The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-02-24
NEBRASKA TERRITORY

| NC S'"dte On IHe DUN ull. as IN
Committee Of the Whole. proceedpd 10
the consideration Of the bin to organize
the Territory Of Nebraska.
Mr.. DouGLAs. Mr. President, when ]
proposed "a Tuesday last, that the Sen.
ate should proceed 10 the consideration
of the bill to organize the Terrrlories OF
Nebrasi aud Kansas.it was my purpose
only to occupy ten or fifteen minutes in
explanation OF its provisions. | desired
20 refer 10 two points. first a. 10 those
provisions. desired TO refer 10 two
points. first as to those provisions relating
10 the Indians, and second TO those uhIch
mighl be supposed ,c bear upon the ques.
lion of slavery.
The cornmiiee, in drafting this bill,
mad in vle1 the great anxiety which had
been expressed by some members Of the
Senate TO protect The rights ofthe Indians,
aud prevent nlringements upon rhem.-
BY The provisions of The bill. think we
have So clearly succeeded in that respect
as 10 obviale all possible objection upon
that score. The bill itself provides that
1t shall not operate upon any Of lhe rights
oiiEe lands ofthe lnJians;nnr shall ,hev be
included within the limits of those Terri.o.
ries, until they shall. BY treaty with the
United States. expressly consen, 10 come
! ur1''er m, cPrrdriyns of the act, and be
1 Incorporated within the limits OF the Ter
riiories. This provision certainly is
broad enough. clear enough. explicit e.
nough, To protect all The rights Of the In.
dams as 10 their persons and their prop
erty.
Upon the other point that pertaining
TO The question of slavery IN the Terrific.
rles--iI was The intention Of The committee
10 be equally explicit. We took the
principles established by the compromise
acl OF 1850 as our guide, and intended to
make each and every provision of the
bill accord with those principles. Those
measures established and rest upvn the
great principle of selfgovernment: lha,
the people should be allowed 10 decide
the questions oi'their domestic institutions
for themselves, subject only 10 such limi.
taiions and restrictions rs are imposed by
The Constitution Of the United States, in
stead of having then determined by an
arbitrary or geographical line.
The original bill reported by the com.
mitlee, as a substitute for the bill intro.
duced by the Senator from Iowa, Mr..
Dodge. was believed 10 have ACCOMPLISH
ed this object. The amendment which
was subsequently reported by us was on
ly designed to render that Gear and spe-
clic which seemed.ln the minds of some,
10 admit of doub, and misconslruction.-
In some paris of the country the original
substitute was deemed and construed to
be an annulment or a repeal of what has
been known as the Missouri compromise,
while in other parts it was otherwise con.
srued. As The object Of The commir,ee
was 10 conform 10 The principles estab-
liShed by The compromise measures Of
1850, and 10 carry lhuse principles into
eff 'cl in The Terrilori $. we thought it was
better 10 recle in The bill precisely what
we understood ID have been accomplished
! by Ihoss measures, viz: That the
VI ssouri compro mi having been super
srded by The Legislation ui 1850, has been
inoperaIive,and hence we propose 10 leave
NV IuSsI'' W 'iC pC'plO VI me S'dteS
and The Territories, subject only 10 the
limitations and provisions Of The Const.
tdtinn.
Sir, this is all tha, intended 10 say. il
the question had been taken up for con-
siderafo fon on Tuesday last; bu, since that
lime occurrences have iranspired which
compel me 10 80 more fully into The dis.
cuSsion. Ii will be borne in mind ,hal
The Senator from Ohio Mr.. Chase] then
objected 10 the consideration of the bill,
and asked for ils poSiponement until this
day, on the ground that there had moi
been time 10 understand and consider its
provisions; and the Senator from Massa
chuse,ts Mr.. Sumner suggested thar .ht
poslpunement should be for one week, fo
Thai purpose. These Suggestions seeming
TO be reasonable 10 Senator'S around me,
, yielded 10 their request, and consented
10 the posIponement of the bill until hi
I, day. ..'
> Sir, liule did | suppose at The time thu
5 granted ,hat act Of courtesy 10 those tw
t Senators, that they had drafted and pub
- lished to the world document, over the
n own signatures, in which they arraigne
v me as having been guilt of crimin'
n betrayal ofmy trust, as having been gui