Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-04-15
SPEECH OF Mr.. CHANDLER,
or PENNSYLVANIA.
OF PENNSYLVANIA, @.
Or the BIZ to Organise Territorial Government
IN Nebraska.
HOUSE OF REpnEsENrArIvEs, AraIL 5, ls54.

state of the Union
Mr. CHANDLER said: Mr.. Chairman, j propose ad
dressing the committee at the present time in Opposition
the bill in Committee of the Whole the state
the Union relative to the Territory of Nebraska. My
marks will be destitute Of all attractions resulting from
of views they viii be deficient in that nte
which is created when Southern becomes the
opponent Northern man the advocate of the BILL
For the present, sir shall limit my remarks to th
great featuresof the bill and the arguments which have
been used in its fayor and though may approve of
and dislike others of the amendments with which the bill
of the Senate s made more or less palatabe shall moi
attempt to discuss any of them now as whatever may bs
their character they do affect the great question
public faith involved in the main features of the
Nor can now turn aside to weigh the testimony for OF
against the assertion that he who the great pacfca
tor Of the Senate the advocate author of the CON-
promise of 1920 Undoubtedly it would be gratifying to
know that to sustain the principle which he subse
quenty approved but if it should appear that he not
the author Of that measure, from special circum-
stance Of place. its advocate then We lose only the for
fior portion of the argument which was built upon his
name The remains with all its healing charac-
ter Nor shall be driven from the grounds have taken
by the charge that shall be found acting with the abo
litonsts also have refused OF other occasions to
yield the ntimaon of danger from voting and speak
ing with the extreme of :he South am not afraid to
trust to the righteousness of cause and welcome all
who will assist me with vote. >. t..s "a
Some experience in this House has taught me that
who is professed abotionis may nevertheless be
hospitable gentleman, ripe scholar and powerful
connected with his speciality. And have learned Also
the other hand to admit that religious political SEN
mens quite opposed to my own professions OF strange
distractions which cannot comprehend and residence
among and advocacy of institutions quite antagonstic to
those Of my locality quite consistent with purity
piety, and patriotism. wi ',.
shall be compelled to confne myself closely to my
notes The space allowed by the rules of this House for
speech is too short admit Of any ampfcaton OF the
several divisions or risk dscursveress, into which
should without notes be tempted. The time permitted to
rides upon the dials point, beginning and ending
with the hour ..s.. +... ~.
think it proper at the threshold of my remarks, to
say that the opponents of the Nebraska bills absoyed
from all necessity of discussing the question OF slavery
in connexion with their provisions Negromania and
phobia certain sentiments degrees of sent
ment relative to particular institution have been demo-
minated have necessarily nothing to do with the issue
made these bills 1t is question of contract of honor
and Of faith Of white men with white Whatever
benefit injury the institution Of slavery may have
frred inflicted negroes the Congress of the United
States made contract with them, had COM
promise to which the negro was party 't.
The question then is "Shal the compromises of 1920
be maintained shall they be vioated?' The sp
nit which rendered necessary the compromise n 1920 and
1850 is yet in existence and the same motives will give
that spirit action The compromises OF the Constitution
remain; it is difficult to get at them They are not to
be reached with simple enactment is the compromise
of 1867 but they have deeper seat in the heart of the
people than has the compromise of lS20 and those who
thoughtessy interestedy arouse public sentiment by
ritory may feeling that will reach yet further
back; and men at the North may adopt the sentiment
which the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. STEpHENs) i'm
puted to his constituents they may inquire not g it
CONSTITUTIONAL but is it rghrght in the abstract not
IS II right in the compromise not relatively, not har
monizing feelings connected with the variant and often
opposing interests, but nakedy, simply abstractly is it
ight?" "...* ..,-,
Our Constitution our habits our Government our in
tercourse all founded tolerance and compromise,
which make things consttutonay and legally right
which majority of our citizens do not think absracty
right. This known sir, by the trainers Of the Con-
sttuon this was known and felt in the admission of
Missouri this was acknowledged and acted in the ad
mission of Texas and this constituted the necessity and
grounds Of compromise in 1850. -..
Mr. Chairman, is it wise at this time renew the ag
tatiou which former compromises intended to soothe
by presenting without cause subj ec thatmust awaken
disquet and encourage agitaton But told that
this sa Northern Offering and Southern men, regrettng
the fact lamenting the movement and privately con-
demnng the scheme bound by local instincts to accept
the offer 1t is boon the South which Southern
prenenatres mast accept or else seem for time to be
derelct to the interests of their constituents
Without stopping now to inquire about the fact OF the
North making the Offer whether the South is bound to
take every offer which made without regard to national
peace and general harmony say if the South is bound
to accept while she regrets the presentation the North
seeing the of the movement is bound to
the offer Let the Northern representatives for
ment inquire, not what is the opinion of their cons
ents with regard slavery territorial government but
what is their view Of national honor not what's the wish
OF this Administration of that aspirant to exalted
Office, but how much above all present qualification how
superior to all party rumphs is the pledged faith of the
National and how necessary general peace
and prosperity is the settled mind of the people, reposing
in confidence on national pledges
Let not be told, sir that what we are calling vio
laton of compact is only the repeal Of law" and
that any law may be repealed whenever public good
to be promoted by its existence. However the
celebrated enactment of 1920 may be denominated, it
and is compromise. l want to hear ingenious
sophisms uttered prove that it simple enact
ment. 1t more it yielding up by part of
the Union of what it released with pain and with VIOLA
ton of moral sentiment. 1t triumph, far as
went for another part of the Union, and was SO
garded. The boundary for the institutions which the
South approved was made; though hesitatngly it was
made admissible to the conscientious views Of part Of
the country and it gave freedom to the extension OF the
peculiar institution to the other part 1t gave it, too
soil and in climate where that institution could be
most beneficial to its supporters
agree that portion of the people in each part of the
country expressed dissatisfaction with the provisions OF
the compromsethe North when the law passed. and the
South While the compromise under consideration
but when the bargain completed the Southern
bers boased of their advantage 1t is naught it is
nau2h saith the buyer; but when he is gone he boast
eth But we are told that Northern men, having op-
posed the passage of the Missouri compromise
inconsistent because they oppose its repeal That is
another sophism at any rate Seguitr The North
opposed that compromise because it did not exclude
slavery below 35' 3V generally, while it admitted it
Especially IN the State of Missour) far above and
they oppose the repeal Of that compromise because
it only admits slavery below geo 30 but IL opens all
north Of that to the institution There is then in the
rpa for which the Nebraska bill provides an enactment
Of al that could offend the opponents of Missouri bill
In 1870 with regard 70 their concessions for the perms-
sion Of slavery, and equally repeal Of all that could
have constituted their poor iumphs in the concession