The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-23
THE NORTH MOVING.

THE NORTH MOVING
"Now's our time;;" said a Southern member
of Congress; don't let the Bill linger in the
Senate or it will be lost give it to us at once,
for if it be delayed, the Northern men will be
frightened by their constituents"
"D--n themD cried another; "a week
more and all is lost"
Keep cool, gentlemen. You have faith in
the People, you know. Give them chance to
speak. At all events, you cannot gag them
now. Ii is too late. The People understand
what you are about and you will soon under
stand what they are about. You can mystify
them no longer. No sophistry will avail you.
You cannot draw them off from the real issue
by a clamor about non-interyention, and the
right of a people to regulate their own affairs.
They all know what the Missouri Compromise
means-that it has been regarded by a whole
generation as a compact between the North
and South, by which it was solemnly stipulated
that Slavery should be forever prohibited in
all the Territory of Louisiana north of SO deg.
80 min.-that this compact has never been dis
of the Slavery Question, in the bitterest con-
troversies between the North and South; and
they now know that Mr.. Douglas MIR. Cass,
General Pierce, with other leaders of the 30
called Democratic Party, without previous no
tice, without intimation in any quarter of dis
satisfaction with this compact, without asking
or waiting for any instructions on the subject
from their constituents, are laboring to repeal
it. They know that with this Compromise the
Territory is forever secured to Frcedom-that
without it, it is open to Slavery. They know
that this repeal is attempted just at a period
when, by the recession Of excitement following
on the agitation of 1850, and by the general
acquiescence in the legislation of that year, and
by the machinery of National Conventions
pledging their respective parties to the settle
ment of 1850 as a finality on the Slavery Cues
ton, the North has been lulled into q state of
profound security and apathy on the subject
of Slavery.
Knowing al this they feel outraged and
insulted by this attempt of the Slavery Prop
agandists to take advantage of their want of
organization and preparation.
Fortunately, the SUR rise has proved fail
ure. At first, the People Of the North were
perplexed, incredulous; they could not under
stand clearly the nature of the enormity con-
templated they could not believe that it was
really intended. But doubt has been dssipa-
ted, and they are now aroused, we hope to
sleep no more. The papers at the North, and
our own correspondence, TEEN With indications
of deep agitation, which short-sighted politi-
clans had supposed impossible, so soon after
the hot struggle of 1850.
A friend in Miami county, Ohio, sending us
large number of subscribers, remarks, that
in previous letter he had said if Mr.. Douglas
continued "to press his wicked bill, he would
send us still more subscribers" "Tho majority
of these" he adds, care Wings and Demo-
Gratis, and shall obtain others soon. If the
Bill pass, | can raise the list TO forty, prnc-
pally Wings and Democrats. The movement
is odious to every honest man that | have seenn
Meetings are announced all over the free
States to denounce the Bill. Party differences
are forgotten: Huukcrs and Silver Grays are
uniting with Free Sellers Liberal Wings, and
Democrats, in Reproduction Of the measure.
The great meeting at Chicago was sustained
by the Old Line Democracy, supporters of
Judge Douglas A correspondent in that place,
in a letter dated the 9th inst, writes to us
Last evening, our citizens assembled, en-
mdsSe, at the South Market Hall for the pur-
pose of giving expression to their sentiments on
the Nebraska question.
"The meeting was one of the largest and
most enthusiastic ever held in this city. The
call had been signed by about four hundred
persons nearly ali of whom are prominent bust
ness men, AS many thousand names could
easily have been obtained, if the effort had
been made, since nearly euery individual to
whom the call was presented, signed it without
hesitation
"The leading men in this demonstration, as
will be seen from the newspaper reports of the
meeting, were what are called Old Line Dem
ocrats Those acquainted in this city will rec
ognse, In the officers and speakers, many of
the most prominent among the former support
ers of Judge Douglas
The people assembled at this meeting were
calm, but reeolute, and exhibited deep and
settled feeling of indignation against the au-
thors OF this contemplated outrage upon the
NORTH, which do not believe cur Representa-
tives and remaining Senator will feel at liber-
ty to disregard. Herewith send you a full
report of the proceedings.
"P. S. -Four of the FIVE daily papers Of this
city have taken ground against the bill. The
fifth, the Chicago Democrat, is as yet non com.
initial, but is expected daily to follow the ex-
ample of the Democratic Press which has for
merly been a Douglas paper, but is strong in
| opposition of the bill !"
The Chicago Tribune says:
The meeting at the City Hall, last night
will be an era not soon to be forgotten, in the
history of our city. Ii was not a meeting q
Wings or Abolitionists, to vent Indignation Al
Senator Douglas. Three-fourths of the officers
| from the chairman down, have always beer
known as Democrats, and the most promin en-
supporters of Senator Douglas, his pers ona
friends and associates. James Curtiss, Chair
man of the meeting, was several times electeC
Mayor of our city, and was never known t.
| split a regular nomination. Not less true Il
the party, and the Compromise Measures o
1867 were Judges Dickey and Skinner, F. c
sherman, and Daniel Mcllroy, Esqrs, and othe