The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1854-06-21

the country. Already have the elections in
New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connec
tieut. admonished u.s. From this laundering
in the index, what may we not look for in
the sequel? Let me ask southern gentle.
men what they are 10 gain? Not a slave
State ont Of either of the Territories. The
author Of this bill tells you that-with few
exceptions. all of its supporters here say the
same. think differently, and will give my
reasons therefor before conclude. But you
say that neither Nebraska nor Kansas is to
be slave State; the existing relation as to
slavery is not to be changed; the repeal of
the Missouri restriction practically amounts
to nothing: in short, it is mere abstraction.
You say that you gain nothing by the bill.
Then in the name of reason, why vote for
it? Let me ask the southern Democrats,
have you no regard for tho welfare of the
Democratic party in the northern States,
that you throw into their midst an element
that You cannot help but see breaks its uni
ty, sends to private life its public men. and
IjeopardiSeS the m assures of the whole party;
and all this--and much more than this--jor
an abstraction.
! But you say that you are enacting prin-
ciplc that will put down agitation hereafter.
Why, we have 10 other territory for the
principle to operate upon. 1t may be years
before We acquire--indeed. We may never
aequire-any more territory. And, should
we make further acquisitions, the dispos
ton to be made Of them will rest with those
who may hereafter occupy seats here, and
whose votes we cannot control, and ought
not to attempt TO control. You get up a
fierce and bitter agitation in advance, that
you may prevent one at some future time,
which will be remote, and may be never
Iou unsettle the settlements, that you may
settle them over again. And to do this,
you violate own plighted faith, inaict
grievous wrong npon us OF the North, and
tralnple over the solemn resolves of the
great political parties to which you several
ly belong.
But you say it will prevent the agitation
Of the slavery question hereafter. Gentle
men, there is y great fundamental error here.
You cannot stop agitation by legal enact
ment. The people Of the North believe, and
many at the South share in the same belief,
that slavery is great moral and political
wong. They believe it to be sin against
the laws of God, burning reproarh upon
our rcountry, an eating cancer, a creeping lep-
rosy upon the body polite. You must teach
them to unlearn all this and imbibe the idea
entertained by some Of you, that slavery is
blessing beneficial to the country, and a
bright spot upon its escutcheon. When you
do that you viii stop agitation, but you can
not do it by legal enactment; never. Sir, it
is impossible, utterly impossible. Before
this bill was introduced the country was as
free from agitation as it ever will be while
slavery exists. Defeat it, abandon it, and
you restore peace and good feeling. Pass
it, and YOU reopen the tiood-gates of section
al discord and strife. its progress thus far
has created fearful state of excitement at
the North. The conserVatiYefeeling among
us which aided and abette your institution
because it regarded itself bound to do so by
the letter and spirit of the compromises re-
lating to it, gives ground, and is cooperating
with what you call Abolition fanatlcism =
One half Of the northern Democrats on this
floor, representing one half of the Democratic
voters in the country, despite all the power
and patronage of the national Adminstra-
ton, are against you. The other half, who
supported this bill, do it in agony of spirit
uttering the while bitter censures upon the
reckless men who have introduced it here
The Free-Solers and the Wings of the North
are against you without single exception.
With such state Of feelings, is there no
danger that a controlling number of all par
ties and factions will compromise their past
difference, and unite for the purpose Of con-
6ning your institution to the States where it
now exists. Party obligations never sat
ooser upon the people, nor was there ever
time when parties were less able to stand
up under the treachery and bad faith, and
consequent decentralization, necessarally in
yolved in the passage of this bill Remem-
Der too, that you are in minority here,
and in the ether branch; minority that is
constantly growing less; and, answer me, is
it worth while to subject yourselves to this
risk for the sake of a principle which most
of you say is an abstraction now, and
which may never. be anything more?
But do not hold that neither of these
Territories can ever become slaveholding.-
On the contrary, L think it probable that
slavery will be established in Kansas, and
will tell you why think SO. Its soil and
climate are favorable to the production of
hemp and tobacco, two staples which are
proitably cultivated by slave labor. The
east line of the Territory is the west line Of
Missouri, and it is in close proxirnity on the
south and southeast to Texas and Arkansas,
and on the west it adjoins Utah. which has
also become a slaveholding Territery. The
western portion Of Missouri is more thickly
populated with slaves than any other part of
the State. Their owners have only to step
aeros an imaginary line and they are citi-
zens and voters in Kansas, while citizens
from the free States can only reach the Ter
ritory by laborious land travel over bad
roads across the State of Missouri. No ca.
mails nor railroads to help them on their way,
and no navigable river, except where the
Missouri touches its acute point on the ex-
treme northeast. There is not to day
white ssNler in all Kansas. The few white
men there are hunters and trappers, who
pursue rowing life. pitching their camps
where game abounds, and following it as it
changes its haunts. un
The formation Of the character Of the Ter
ritorry will. therefore, lie exclusively with
those who emigrate from the States. The
first election will probably settle the ques-
ttion of slavery, and tits to be held as soon as
the governor can take the census and make an
appointment. Thirty,nine men, enough to