Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-24
CONGRESS-.
Senate, yesterday.

Senate, yesterday.
After Mr.. Toombs had concluded,
Mr.. Gwin asked the Senate to take up the
bill to authorize the construction Of SIX steam
frigatesI and for othor purposes; which was
agreed to and the bill was read y third time,
and passed.
The Senate then proceeded to the o0nsidera-
tion of Executive business and after brief
period spent therein, the Senate adjourned
House, yesterday.
After Mr.. SHELTON had concluded,
Mr.. Bssell obtained the floor, and tho House
adjourned.
Senate, Friday, Feb "a, 1854.
The Chair presented q communication from
the Secretary Of War, transmitting statement
of the contracts made by the War Department
during the year 1853.
Mr.. Everett presented the resolutions of the
Legislature Of the State of Massachusetts, re-
monstrating against the passage Of any meas
ure repeating the Missouri Compromise and
opening Nebraska to Slavery. Read, and or
dered to be printed
Mr.. Sumner presented the remonstranoe Of
tho Rev. Lemuel Wood, and eleven hundred
Others Of Andoyer, Massachusetts,; and also Of
Harriet Beecher Stowe, and eleven hundred
other women Of Andover, Massachusetts, against
the repeal OF the Missouri Compromise.
Also similar petitions from Lunenburg, Mas
saohusetts.
Mr.. Wade presented q similar remonstranoe
from the Society Of Friends in Ohio
Mr.. Hamlin, o similar petition from citizens
of Maine.
MIR. Petit, similar remonstrance from citi-
zens Of Indiana
The following bills were passed:
A bill for the relief Of Ira Day, Of Vermont.
A bill for the relief of Gray, MoMeudo, &
Co., Of New Orleans.
Mr.. Walker reported back bill extending
the right Of presumption. He said that this
bill would supersede the bill known as the
Homestead, and approached nearer than any
other measure TO giving homestead to every
actual settler.
Mr.. Cooper, from the Committee on Indian
Affairs, to whom had been referred the charges
preferred against Governor Ramsey, late Su-
perintendent Of Indian Affairs in Minnesota,
made report unanimously absolving him
from all blame and improperly Of conduct.
Ga motion Of Mr. Douglas, the Senate pro
ceeded to the consideration Of the Nebraska
bill
Mr.. Douglas said, that the friends of the
bill, under the superstition that the opponents
of the measure had got through with their
opposition, had concluded to devote from now
till Wednesday next to its discussion, when
they expected to have O vote ON it on that day
Mr. Chase reminded the Senate that he had
several amendments yet to offer to the bill,
though he would offer no improper obstacle to
taking vote on it.
Mr. Hunter said that complaints had been
made that this question had been thrust upon
the Senate, but It had not been. No man wish
ed or desided to do so, but the question was
unavoidable under the circumstances. It was
the natural result and consequence of the
course adopted in 1850, in the framing of what
are styled the Compromise acts of that year.
The majority in the Senate, and in the House,
and in the country, who professed to support
those measures, could not refuse to vote the
repeal of the Missouri prohibition without great
inconsistency.
The Missouri controversy was settled by a
dividing line The South since that time,
though opposed to it at the time, has always
been disposed TO abide by it, In the Texas and
Oregon bills and in 1850, the South proposed
and stood by it; in the latter two cases the
North refused it, and voted it down. In 1850,
the North allowed few people upon the Pa
cific not only TO be admitted into the Union,
but to take such portions Of the public terrific
~ as they thought fit, and appropriate them to
their own use. In no other case did Congress
lay aside the right Of determining the bounda.
ries of a State The South acquiesced in those
measures, though it was practically excluded
from every foot Of the Territory. In return
for this, they got the assertion Of the right Of
the people to regulate their own domestic rela-
tions. All that was now asked by this bill
was to carry that same prinuiple to other ter
ritory. II was asking the North to do nothing
more than be consistent.
He denied that the Missouri act was either
q compromise or q compact il was the act Of
the North, and opposed by the great body Of
tho South. But il Il was a Compromise, by the
subsequent refusal by the North to recognise il
the South was discharged from oil obligations
undar it,
He read tho votes on the several propositions
made from 1919 to 1871, showing that the
Missouri Compromise WAS the act Of the North,
and not Of the South. II il was compact
how was it that the North had violated il in
1921, by refusing 70 admit Missouri
He argued at length the unconstitutionality
Of the power Of Congress to prohibit Slavery.
The Constitution Of the United States, above
all other things, secured the equality Of the
people of oil the States How could the equal
ity Of the States be maintained, il the people
Of ons-half OF the States were excluded from
the right Of use and occupation Of the Terrific
ries OF the whole nation
He contended Cor the principle Of allowing
the people Of the Territories the full privilege
Of regulating their own domestic concerns.
The South would derive no practical benefit
from this measure, for he had not the slightest
idea that Nebraska or Kansas would ever be
come slave State. He thought the diffusion
Of the slaves now ia the country would lead to
no danger to the North, and TO the better con
dition Of both slave and master.
He at length portrayed the probable future
Of this country, and the necessity for peace and
harmony in our National Councils in meeting
the exigencies OF the future.
Mr.. Butler then followed in support Of the