Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-01-14
NEBRASKA.

relative to this question, which placed it in its true
light and with which all should be familiar See
Buglc, Nos. 10 and 20.
/ That no time may be lost, Senator Douglass has
presented bill accompanied with report; Of
course just what slavery desires. The question at
issue, presented in the Senate, is directly Of
conflict between the Missouri Compromise and the
Compromise of 1850 The former as a consider
alton for the establishment Of slavery in Missouri
promised that in that part of the territory of Louis
lana now called Nebraska, slavery should be for
ever prohibited. This was its plain and uncquiyocal
declaration. The bill and report Of Senator
Douglass says that this provision, which to be
".t6rrrer," was abrogated by the Compromise of
1850. That while il remains territory, its citizens
entitled to take there their property, whether it
consist of persons or things" and when it shall
claim admission as a State slavery shall exist or
not according to the pleasure of the inhabitants.
The existence of slavery, notwithstanding the
pledge of Congress to the contrary shall be no bar
to its admission to the Union.
That they may have it all their own way under
the territorial government, Of course the Supreme
Court of the United States will adiudicate all ques
tions Of personal freedom that shall he in contro
ycrsyand thus slavery will receive an establishment
by the highest judicial decision.
If the slave power will thus shnmclcssy rcpud-
ate its own contract,--a contract, as the Missouri
Compromise did, originating with ITSELF II should
at least teach northern men that it is of small con-
sequence to make bargains with the soullcss, ire
sponsible power. 1t first gets everything for the
occasion in the compromise, and then rcpudiatcs
the consideration when it suits its purpose to get
something else. The acceptance of the Missouri
Compromise was a hard bargain for the North. Its
acceptance covered it with in:amy, and was distinc
tive in a series of unmanly and wicked degrade
tions to slavery. 1t was fruitful inlet Of the
multitude of wrongs and evils that have since come
to the North, to the nation, and to the slave. And
now Senator Douglass proposes to rob us of the
poor pay that was promised. 1t will be done. The
North is without manhood in its political agents
Its territory is conquered SOIL and it has nothing to
do but to submit.
We add part Of Mr.. Douglass report:
Such being the character of the controversy in re-
spect to the territory acquired from Mexico sim
liar question has arisen in regard to the right to
hold slaves in the prosperous Territory of Nebraska
when the Indian laws shall be Withdrawn and the
country thrown open to emigration and settlement
BY the eighth section Of IAN act to authorize the
people of the Missouri Territory to form constitu-
tion and State government and for the admission
of such State into the Union on an original footing
with the original States, and to prohibit slavery in
certain Territories" approved March 6, 1890 it
was provided, THAT in all territory ceded bv
France to the United States under the name Of
Louisiana, which lies north of thirty-six degrees
and thirty minutes north latitude, not included
within the limits of the State contemplated by this
net slnNpry and involuntary enrvitudn
than in the punishment Of crimes where cJf the pur-
ties shall have been duly convicted shall be and is
hereby forever prohibited: Prorided, al,caus. That
any person escaping into the same from whom
labor or service is lawfully claimed in any State or
Territory OF the United States, such fugitive NAV
be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person
claiming his or her labor or service as aforesaid"
Under this section, in the case of the Mexican
law In New Mexico and Utah, il is disputed point
whether slavery is prohibited in the Nebraska
country by rattd enactment. The decision of this
question involves the constitutional power of Con-
gross to pass laws prescribing and regulating the
domestic institutions of the various Territories of
the lnlon. In the opinion Of these eminent states
men who hold that Congress is invested with no
rlghtiu authority to legislate upon the subject of
slavery in the Territories, the eighth section of the
act preparatory to the admission of Missouri il mil
and void; while the prevailing sentiment in large
portion OF the Union sustains the doctrine that the
Constitution of the United States secures TO every
citizen an unalcnnble right TO move into any Of
the Territories with his property of whatever kind
and description and to hold and enjoy the same
under the sanction of law. Your committee do
not feel themselves called upon to enter into the
discussion Of these controyerted questions. They
involve the same grave issues which produced the
agitation, the sectional strife and the fearful struq.
gle OF 1850. AS Congress deemed it wise and
prudent to refrain from deciding the matter in con-
troyersy then, either by affirming or repeating the
Mexican laws or by an act doclaratory of the true
intent OF the Constitution. and the extent of the
protection afforded by it to slave property in the
territories, so your committee are not prepared
now to recommend departure from the course
pursued ON that memorable occasion, either by
Affirming or repeating the eighth section of the
Missouri act, or by any act decaratory of the
meaning of Constitution in respect to the legal
/ points III dispute Your committee deem il for
tunate Tor the peace of the country and the secur
ny OF the Union that the controversy then resulted
I III the adoption of the compromise measures which
the two great political parties with singular un-
animity have affirmed as cardinal article Of their
lalth, proclaimed to the world as q final settlement
OF the controversy and end of the agitation
due respect therefore, for the avowed opinions of
Senators, MS well rs proper sense of patriotic
duty, enJOin upon your committee the propriety
and necessity of a strict adherence to the prnci-
pies, and even literal adoption of the enactments
OF that adjustment in all their Territorial bills, so
lar as the same are not locally napplicable. Those
ehactments embrace, among other things less ma
teral to the matters under consideration, the fol-
lowing proyisions
when admitted as a State, the said Territory,
or any portion of the same, shall be received into
the Union with or without slavery, as their con
stitution may prescribe at the time of their admis-
sion
That the legislative power and authority of
said Territory shall be vested in the Governor and
II Legislative Assembly,
.Writs of error and appeals from the final de-
cisons OF said supreme court shall be allowed and
may be taken to the supreme court of the United
states IN the same manner and under the same
regulations as from the circuit courts Of the United
States, where the value of the property or the
amount IN controversy, 10 be ascertained by the
oath or affirmation of either party, or other COM
petent witnesses, shall exceed one thousand dol
lars; except only that in all involving title
to slaves the said writs Of error or appeals shall be
allowed and decided by the said supreme court,
without regard to the value of the matter property