-
can, and in conformity with the Consultation,
Resolved, That we will stand by the Conf
promise Of 1850; that we are attached to that
great fundamental principle Of Democracy and
free institutions which lies at the basis OF cur
creed, and gives every political community the
right to govern itself--to form such a Govern
,nant al they may choose, without limitation,
restriction, or hindranoe, save obedience TO the
Constitution OF our country
Resoiued, That tho institution OF Slavery
was ono OF tho principal subjects OF compro-
mise embraced in the Constitution that it is
Recognised therein and that We deem the re-
strictlon Of geographical line upon the right
Of the people to form such a Government Ms
they may choose, in regard to the question Of
Slavery, as gross violation OF that sacred
right ~ a similar restriction upon any other
question Of Government, the right whereof IL
equally recognised by the Constitution OF the
United States
4 Resoiped, That this principle is maintained
and carried out by the Nebraska bill, offered
in the Congress Of the United States by our
distinguished Senator Stephen A. Douglas
that We approve Of said bill, and that we will
sustain our Senator in his advocacy OF the
same"
These resolutions were passed in the Senate
by a vote Of "a to 8, and in the House, under
the operation Of the previous question, by 80
to %.
IT will be scen that they approve Of Bill
which Senator Douglas never reported, which
he has never advocated and which has never
been before either House Of Congress. They
approve Of bill, styled by them tho Nebraska
Bill, because it g contains and carries out 2 the
-;eht Of the People Of Territory to govern
sAs<SsscoAvu1t uhiu W dttCu uOvoIullcnb ~
they may choose, in regard to the question Of
Slavery If this be not intended as legisla-
tive sarcasm, we arc bound to say that tho
majority Of tina Legislature Of Illinois either
has been duped, or M attempting to dups its
constituents, by false representations. The Ne
braska Bill Of Senator Douglas repudiates the
right Of tho People of q Territory to govern
themselves, and the Senator and his associates
expressly votsd against amendments designed to
secure fkis rieht specially an regard 10 the ques
tion Of Slavery
Had this been understood clearly by the
Legislature, no such resolves could have passed,
without snbjectiag that body to the charge Of
deliberate falsehood.
AnRHTKxIsK-sTATEs UNRxPREsENTED
The Nebraska Bill was under consideration
in the Senate two months. No measure of
legislation Of the last twenty five years has sur
passed, il it has indeed eqnalled, 1t in import
snos. II proposed tho abrogation of solemn
compact, which had subsisted in full force for
the third Of . century-the repeal Of fimda-
mental law, which for that period had secured
our vast Western Territory from Slavery il
proposed what no section Of the country had
called for, and what If carried through, would
exalt the power of one section at the expense Of
tho principles Of the other il was measure
Of vast magnitude and pregnant with incalcu-
liable consequences. And yet, on the motion to
engros tho Bill, only two-thirds Of The Sena-
tors were prosent--not 50 many as are in at
tendance generally during The consideration Of
ordinary questions.
aWhst do you do with deserters from their
posts, in the hour Of battls7n exclaimed vet
Gran, who is never absent from his post
Shoot them down, sir"
The members voting on the engrossmcnt
were the following
YEAs-- Adams, Atchison, Badger, Benja-
min, Brodhead, Brown, Butler, Clay, Dawson,
Dixon, Dodge Of Iowa, Douglas, Evans, F,tz-
patrick, Gwin, Hunter, Jones Of Tennessee
Jones' Of Iowa, Johnson, Mason, Morton Nor
ris, Petit, Pratt, Sebastian, Shields Sldell,
Stuart and WilIiams--2s
NAys--Chase, Dodge of Wisconsin Fcsscn-
dan, Fish, Foot, Hamlin, Jones' Seward, Smith,
Sumner, Wade, and Walker--I2
AssENTEEs. Everett of Massachusetts, AL
len Of Rhode island, Touccy Of Connecticut,
Thompson and Wright Of New Jersey, Cooper
Of Pennsylvania, Cas- Of Michigan, Bright
Of Indiana, Bayard and Clayton Of Delaware,
Psarcs of Maryland, Toombs Of Georgia Bell
Of Tennessee Thompson Or Kentucky, Gcyer
Of Missouri, Mallory Of Florida, Rusk Of
Texas Hamlin Of Maine, and Weller Of Cali.
fornis
Ninetecn abscntees.
The vote on tho engrommcnt Of a bill is re-
gardsd ~ tho test vote. We hold that on such
a vote nothing but serious iIIness could excuse