Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-04-20
$3.50 PER ANNUM, in ADVANCE.

years excluded. In the same year the
Legislature of Indiana Territory. petition
ed Congress to suspend the operation Of
the 9th article of the same Ordinance
for the space Of ten years. The petition
was refused. These propositions were
evidently designed to prepare the way for
the permanent establishment of slavery
in Ohio and Indiana, and had the author.
ity been vested in the Legislature of In
diana, that State would now be a slave
State.
"Every one familiar with the early
history of this State knows, that but for
the prohibitions of the Missouri Com.
promise act, and of the North western
Ordinance, the provisions of which were
extended over Iowa by the Organic law
of the Territory, this would to-day be
slave State. Prior to 1898, when the
Territory, of Iowa was organized, nu-
nerous slaves had been introduced in all
the principle towns and villeges. They
had been purchased and brought here for
the alleged reason that servants were
scarce, or could not be procured at all.
The very first decision made by the Su-
preme Court Of the Territory. was in
the case of the negro Ralph who had
been retained by his master in slavery in
Du Buque. Other suits of the same
character followed, and the slaves were
either run by their owners from the
State, or alowt their freedom here. Had
the question remained open, or had the
Supreme Court decided that il was
matter for determination by the terrific
rial Legislation there would have been
found men enough about the villages and
towns to mould the legislation of the
Territory in favor of slavery. And if
there is no expectation that slavery will
take possession of Nebraska, why tho
strenuous effort to repeal the Missouri
Compromise!
If there is one State in The Union more
interested than another, in the maintain
ance of the Missouri Compromise, it is
the State of Iowa. With free, enter
prising population on the West. our
State will be vastly benefited by an ear.
ly organization with Nebraska. With
slave State on our Western border, l
see nothing but trouble and darkness in
the future. Bounded on two sides BY
slave States, we shall be intersected with
underground railroads, and continually
distracted by slave hunts. Instead of
having a population at the West who
will sympathize with US, we shall find
their sympathies and interests constants
ly antagonis!ic to ours. The energies
of our people will be paralyzed-our
works of internal improvement will Ian
guish, and the bright anticipations of
the future greatness of Iowa forever
blasted. In the boastfuIness of antci-
pated triumph. the citizens of Iowa have
been told by a Southern Senator, how
much better would be the condition of
our State with negro slaves, than with
our foreign population. A distinguished
Representative from Georgia has an
nounced that in fifteen years Iowa will
be slave State. l sincerely believe.
that should the Missouri Compromise
be repealed, there will soon be contest
for the mastery between freedom and
slavery on the soil of Iewa. The prin-
ciple OF non-iniervention so strenuously
contended for by the South will soon 30
extended to the free States of the north
west. |. is already contended in some
quarters that slaves are mere appendages
and attachments to the person, and that
the owner has the same right to remove
them to free State that he aas 10 re-
move his cattle and horses. Let the
Missouri Compromise act be repealed,
and this would be the next question to
be met. Citizeus of Iowa are you
ready to meet this issue? Are you pre-
pared for the conflict that must most as
suredly come! Whatever may s.. vour
opinions of the abstract qooofioS Of
slavexno -. vhaiever might Be yolir 0pin-.
ions tho Missouri COmpromise, 1ere
il new question, are you ready ana
Wiling to disturb il! Do you belieYo i
ht 70 open this question which was sot-
I'D 81 years ago by southern votess ana
~ The south desired! Are You wiIlina
10 eanction palpable violation Of the
prblic faith, merely for the sake of M
lionalising slavery, and having anolher
slave S;ate adjoining our owns Shall
populous. thriving villages and cities
spring up all over the face of Nebraska,
i shall un-ihrift and sparseness. sland-
etill and decay ever cllaracterize thai
State! Shall unpaid, unwilling ,oil, In
spired by no hope and impellsd BY no
affection. drag its weary, indolent limbs
over that State, hurrying the soil o bar
renness, and leaving the wilderness /.
Wilderness still, or shall il be thrown
Sen to the hardy and adventurous ifse-
me of our own country, and 10 de
cons tly increasing tide q foreign ex-
lies! 81
: So far aS q Nsnais of .he United
States is concerned. this fraud has been
consummated. The Nebraska and Kan.
zas bill, with its attendant wrongs has
passed that body by large majority
II is now pending before the House of
Representatives. Its advocates predict
that i! will be triumphan,ly passed into
a law. They claim that the people de-
sire, e,land will sanction its enac.ment.-
TO obtain an evidence of the approba-
ton Of the people. they have attempted