Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-07-17
proceedings of Members of Congress
opposed to the Nebraska Bill.

Washington, wednesday, June Il, d.
At meeting of the Members of Con-
g!ess who opposed the passage of the bill
70 organize the Territories Of Nebraska and
Kansas held pursuant to previous notice,
IN the city Of Washington, on the goth
day of June, ultimo, the Hon. Solomon
Foot Of Vermont was elected Chairman,
and the Hon. Daniel Mace Of Indiana, and
the Hon. Reuben E. Fenton of New York
were appointed Secretaries:
A Committee appointed for the purpose
reported an Address to the People of the
United States, which having been discus
sed and amended, was unanimously adcp-
ted, and ordered to be published.
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
The eighth section of the Act for the
Admission of Missouri into the Union,
known as the Missouri Compromise Law,
BY which the introduction of Slavery into
the regions now known as Kansas and Ne
traska was forever prohibited, has been re-
nealed. The law, which, in 1920, quiet
ed controversy which menaced the u
mon, and upon which you have so long re-
posed is oblitarated from. the statute book.
We had no reason to expect any such pro-
position when we assembled here six
mouths ago, nor did you expect it. No
State, no citize Of any State, had deman-
Jed the repeal.
1t seems duty we owe. to the country
to state the grounds upon which we have
yeadflsly, though Intellectually, opposed
ais alarming and dangerous act.
You need not be told that the Slavery
question lies at the bottom Of it. AS it
8as the slayeholding power that demand
ed the enactment of the Missouri Compro-
'aisc, 50 it is the same power that has now
demanded its abrogatIon.
African Slavery was regarded and de-
nQuaeed as a great evil by the American
Al8s, even before the Revolution; and
tIiSS2oonies which are rev slaveholding
States, were equally earnest in such relnon-
strmces with those which are now free
States. Colonial Laws, framed to prevent
the increase Of Slavery, were vetoed BY the
hlttG vi OlNdI 4itltlii. IlllS CACICiSC OF
arbitrary power to enlarge and pelpetuate
system universally regarded as equally
mangrul in Itself and injurious to the Col
opics, was one Of the causes Of the Reyo-
ution. When the war was ended there
vas IN imperious necessity for the institu-
ton Of some government in the then I'M
coupled Territories Of the United States
In 1884, Jeiiersaon proposed, and in 1887
the ConsncntM Congress adopted the Or
anance for the government Of the terrific
~ lying northwe of the Ohio, BY which
it Was declared that there shall be neither
h Slavery nor involuntary scTyitude except
Il FIX the punishment Of crime. The great
Il ml t!ouri&hing States since organized with
n that territory, on the basis Of that ordi-
rsnee. are enduring monuments of the
4 8hdom Of the statesmen of the Reyolu-
4 Ion.
The foreign slave trade was regarded as
the source Of American Slavery, which it
was believed would be dried up, when that
fountain should be closed. In adopting
'Ae Constitution, it was SO universally an
.Icpated that the foreign slave trade wo'd
be- promptly prohibited, that all parties ac-
4 guessed in stipulation postponing the
measure I'LL 1903. The foreign slave trade
i vas prohibited-thus the source Of Slave
Il ~ was understood to be dried up, while
'aa introduction Of Slavery into the Terri
tories was prohibited. The slavery quess
+ len, 50 tar rs it was national one, was
4 Understood to be finally settled, and at the
sane time tie Statos had already taken
Up and were carrying forward a system of
gradual emancipation. In 1903 louisa
"a was acquired By purchase from France,
Il '0t included what is now known as the
2iateS Of Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas
aDI Iowa, and the Territories known as
Kansas and Nebraska. Slavery existed at
me time in New Orleans and at St. Lou
IS and 50 this purchase resulted III bring
iS the Slavery question again before Con
9'ess In 1912 the region Immediately
@Gromding New Orleans applied for adj
MISSION into the Union under the name OF
q the State Of Louisiana, with Il constitu-
Ton tolerating Slavery and the free States
4 .lWesced. Eight years afterward the re-
S@n connected with st. Louis demanded
admission under the name of the State OF
Missouri, with a constitution toleratino
Slavery. The free States reverted to the
I Nmeiple of 1897, and opposed the admis
son Of Missouri unless she would incorpo
ate into her constitution an inhibition O
the further introduction of Slavery into
Inc State. The slaveholding States insis.
e4 upon her unqualified admission. A
oatroyersy arose which was sectional anG
enolttered, and which we are assured b
e9temporanous history seriously imperiled
The Union. The statesmen of that dav in
Congress settled the controversy by com
Promise. By the terms of this compro-
Mise the free States assented to the adj
MISSION Of Missouri with her slaveholdina
constitution, while the slaveholding States
VI Their part yielded the exclusion of Sla
g'y III all the residue of the territor,
'aIen lay north of SO deg. so min., con
~"oIlng the present territory of kansa:
,'0 Nebraska. The slaveholding States
.'GPted the Compromise as a triumph
III n', The Free States have ever since left il
'l1S'or6ed and unquestioned. Arkansas
ri i"'t Of the territory of Louisiana, which
10y south of So dec. so min. in compli