Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-11
SPEECH OF MR.. CHASE,
oF OHIO.
against the Repeal Of the Missouri Prohibition Of
Slavery north Of 36o 30>.
In rnK sEEArr, FEpnuAar 8, 1854.

braska and Kansas being under Mr. CHASE
submitted the following amendment:
Strike out from section IA the words "was superseded
by the principles of the legislation Of 1885, commonly
called the compromise measures and that the clause
will read:
.sThat the Constitution and all laws of the United
States which not locally inappicable shall have the
force and effect within the said Territory of Nebras
ka elsewhere within the United States except the
eighth section of the preparatory to the admission of
Missouri into the Union approved March 6, 1920"
| Mr.. CHASE said Mr.. President, l had occasion, a
few days ago. expose the utter groundessness of the
Personal charges made by the Senator from Illinois MIR.
DoUGLA against myself and the other gners Of the In
dependent Democratic appeal now move to strike
from this bill statement which will to-day demon
strate to be without any foundation in fact history
enter into this debate Mr. President in spirit Of
personal unkindness The issue is grave and
mentous for the indulgence of such feelings see the
great question before me- and that question only Sir
these crowded galleries. these frequented Hobbies, this
full attendance of the Senate proves the Deep
dent interest of the theme.
few days only have elapsed since the Congress of the
United States assembled in this Capitol Then no aga
tion seemed to disturb the political elements. Two Of
the great political parties Of the country their Ma
ona Conventions had announced that slavery agitation
was 90 end aud that henceforh that subject not
to be discussed in Conss or out Of Congress- The Pre-
sident in his annual message had referred this state
Of opinion, and had declared his fixed purpose main
tain, far any responsibility attached to him. the
quiet Of the country Let read brief extract from
that message:
part of my purpose to give prominence to any
subject which properly be regarded by
deliberate Judgment of the eope But while the present
bright with promise and the future full of demand and in
ducement for the exercise of active intelligence past
be without useful lessons adnonton and instruction
its dangers serve not as beacons they will evidently fail
IF
have closed all who ndeavorng OBJ
legations of duty the year 1850 will be period
filled with anxious apprehension successful had just
terminated Peace brought with it a augmentation of
territory Disturbing questions arose. bearing upon the
mestc institutions of portion of the Confederacy and
yolvng the constitutional lights of the States But notwith
standing differences OF opinion and sentiment which then
existed relation details and specific provisions
quiescence of distinguished citizens whose devotion to the
Union be doubted given renewed vgor to our
Institutions and restored rcposc security to the
public mind throughout the Confedcracy That this repoe
to suffer shock during official term, if have power
avert it, those who placed here may be assured"
The agreement of the two old political parties, thus
referred by the Chief Magistrate of the country
complete, and large majority of the American people
seemed to lcquesce in the legislation of which he spoke
few of US, indeed, doubted the accuracy Of these
statements and the permanency Of this repose. We
believed that the acts of 1850 would prove to be
permanent ustmen of the slavery question. We be-
leye permanent adjustment of that question possible
except by return to that original policy of the fathers
OF the Republic by which slavery restricted within
State limits and freedom, without exception mita-
on to be secured every person outside of State
limits and under the exclusive jurisdiction of the General
Government.
But sir, we only represented small though vigorous
and growing, party in the country Our number was
small in Congress- BY regarded as vision
aries by some as factonsts, while almost all agreed in
pronouncing us mistaken ."..&
And, sir, tho country at peace AS the eye swept
the entire circumference of the horizon to mid
heaven not o cloud appeared, to common observation
there mist stain upon the clearness of the sky
But suddenly all is changed Rafting thunder breaks
from the cloudess armament The storm bursts forth in
fury, Warning winds rush into conflict.
Eurus nocsque rerunt, creber que procelis Arcus"
Yes, sir creber que procels Aieus" the south wind
thick with storm. And now we find ourselves in the
midst Of agitation the end and issue Of which
| can foresee.
Now sir who is responsible for the renewal Of strife
and controversy? Not we, for have introduced no
question Of territorial slavery into Congress- not we who
denounced agators and factionists No. sir the
quetist and the fnalsts have become agitators they
who told that all agitation quieed and that the
resolutions at the political conventions have put final
period to the discussion of slavery.
This will not escape the observation of the country 1t
slavery that the strife 1t is slavery that again
wants It is slavery, with its insatate demands
for slave territory And what does slavery ask for
now Why, sir, it demands that tmehonored and sa-
cred compact shall be rescnded; compact which has
endured through whole generation compact that has
been universally regarded as nvolabe North and South
compact the consttutonality of which some have
1t will not answer violate such compact without
pretext Some plausible ground must be discovered
invented for such act and such ground is supposed
be found in the doctrine which advanced the other
day by the Senator from illinois, that the compromise
of 1850 the prohibition Of slavery north of
$50 30 in the preparatory for the admission of Mis-
souri, Ay sir, superseded is the phrase-superseded by
the principles of the legislation 1885, commonly called
the compromise 1t is against this statement
untrue in fact and without foundation in history, that
the amendment which have proposed is directed.
Sir, this is novel idea At the time when these
before Congress in 1850 when the questions
involved in them discussed from day to day. from
week to week. and from month to month, in this Senate
| chamber whoever heard that the Missouri prohibition
to be superseded What man. ut what time in what
Speech suggested the idea that the acts of that
were to affect the Missouri compromise The Senator
from Illinois the other day invoked the authority Of Hen
Claythat departed statesman in respect to whom,
whatever may be the differences Of political opinion, none
question that among the great Of this country he
stood proudly eminent Did he, in the report made by
him chairman of the Committee of Thirteen, in any
speech in support Of the compromise acts or in any con-
versaton in the committee out of the committee ever
hint at this doctrine Of supersedure Did any sup
porter any opponent Of the compromise acts ever
yndcate condemn upon the ground that the Missouri
prohibition would be affected by them? Well sir, the
compromise acts were passed they were denounced
North and they were denounced South. Did any de-
fender of them then the South justify his support
Of them upon the grouad the South had obtained
through them the repeal of the Missouri prohibition
Did obector to them at the North ever even suggest
rs ground of condemnation that that prohibition was
swept away by them? No, sir; man. North or South
during the whole of the discussion OF those acts here
in that other discussion which followed their enactment
throughout the country, intimate any such opinion
Now, sir let us come to the last session of Congress.
/ N.b. .I,, Ham and IN fha