Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-11
SPEECH OF MR.. EVERETT,
OF MASSACHUSETTS,
ON TIE NEBRASKA UESTIOE
liz SENATE, FrBnuARr s, 1854.

The Senate having under consideration the bill u es
.ablish Territorial Government in Nebraska
Mr. EVERETT said: Mr. President, ntmated to the
Senate Yesterday that il time had been allowed Should
have been glad submit to the Senate my views
length relation Of the grave constitutional
political principles and questions involved in the
before Even for questions Of lower order, those Of
merely historical character the time which has elapsed
since this BILL in its present FORM brought into the
Senate which think is but fortnight ago yesterday
has hardly been sufficient for previously possess
ed of the information to acquant himself fully with the
details belonging to the subject before us, such
the Indian relations Who will undertake TO say how
they win be affected by the before the SEN
either under the provisions of the bill in that respect
Us il stood yesterday it viii stand that all the
sections relative the Indians have been stricken out
And them sir respect to that other and sub
ec the question Of slavery connected with recent
territorial acquisitions it would take any person more
than fortnight to read through the volumnous de-
bates since 1885, the knowledge of which is necessary
for thorough comprehension of this important ana deli
cate subject.
For these reasons sir shall not undertake at this
time to discuss any of these larger questions rise for
q much limited purpose, to speak for myself and
without authority to speak for anybody else friend
and supporter Of the compromises of 1885, and to in
quire whether my duty and how far it the duty
Others who agree with in that respect out of fidelity
to those compromises to support the bill which is
on your table awaiting the action Of the Senate This
feel is questions but tins IS the question which
very great length to consider at the pre-
sent time.
WILL however, before enter upon this subject, say
that the main question involved in the passage OF bill of
this kind is well calculated to exat and expand the mind
We are about to take FIRST step in laying the founda
tons of States of two ssterindependent Repub
hes hereafter into the Union, which already
embraces throne of these sovereign States and which
no doubt in the course of the present century, will in
elude much larger number think Lord Bacon gives
the second place among the great of the earth to the
founders of States-conaorss speriorum. And though
it may seem to US that legislatng for
art nf
come and that very long time when these scarcely
existing territories when these almost empty wastes will
be the abode Of hundreds and thousands of kindred civil
liked ellowmer and fellowcitzens. Yes, sir, the time
is not far distant probably when Kansas and Nebraska
unfamiliar to ALL will sound to the OF
their inhabitants Virginia, and Massachusetts, and
Kentucky, and Ohio, and the names of the other old
States do to their children Sir these infant Territories
if they may be called by that name, occupy most
important position in the geography of this continent
They stand where Persia Media and Asyra stood in the
continent of Asia destined hold the balance Of
be the of influence the East aud to the West
Sir the fountains that trickle from the snow-capped
cres Of the Sierra Madre flow in way to the Gulf Of
Mexico in another to the St. Lawrence, and in another
10 the Pacific. The of the world east from
Asia and west from Europe, is destined pass through
the gates Of the Rocky Mountains the iron pathways
which even about to lay down through those
Territories. Cities Of unsurpassed magnitude and i'm
portance destsed the banks Of their noble
rivers Agriculture will cothe with plenty the plains
roamed over by the savage and the buffalo. And,
sir, may not Eope that under the gis of wise
stitupns, of free government religion and laws morals
and education and the arts of civilized life viii add all
the graces of he highest and pures culture to the gifts
of nature and the bounties of Providence?
Sir assure you with great regret having in my
former Congressional life uniformly concurred in every
relating to the West which supposed was for
the advantage and prosperity of that part of the country
that member Of the Committee Territories found
myself unable to support the bill which the majority of
that COMMITTEES had prepared bring forward for the
organization Of these Territories should have been
rejoced it had been in my power to give my support
10 the measure. Bat the hasty examination which,
while the subject before the committee able to
give to.t disclosed objections to the bill which 1 could
not overcome and deliberate inquiry has increased
the force of those objections. &.. ..#.s
had, IN the first place, some scruples-obj sections
will not call Them because think could have
themas tB the expectancy Of giving Territorial Gov
eminent of the highest order to this region at the pre-
sent time t.ae"g.s N.
In the debate on this subject House of Represen-
tatives Last year inquiries made to the number
of inhabitants in the Territory and believe
dertook to make out that there than four hun
dred five hundred at the outside, six hundred in
habtants in the region in which you now going to
organize two of these independent Territorial Govern
ments have been told that the person who elected
Delegate received but seventy votes. He had two
competitors they must have received less than that
number that you cannot have according that vote
much than hundred yoters* in the region where
you going to organize two Territorial Governments
with Legislative Councils each consisting of thirteen
members and two Legislative Assemblies of wenty-six
members EACH with all the details and apparatus OF Ter
Iitorial Governments Of the highest rank. ~,
1t to that this is not called for by the cond
ton OF the country but is somewhat premature. 1t
the practice in the earliest stages Of legislation to
have Territorial Government of simpler form. In the
Territories which organized upon the pattern pre-
scribed by the ordinance of 1857 there simpler
government. governor and judges appointed by
the President of the United States, and authorized
make such laws be necessary, of
the allowance disalowance of Congress- and that
organization served very well for the state of the
Territories. >a> ST.
There a limit prescribed to governments of this
kind. When the population amounted to FIVE thousand
male inhabitants, think it was, they allowed to
have representative government This may, perhaps,
with the character Of people and the genius of
institutions: but still, sir do think that govern
ment OF this kind, which propose to organize,
with constituency small now exists cannot be that
which the wants the interests of the people require
and is in many respects Objectionable 1t brings the
tuent; and bestows upon mere handful of men too
much power IN organizing the Government and laying
the foundations, 50 to say, of the State.
Ii Is true, we told that the the intercourse
act is repealed there will be great influx of population
have no doubt that viii be the case. There is also
throng OF egrahts constantly pouring through this
try towards the West which requires an efficient Govern
ment But, making all due allowance for these cir
cumstances do think that il is somewhat premature to
give this foatiugand II may call it, unstatiouary-
population all the discretionary powers to be vested Ia
Territorial Government Of the first class think il IL
giving too much power too much discretion to apopua-
ton that will not probably first to more than
few hundred individuals Still however admit that
this is but question of time. do not think il point
Of vital importance.
when consider tie prodigious rapdity with which
population is increasing by its native growth when
l.Ago.n Ls,1 n.,rtpr sa