Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-13
CONGRESS.
rHIsry-rHIsD coscRsss--rrssr SESSION.
Senate, Monday, Feb. 10, 1854,

THiRTy.THIRD cosGRKss-FIRsT SESSION.
Senate, Monday, Feb. 10, 1854
The Secretary read letter from the Hon.
ID. r. Atchison, requesting Mr. Bright to pre-
side for the day. No objection being made,
Mr. Bright took the chair.
Mr.. Everett presented the memorial Of over
fourteen hundred citizens Of Worcester county
Massachusetts, against the passage Of the Me-
braska and Kanzas Territorial bill. He said
that among the slgners was the present Gov
ernor Of the State, and the Hon. John Davis
late Senator Of the United States, also the Hon.
Levi Lincoln. He said that he had no doubt
but the memorial truly presented the unani-
NOUS opinion Of the people Of that section Of
the country.
Mr. Seward presented the remonstranco of
ninety legal voters Of Niagara county, New
York. against the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise. Also, two similar petitions from citi
zens Of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Foot presented like remonstrance from
citizens Of Windham county, Vermont.
Mr.. Clayton a like renonstrance from citi-
zens of Delaware.
Mr.. Sumner the remonstrance of two hun
chusetts and seventy three citizens Of North
Taunton, in the same State, to the same effect
Mr.. Chase presented six memorable from citi-
zens Of Ohio and Indiana, and the proceedings
of public meeting at Cleveland, Ohio all
against the repeal Of the Missouri Compro-
mise.
Mr. Brodhead presented eleven like petitions
from citizens Of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Benjamin presented the memorial of cit
izens of lndiana, praying for leave to institute
suit against the United States, to test the lia-
biity Of the United States for the debts Of
Texas
Mr.. Bell presented the memorial Of citizens
Of Tennessee, in favor Of repeal of all duties
on railroad iron, or the extension Of time for
the payment Of the same
Mr.. Badger introduced bill providing for
the removal Of distractions in the mouth Of
Cape Fear river, North Carolina
Mr.. Fitzpatrick and Mr.. Clay introduced
bills granting land to Alabama to aid in the
construction Of railroads in that State.
Mr.. Fish presented the memorial of citizens
Of New York, asking modification Of the
revenue laws 80 far as they provide for the
forfeiture Of the vessel from which shall be il
legally landed goods valued at $400.
The Senate then resumed the consideration
of the bill to establish Territorial Govern
menu IOr NeDfaSka.
Mr.. Weller said he had no intention to reply
to the extraordinary speech delivered in the
Senate on Thursday and Friday The personal
relations existing between him and the Senator
from Connecticut prevented any controversy
between them in the Senate. He believed the
organization of these Territorial Governments
in Nebraska and Kansas as absolutely indis-
pensable to the safety and protection Of the
numerous emgrants who annually cross them
10 the shores Of the Pacific The great annual
emigration from Europe TO this country would
find homes in these Territories, and build up
States in the centre Of the Confederacy The
fact that Of the Indians now inhabiting the
territory large number had been removed
there under promise Of q permanent home,
was serious objection but it was one which
could be easily provided for, in spirit of jus
tiee and humanity, by this bill. IL was mel
ancholy reflection that the Indian race was to
be swept away, but it was nevertheless true
The question whether the Ordinance Of 1887
was efectual over the territory to which ikwas
intended to apply, had been much controvert-
ed. He knew that the people of Indiana and
Illinois made frequent appeals to Congress to
withdraw its prohibition Of Slavery, and that
Congress refused it. The Senator from Ohio
Mr.. Chasel placed this refusal on the ground
that Congress considered the law irrepealable,
and had quoted from o report made by the
celebrated MIR. Randolph. He thought the
Senator should have read more of that report
and then it would have been seen that it was
refused on the ground that Slavery would not
be proper for the soil and climate Of these
States. Between 1910 and 1920, the number
Of slaves in Indiana and Illinois was greatly
increased
He was no party to the Missouri Compro-
- ,hax. do,
ger 10 the Union was threatened. He was in
no way bound by that act He was under no
obligations TO abide by it. 1t was adopted by
men who had the same political power, and
no more, than he now had The Compromise
Of 1850 was adopted under like circumstances,
and by it he was in no way bound They
were inconsistent; and if compelled TO choose
between them, he would prefer the latter,
which had received the approval Of the people
Of the United States in the election of 1882
Those Senators who now 30 strenuously
maintained the inviolability Of the Missouri
Compromise, at the last session voted TO violate
the Compromise Of 1850, by repeating the Fu-
gitive Slave Law. No man could deny but
the repeal Of that act would dissolve the Union
When the time arrived when the North would
tell the South that il could not pursue and re.
claim in the FREQ States its escaped property,
then the lime for the dissolution Of the Union
would have arrived as it ought to-
He was born and educated in free State
He deprecated the existence Of Slavery, butte
had no prejudiccs against anything but what
was unconstitutional
He denied that he had ever seen anything
demoralizing in Slavery. He compared the
morals and patriotism Of the South with the
North, and held that the former was equally
high, whether with reference 10 its males or
females.
Slavery existed in Vermont and other free
States in 1900, and he did not believe il would
have ever been abolished there, had it not been
found TO be Improbable. The proposition to
exclude Slavery north Of SO deg 80 min. was
no more just than IL would be IL the South was
to propose that Slavery should never be ex-