Demoine courier., 1854-06-22
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
From one extreme to the other of the Free
States has arisen, since the passage of the
Nebraska Kansas Bill, the voice of denuncia-
ton; and wherever We cast our eyes upon the
columns of paper which is not in the pay, and
ander obligations for The patronage Of the ad-
ministration, we see scathing and merited re-
Dukes of the Northern Representatives who
basely sold to the South, the birth-right of a
Free constituency, for a 'mess of pottage;' or,
what is still worse, for the sake Of office and
po1cer, under the patronage Of grasp:ng and
imbecile administration.
The People, and the Press, without regard 10
party lines, or old party predictions, are com
ing out boldly against this great swindle, which
is 10 establish, in the future, some Sgreat prin-
ciple'' now unknown 10 the masses, but which,
to the knowledge of the originators and fra
mers of this infamous bill, will contribute TO
the aggrandizement and building up OF the
South, and consequently is inimcal 10 the in
terests of the North.
The speech Of Mr.. Benton, on The "Secret
motive for the Nebraska PRESSURE" viii give
our readers slight knowledge as to what this
s'great principle is; and which, under the
false name Of -interrention, is TO engulph
at one swallow all the Territory that can pos
sibly be bought, coaxed, or forced from Santa
Anna, the Dictator Of Mexico; and this ''great
principle is also to be applied TO Cuba, upon
the annexation of which the administration and
the South have determined-by fair means if
possible, and il not thus TO be obtained 10 be
gotten by force; for which purpose all the yes
sells, men, and munitions of war, under the
control or at the command Of the government,
are now being concentrated and put in trim for
speedy and certain use, should Spain prove
stubborn and refuse TO sell at nominal price,
the fairest possessions in the South Eastern
seas.
And why is this grasping, sordd, scheme of
Territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT being so vigorously
and relentlessly pursued, by an administration
whose chief and leader is from the North p
Simply because he is sold body and soul TO
Southern men and Southern interests. The
South is not satisfied with the Compromises of
1850; it is not enough that the freemen of the
North should all be made Shareholders and
tools, as it were, of slave dealers; not satisfied
that in Representation what they hold to be
chattel property has stronger voice in COVER
mental affairs than the frcemen of the North,
but the area of Slavery must be extended
Cuba on the South. Kansas and Nebraska, to-
gether with large portion of dismembered
and down-trodden Republic, must be added to
to their possessions and be subject to be over
run by the the blight Of Slavery; and this, too,
at the expense of the Missouri Compromise
a Compromise sacred to the nation, because il
healed the sores Of contention, dreve dissolution
and anarchy from the land, and gave universal
peace to all parts of our, then already extern
sive and beautiful, country. Justice 10 weak
and half governed people, is not not thought of
in this foray of Territorial annexation and ag-
grandizement; and the peace and quietness of
the country is not at all considered. Southern
men, and Northern men bought over 10 South
ern interests, have set their wits TO work
for the accomplishment Of this purpose--the
carrying out Of this egreat principle
nothing short of wrestling from then, the power
"a merited rebuke from the hands Of the Peo-
ple--wiil avail anything with these hot-heads,
or the administration who upholds them. Let
Congressman, Governors and Legislators be
chosen, with an eye to this purpose, and thus
show to the South, and the administration that
panders TO its interests, that the people must and
ieiH be heard.
Mr.. Benton, in his speech, says: 81 believe
in the futlity of this bill-its absolute futility
to the slaveholding States-and that not sim
gle slave win ever be held in Kansas or Nebras-
kala under it. Though adapte to slave labor
in two of its great staples, (hemp and tobacco;)
I do not believe that slaves will ever be held
there.''
But we differ with him in belief. The signs
of the times portends different result. The
very fact itself, as he says, Of Kansas being a
dapted to slave-labor, and lying contiguous to
middle and Southern Missouri, where the slave
trade is profitable, and slaves held in great num-
bers--a single owner, within two hours ride of
the line, holding one hundred more than the five
hundred OF Randolph of Roanoke: and five
thousand in his county alone;" is proof con-
elusive to us Of different result, aside from the
steps that are being taken by Missourians to
take their slaves into Kansas, and keep them as
slaves, at all hazards.
Meetings are being held at different points in !
Missouri, for the purpose of organized action