Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-02-03
chr Datlp Spy.
FRIDAY. FEBRuARY 3. 1854.
The Nebraska Bill.


Tho more men reflect upon the purposes aud pro-
visions of Senator Douglass Nebraska oill, the
more does their indignation and disgust towards
both the authors and abeltors Of the outrageous
scheme become excited. Missouri wae admitted in.
to the Union slave stale, upon the express con-
dtion that Nebraska should be free. This cond
ton never disputed nor questioned by the south.
II was admitted TO be fixed aud irrevokabe fact ;
and was even solemnly reaf6rmed in, what is called
the Compromise Of 1850. Senator Douglass in,pu-
dent, audscous attempt 10 violate this conditionand
cancel the Missouri Compromise, so far it relates
TO the free territory, north OF Sc deg 80 min. Of
north latitude, is such open, insolent offence
against immediate and long established compac, that
il arouses the indignation Of every man, no matter
Of what party, whose Of right aud sentiments
of honesty are not wholly blinded or destroyed.
But the proposition to give Nebraska up TO sa-
very, 10 spite Of the law, which prohibits it, is not
more atrocous and venal, than the pretences upon
which Douglas and his co-adjutors support il. Mr..
English, of Indiana, member Of the Committee on
territories, made speech in the House Of Repre-
sentatives, on Tuesday, Sls ult, in which he said;
that, Z" though native Of a free state he was will
ling thai all Of the Of the confedeIacy should
have slavery not, they pleased, and he desired
to extend the same privilege TO the territories, civ.
log them the right 10 decide through the territorial
legislatures"
Now, the above language, applied to this Nebras
ka Bill, is nothing but hollow sophistry. There is
no question about the "rghts Of States to chatel-
ize the laboring portion Of their citizens, If they
please. No State in the Union has any legal right
to interfere in such case; because the theory Of
our government is that each State is sovereign and
independent Of every other State, so far her
ternal laws aie concerned. When territory be-
comes a State it can have "slavery or not, as il
pleases,'' Independent Of the sanction Of Mr. Eng
lish, Senator Douglas, or Franklin Pierce. But the
question in this case relates to territory free by
special law.
There cannot be any slaves shareholders now in
Nebraska. A law Of 80 years standing says ex.
pressly If there are inhabitants now in Nebraska,
every of them ia tree, and must remain Tree with
all the rights of citizens Of the United States until
such time as the State government organized un-
less solemn compact is violated. II the govern
ment of Nebraska then falls into the hands Of un-
scrupuous ruffians like Stephen A. Doug las, the
provisions Of the Missouri Compromise may be vio-
lated and slavery established without the United
States having the power TO prevent il. But, in the
meantime, who the Inhabitants of the territory
of Nebraskal Who shall elect the territorial legis-
lature? Who is to decide whether slavery shall be
established there OF not? We hold that these ques-
tons are impernent and totally inadmissible in
lation to Nebraska. They are settled. They we're
settled 80 years ago; and the men who now disturb
that settlement upon such pretences those put for
ward by Douglas and English, are hollow sOphists
and INSCRIPTIONS knaves.
Let the people of the north meet this movement Of
the slave power with emphatic protest against it,