The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-09
VOL. VIII,

trine that the People Of Territory had H.
right to legislate as they pleased on the sub;.,,
of Slavery. The South has not changed i,
opinion, but Southern and Northern Democ,,r
unite in landing the doctrine of Non.Inters.,
ton, as the only one truly Democratic s,p,l
constitutional, benefoent the key to the sa,,,.
ment OF this dangerous question of Sayer,
In tho Territories-and yet they know tia.
1hey mean precisely different things! Homo,
able union! Who is to be the gamer in II,
game OF deception We can tell the Mar.
ern Democracy, thas, whatever may be Won,
purpose, establish this principle of Non. Int.
vention, as you call it, as the policy Of n,
Government in regard to Territories. and ~
will find yourselves just where you have alw,,.
benin the grasp. under the heel Of j,
Slave Power, which will cOmrel you, sh.s,,
the People Of a Territory undertake to ey,i.r'
Slavery, to override their action
We have done with the argument Of Jg,.
Douglas. The simple question submiltei
Congress is-WW you, OF ,ciH you not ,,,..l
The Missouri Compromise
lfyou repeal it, Nebraska is thrown one, ;.
Slavery, and you vii tually nationalizo it in .n
Territories of the United States
If you repeal it, you leave Slavery in n.....
sion of all it gained by the bargain or c,.,
pact of 1920, and surrender all that Freed,
then gained, with the exception of Iowa ,ri
Minnesota.
If you repeal it, you make concession +,
the Slave Interest, which it did not dream d,
demanding in 1850, but one which it has bss.
emboldened to demand by the pusilanu,o,..
conduct of the North at that time.
If you repeal it, you inves st It with Power
which will seorn all restraints, and kindle in i.
an ambition that will be sats6ed with notbj,,
short of the seizure OF Cuba, the absorut;oo ~
all the portions Ct Mexico fit for slave tiilac.
and tie recognition Of the claim of the Slave.
holder to carry his slaves with him into every
section of the Upcn, and hold them there IN
disregard Of whatever adverse local laws
All these consequences will follow. urle-.
indeed, the Northern People, provoked beyond
all endurance, should ct last shake Of their
lethargy, break asundcr the bands Of Part,
rise in their full might, and, trampling u,gp
all compromises, all time.scrvipg expedjept.
all tricksteIs and traitors, rally as one mar. in
defence of Freedom, Free Labor, Free mstitu.
tions, and through their overwhelming major
ty at the Ballot Box, assume the rens Of Gov
eminent, and put Slavery under the ban. as the
Slave Interest now threatens to put Freedom
under the ban.
THE STATE OF THE QUESTION IN CONGRESS
The Nebraska Bill in the Senate is the special
order, and will continue under discussion til
disposed Of A motion from MIR Chase s pend
ing, to amend the 18th section, by striking out
the words "whieh sOas superseded By the primo.
pies Of the Legislation Of 1850, COMMONLY knoa7
as the Compromises If this prevail, the qacs
ton presented will be, direct and On origird
proposition to abrogate the Missouri CorVc
misc. In the House, last week, MIR. Richardson
reported, from the Committee on Territores,
Nebraska Bill, the same as that befo.e the
Senate. Much sensation was manifested and
several amendments were announced, among
them, one by Mr.. English, as follows;
Strike out of the 18th and 3ith sections
these words
Except the eighth section Of the act pre-
paratory to the admission of Missouri into the
Union, approved March sixth, eighteen hun
dred and twenty, which was superseded by the
principles Of the legislation Of eighteen hun
dred and fifty, commonly called the Compro-
nd - .l,,,l
alive"
And insert the following:
PROVIDED, That nothing in this act shall be
go construed as to prevent the people Of said
Territory, through the properly constituted
Legislative authority, fro m passing such laws in
relation to the institution Of Slavery, not incOn-
sistent with the Constitution Ct the United
States, as they may deem best adapted to their
locality and most conducive to their happiness
and welfare; and 50 much of any existing act
OF Congress as may conflict with the above
right OF the people to regulate their domestic
institutions in their own way, be and the same
is hereby repealed"
Mr.. Dean gave notice that he intended to
move TO insert 10 the bill the following:
Pr0rtded, That nothing in this bill cos.
tanned shall be construed to legal;ze or e'ta3
hsh Slavery or involuntary servitude within
said Territories, or either of them
Mr. Edgerton gave notice that he inteldci
to offer, as "A substitute for the bill, thc b.I
passed by the last Congress to organize TIE
Territory Of Nebraska.
The Bill was then committed and ordered 10
be printed, together with the report Of the mi
nority of the committee.
The amendment proposed by Mr. English
proposes to effect, in an insidiOus way, what
the Bill boldly aims to accomplish-the reical
of the Missouri Compromise 1t is just as GRIM,
inal as the Bill, but good deal meaper
The amendment of Mr.. Dean can answerno
purpose but to throw thin veil over the enU-
nifty of the measure. IL adopted, it might he
used to deluds some not very clear sighted con
stituents with the notion that their Represent.
atives had really done something The Bill
provides for the repeal OF the Missouri Con-.
promise, so as to give Slavery permission to ell
ter the Territory, but it does not propose to
legisiate it into the Territory. Mr.. Deans
amendment ia irrelevant aud superseryiceable.
1t seeks to prevent what is not proposed, totally
evading the real issue.
The New York Evening Post regards it SIM
ply IS "a fraud designed to cover up another
fraud" and it adds
1t is q mere form of words, without mean
ing or effect. The South are quite willing 10
accept it, knowing that it docs not alter the
nature of the measure; and if the Northern
members vote for it, they will cheat thei' COZ
stituents. The mover. we hope. will withdraw
it. If he does not, he will make his name IN
famous at the North"
A correspondent Of the same paper says TIE
effect of il is, simply
THAT Congress does not directly legslge
and establish Slayery-neithsr does II prohibit