Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-07
WORDS OF TRUTH AND soBERNEss.
FROM THE NEW ORLEANS BEE OF SEPTEMBER 90.

WORDS OF TRUTH AND soBERNEss. 7
FROM THE NEW ORLEANS BEE or SEPTEMBER 90.
During the discussions which followed the intro
duction into Congress of the Nebraska-K bill
the Southern members who sustained the repeal of \
the Missouri Compromise encouraged in their policy
the hope the removal Of this restriction would
the conversion of Kansas into slave State. The
hope of the South the dread of the North the press
and orators of which necessarily deprecated the
Of the bill upon the ground that it inevitably extend
the area of slavery. There in Congress small frac
ton Of Northern and Southern members who maintained
entirely different views. They contended that soil and
climate had infinitely to do with the establishment
or inhibition of slavery than Congressional enacments
that the repeal of the Missouri Compromise would not
make slave holding territory of Nebraska Kansas
less the geographical position and agricultural capacity
Of these Territories rendered them suitable for the
duction Of our domestic institution that good and sta
BILE existed for the belief that such was not the
case, and that these Territories would inevitably be peo
pied by whites alone. They argued that the Missouri
Compromise had long existed had been quietly acqui-
esced in by both sections Of the Conederacy respect
ed at the South and enacously chung the North
that its repeal would fail to confer any substantial benefit
on the former while it would initiate and exasperate the
latter cool their ardor in behalf of the South and fill
their minds with suspicion Of our good faith that in
view of the small and doubtful advantage and the certain
and serious evils which the measure would produce it
would be better to leave this great compromise untouch
ed, and not TO weaken by act Of inudicous and
necessary policy the hold the South had obtained the
North through the passage Of the memorable compromise
of 1850
These arguments Of avail against the vast
Joty OF the Southern members and the imposing force
OF Northern representatives whom the influence of the
Administration had drilled into obedience The bill
passed; the Missouri Compromise was repealed. The
| nfynn ~ -
dgnaton at the North and with singular apathy the
South From that time the aspect of popular sentiment
in both sections has undergone little change The South
really manifests astonishing Indifference to the result
There IS no excitement appearance OF exultation
scarcely evidence Of passing interest In the North
the feeling of irritation has become intense. 1t has
broken down political landmarks it has swept away the
strongest partisan animoses; it has united Wings, De-
mocrats and Frees0ilers in determined and thoroughly
organized combination to arrest the progress Of slavery
in short the passage of the bill has wrought all the mis-
chief solemny predicted by the little band Of consde
rate and rejecting who in Congress essayed in vain
preach the enthusiasts and fanatics either
side.
There might be compensation for this deplorabe
result did the repeal of the Missouri Compromise effect
any real good to the South. If that policy gave one
slave States posse the Southern peo-
pie would probably have to rejoice at its passage
in spite Of alienated and hostile North. But
believe it is pretty generally conceded that the hope
that either Nebraska Kansas will become slavehold
Nebraska not effort has been made introduce
the institution in that region Some impulse has been
given to the people Of Missouri to carry their slaves into
Kansas; but the attempt has been sicky and imperfect
We published recently number of letters written fro
that Territory to sound conservative Northern papers,
and particularly to the New York Journal of Commerce
sheet that has faltered from its posi-
tion on all subjects of sectional controversy These
letters without single exception, declare that Kansas
is being rapidly settled with white population and the
Journal ofCommerce lays particular stress one letter.
from high authority which afrms that not slave
holder in Missouri has yet moved his slaves into Kan
sas" " In short adds the writer there is just ground
of apprehension that not enough slaves win be carried
into the Territory make it much Of object to
them free"
The upshot, then, Of this long and angry contest is
that Nebraska and Kansas win not be slavehodiDg Ter
rtores that the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise has
advanced the South iota that it has thrown the
NORTH into perfect Juror Of excitement and promises
to renew in violent and dangerous form to the
and stability of the Union those sectional quarrels
which were happily healed by the pacific adjustment Of
i 1850.
We submit that it was hardly worth while for the sake
Of establishing abstract principle, to do SO much
4 positive i'll and of prospective injury.