Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-07-01
PROCEEDINGS OF THE MEMBERS OF CON-
GRESS ADVERSE T0THENEBRASKABILL.
THEIR ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.

GNES OTHENEBRASKA BILL.
THEIR ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
-
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, June q, 1854.
AT a meeting Of the members of Congress who
opposed the passage of the bill to organize the ter
r%itories of Nebraska and Kansas. held pursuant to
previous notice, in the city of Washington, on the
10th day of June, instant, 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 discussed and amended, was
unanimously adopted, and ordered to be published.
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
The eight section Of the act for the admission of
Missouri into the Union, known MS the Missouri
Compromise law, by which the introduction of sla-
very into the regions known as Kansas and Nebras-
ka was forever prohibited, has been repealed. That
law, which in 1920, Quoted n controversy which
menaced the Union, and upon which you have so
long reposed, is obliterated from the statute book.
We had no reason to expect any such proposition
when VT assembled here six months ago, nor did
you expect it. No state, no citizen Of any state,
had demanded the repeal.
1t seems a duty we owe to the country TO state
the grounds upon which we have steadfastly, though
Intellectually, opposed this alarming and dangerous
act.
You need not be told that the slavery question
lies at the bottom of it. As it was the slavehold-
ing power that demanded the enactment Of the Mis-
souri, Compromise, so it is the same power that has
now demanded its abrogation.
African slavery was regarded and denounced as
a great evil by the American colonies, even before
the revolution; and those colonies which are now
slaveholding states, were equally earnest in such
remonstrances with those which are now free states.
Colonial laws, framed to prevent the increase of
slavery, were vetoed by the King of Great Britain.
This exercise of arbitrary power to enlarge and
perpetuate a system universally regarded as equal
ly wrongful in itself and injurious to the colonies,
was one of the causes of the revolution.
When the war was ended there was an imperi-
GUS necessity for the institution of some govern
ment in the then unoccupied territories of the
United States. In 1854, Jefferson proposed, and
in 1887 the Continental Congress adopted, the
ordinance for the government of the territory ly-
ing northwest of the Ohio, by which it was declar-
ed that there shall be neither slavery nor involun-
tary servitude except for the punishment of crime.
The great and Furnishing states since organized
within that territory, on the basis Of that ordinance
are enduring monuments Of the wisdom of the
statesman Of the revolution.
Tho foreign slave trade was regarded rs the
source of American slavery, which it was believed
would be dried up, when that fountain should be
closed. In adopting the constitution, is was so
universally anticipated that the foreign slave trade
would be promptly prohibited, that all parties ac-
guessed in a stipulation postponing that measure
till 1903. The foreign slave trade was prohibited
thus the source Of slavery was understood to be
dried up, while the introduction of slavery into
the territories was prohibited. The slavery ques.
ton, so far as it was a national one, was under.
stood to be finally settled, and at the same time
the states had already taken up and were carry.
ing forward a system of gradual emancipation. In
1868, Louisiana was acquired by purchase from
France, and included what is known as the states
of Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas and Iowa, and
the territories known, as Kansas and Nebraska.
Slavery existed at the time in New Orleans and at
St. Louis, and so this purchase resulted in bring
ing the slavery question again before Congress.
In 1872 the region Immediately surrounding New
Orleans applied for admission into the Union I'M
der the name of the state of Louisiana, with a
constitution tolerating slavery, and the free states
acquiesced. Eight years afterwards the region
connected with st. Louis demanded admission I'M
der the name Of the state Of Missouri, with a con-
%stitution tolerating slavery. The free states re-
verified to the principle of 1887, and opposed the
admission of Missouri unless she would incorpo-
rate into her constitution an inhibition of the fur
Their introduction of slavery into the state. The
Slaveholding states insisted upon her unqualiie c
admission. A controversy arose which was sec
tional and embittered, and which, we are assured
, by cOntcmpOraneous history seriously imperille(
the Union. The statesman of that day in Con
I gress settled the controversy by compromise
! By the terms of this compromise, the FIRE
i states asseuted to the admission of Missouri
G with her slay eholding constitution, while the slave
holding states on their part yielded the exclusion
: of slavery in all the residue Of the territory whicl
lay north of SO deg. 80 min, constituting the pre-
sent territory of Kansas and Nebraska. Tn
: slaveholding states accepted the compromise as
, triumph, and the free states have ever since LEI
d it undisturbed and unquestioned. Arkansas,
part of the territory of Louisiana, which lay soutl
u of 36 deg. 80 min, in compliance with an implies
ton which was contained ia this compromise, wa
: afterwards admitted as a slayeholding state, an
d the free states acquiesced.
s In 1919, florida, a slaveholding province Of Spair
!, was acquired. This province was afterwards aC
!, mitted as a slayeholding state. The free state
u again acquiesced. In 1915, Texas, an Independer
e slave holding state, was annexed, with a provisio
b in the article of annexation for the subdivision Q
e her territory into five states The free states, a
f though they regarded the annexation, with til
= probable increase of the number OF slave state
with very great disfavor, nevertheless acquiesce
: again. New territories were acquired by the treat
Of peace which closed the war with Mexico. III
? people of California formed a constitution inhibi
ing slavery, and applied for admission into tn
5 Union. Violent opposition was made by the slav
} states in and out If Congress, threatening tn
dissolution of the Union if California should !
admitted. Proceeding on the ground Of thes
t alarms Congress adopted another compromise, tn
!, terms Of which were, that ten million dollars {
D the peoples money should be given to Texas to il
= duce her TO reiinquish a very doubtful claim upo
G an ineonsiaerable part Of New Mexico, that Me-
Mexico aad Utah should be organized without a
g inhibition of slavery, and that they should b
= afterwards admitted az q dave or free states az III