The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-23
HE STATE OF THE QUESTION.

The STATE OF THE QUESTION.
The chances of the passage of the Nebraska
Bill in its present. shape become more and more
doabtful The speech Of Gen. Houston against
it in which he stood up manfully for the Mis-
souri, Compromise, condemned without qualif-
cation the attempt to repeal or set it aside, and
committed himself decidedly against every
movement hostile to it, has inspirited the advo-
Gates of good faith. Representing an extreme
Southern State, how honorably his position con-
trasts with that Of the New Hampshire politi-
clan, who occupies the White House! We have
often said that if we are obliged to choose for
the Presidency between an honorable, high
minded Southern man. and Northern man,
dominated by Slavery, by all odds, give US the
former.
In the Senate, yesterday, the question being
taken on the amendment proposed by Mr..
Douglas to strike out from the 14th section of
the bill! the following words
That the Constitution and all laws of the
United States which arc not locally inapplica-
bic shall have the same force and effect with
in tic said Territory of Nebraska as elsewhere
within the United States except the 9Th sec
ton Of the act preparatory to the admission of
Missouri into the Union, approved March 6,
1920, which was superseded by the principles
of the legislation of 1850, commonly called the
Compromise Measures and is hereby declar-
ed imperative u
And insert in lieu thereof the following:
Which being inconsistent with the princi-
pie OF non-interventOn by Congress with Sla-
very IN the States and Territories, as recog-
Missed by the legislation Of 1850, commonly call
ed the Compromise Measures is hereby de-
clured imperative and void it being the true
intent and meaning of this act not to legislate
Slavery into any Territory or State, nor to ex-
clude 1t tbereirom, but to leave the people
thereof perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own way,
subject only TO the Constitution of the United
States"-
Il wac carried by the following vote
lEAs-Messrs. Adams, Atchison, Bayard,
Iell Benjamin, Brodhead, Brown, Butler, Cass,
Clayton, Dawson, Dixon, Dodge of Iowa. Doug
las, Evans, Fitzpatrick, Geyer, Gwin, Hunter,
Johnson, Jones of Iowa, Jones of Tennessee.
Mason Morton, Norris, Pearce, Petit, Pratt,
Sebastian, Slidell, Stuart Thompson of Ken
turky, ToOmbs Weller, Williams.
NAT-Messrs Allen, Chase, Dodge of Wis
consin, Everett Fish, Foot Houston, Seward,
summer, Wad6--l0.
Tie amendment differs in no respect from
the clause stricken out, except in substituting
The words, inconsistent sDith,' for "SuperSeded
n.y. The section now declares this untruth-
that the Compromise of 1920 which was con-
fined to the Territory of Louisiana, lis incon-
SIStent with the principle of the legislation of
1850" which was confined to the territories
acquired from Mexico. The Senate might Just
as truthfully declare that the Ordinance of 1877,
Tor the government of the Northwest Terrific
~, was Inconsistent with" the act of 1912,
Tor The formation Of Territorial Government
Ill missouri. Then, right was asserted in
one ease which was not asserted or exercised
IN the other and in 1920, right was asserted,
winch Was waived in 1850 But because Con-
s'0' III one act may ASSERT a right which,
.0f reasons satisfactory to itself, it valves
III announcer act, 1t does not follow that the acts
are inconsistent with each other
Not southern Wing voted against the
amendment, and General Houston was the only
'ou'hern Democrat. Northern Wings will
piease take notice that Senator's CLAYTON and
Dell Ifom whom they have been expecting bet
'er things, voted for it Let them go.
Inc hoiiowness of the plea in behalf of the
Pf'uc'pe OF selfgovernment set up by the ad-
'oeates OF the Bill, which we took special pains
10 expose about week since, is, we are glad
70 see, about to be brought to the test In the
Senate, yesterday, they were unexpectedly dis.
tarbcd by the following amendment submitted
by Mr.. Chase to the same section:
Under which the people of the Territories,
through their appropriate representatives, may,
Ii they see fit prohibit Slavery therein"
Whereupon protracted discussion arose,
which was terminated by On adjournment
We shall see how many of these advocates of
Selt-government" will vote that the People of
Territory have a right to exclude Slavery.
Inc BIZ ITSELF in proposing form of Govern
ment Tor the Territory, providing for the distri-
Dution of its various powers, and the appoint
ment OF Executive officers by the President,
gives the lie to their professions. To be con-
'SS'ent they should abandon it, and introduce
simple resolution, recognising the right of the
PEOPLE in the Territory to organize their own
government, determine its powers and elect
all their own officers.
The prospect now is, that the discussion on
The Bill will be protracted in the Senate, far
beyond the intention of its authors Its oppo-
nents are prepared for vigorous resistance
and its friends will be compelled to define po-
sitlons and guard against " the fire in the rear
IN the House, the debate has been opened,
s''nough the particular subject under consid-
ration was the Homestead Bill MIR. Mace, a
nsmocratlc member from Indiana, led off in q
s'rong speech against the repeal Of the Mis-
souri, Compromise, and was followed by Mr..