The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-02-14

the ke6FaSka question. pf the manner IA
which this question has h",'l broa9it up, a!!l
one of the princi pes involved in it. we have al
ready spoken.
Mr.. Doneias had tie ~ on Monday, Jan:
Soth; in fnlhimcmt OF ~ pnrpose cxore-srd
before, of explaining the merits OF the bin. o."
the the 18Th ui jan, however, amh at The time
when the first poSrronement "t this bill occur
red Mr.. Chase and others had addressed cir
cular to their i'.!ipw.c;tiz1As at the North, dc
nouncing that provision Of The bill wlrch cX-
cluded the sixth section uf the Missouri Com
promise from this territory, and assuming
among other things, that the policy ofthe iath
ers of tie kepabiic WAS to prohibit slavery ii
all the territory ccded ny t;.- Old States to the
Union.
10 this mlniitsto the speech Of Senators
the practice in the ra,ly history Of the gov
ernment. 1t is trua, tia; in the territory north.
west of the 0ho river. slavery was prohibited
by the ordnance # l1s1 but il is also true
that in the territory s"rth of the Oo river,
10 wit, the territory of Tennessee, slavery was
permitted and pr"tortcd and it is also true
that in the organ;a'i,n Of Tie territory of
Mississippi in l7G9 the provisions of the or
dinance of 1877 wera annIi"d +" i, with II,
exception Of tho sixth article. which prohibited
slavery. which exhibits that tie i-,!lt to hold
slaves Sonth was a clearly recognized rs was
its prohibition North. and this implies the iucn-
tion TO prescribe Il line of division between
slave and free States rs near aS possble ii ac-
cordance with natural laws. This line extends
as far westward as our teritcry then reached :;
the object being to avoid all agitation upon the
slavery question by settling that question for
ever, as far as oar territory extended, which
was then to the Mississippi river.
When Louisiana WAS purchased. ,.c ordi
nance of 1877 was extended t. it, eX.e;t the
sixth section, which prohibited slavery. Bat
with respect to Missouri, they did not extend
the ordinance OF 1877 to isat ALL They first
provided that it should be governed by laws
made by the governor and tde judges: and
when in 1912, Congress gave to that trrIt"ry
under tie name of the territory OF Missouri,
Il territorial government, TIE Pr"pe were nj
lowed to do as they pleased upon the subj ct
of slavery, subject only TO thc Limitations Of
the Constitution Of the United States. Save
ry was thus, by imrIicaton recognized South
of the thirty third parallel; and, North ofrhat,
the people were left to exercise their own n1g.
ment and do rs they pleased upon t',c subject.
without any implication for or against Tic cN.
istence of the inStution.
When Missouri WAS admitted into the Union,
this same policy of dividing line WAS first cx
tended us far as our possessions then reached.
This line was further recognized in the act
admitting Texas, the third article of which is
as follows:
"New States, Of convenient size, not exceed
ing four in number, in addition TO said State
of Texas, having sufficient population, may
hereafter, by the consent Of said STATE, hc
formed out Of the territory thereof, which ,llall
be entitled to admission under the provision
of the Federal Constitution. And such States
ms may be formed out Of that portion OF said
territory lying South OF 36 degrees 30 min
utes, North latitude. commonly known as the
Missouri compromise line, shall hc admitted in
to the Uuion, with or without slavery, as Tie
people of each State asking admission may de-
sire. And in such State or States as shall b,
formed out Of said territory, North Of said
Missouri compromise line slavery or invoiun.
tary servtudc except 70: criMc) sim! be p:o
mbited"
So far the policy extended steadily TO Tie
West, until 1913, when he (Alr. DongIas) 20
ted into bill Il provision for extending the
compromise through land acquired Of Mexico
The measure passed the Senate, but failed in
the House, and there ,h" progress OF the prin.
cpe of territorial division stopped
Then came Ike troubles and, in 1880 an
other line Of policy was adopted. and then it
Was determined that TIE people Of the terri;o-
ries and of all the States, were TO hc allowed
to do as they pleased upon Tie subject of slave
ry, subject only to the provisions Of Tie Com
sitution of the United States.
That was the leading feature Of the com
promise measures of 1850 Iaose measures
therefore, abandoned the idea Of a geographic
cal line as the boundary between free State,
and slave States abandoned it because com
pclied to de- it from an inability to maintain il;
and, in lieu Of that, substituted l great llinci-
pie of scll.goycrumcut, which would allow the
peoFle to do as they thought proper, and this
without regard to whether Tie territor? was old
or new ltwas not the settlement If an cx-
isting difficulty, but the substitution Of Il nc%
and distinct Iiue OF policy with reference ,u
the further extension of domestic slavery.
That snch was the effect and par: o>c Of the
compromise, is to lIe found in tLs fact that cv-
eryeman in either house, who WAS in favor OF
the compro;ni<c, is nov in favor of Til; LII.
If this bill does not express the spirit Of the
compromise, it could moi have the unanimous
support of men who carried tI<e-<cassSs.
CAarc&tDa .StonUm1~
EFFECT OF TIE NEBRASKA MoyEMnNr-.N|