Washington telegraph., 1854-04-12
Fate Of the Nebraska Bill.

We have received the full report Of the
debate in the House of Representatives. on
the question Of referring the Nebraska bill
to the Committee Of the Whole. instead Of
the Committee on the Territories. 1t has
been represented that this vote was decisive
Of the defeat Of the bill, for the motion was
hostile one, intended to place it where it
could not he reached, with purpose of thus
strangling it, A review of the debate in
the House is calculated materially to modify
that impression, and to strengthen the be-
lief that the measure will finally pass.
The vote for reference to the Committee
Of the whole was 10 to 95--a majority Of
fifteen. The ninety five nays are conceded
to be uneqnivocal friends of the bill in its
present shape, and anxious to have it put
on it. passage as soon as possible. But the
one hundred and ten yeas are not to be
taken as all opposed to the bill on the con-
trary, there are several known friends; who
voted that way. and they give plausible rea-
sons why they were for allowing delay and
for courting full debate. This was set
forth by Mr. Cutting Of New York, the
mover of the resolution. and one of the
"Hard" Democrats from New York city
Mr. Cutting avowed himself to be fully
in favor Of the principles Of the bill. al
though he had some doubts in regard to the
details But he argued that the bill is not
understood at the North, where the brunt Of
the contest is to be borne BY those who favor
it. The South is united, and the represen-
tativcs from the South have not to 20 before
their constituents to defend their votes
against popular clamor. 1t is the men Of
the North who are required TO struggle with
fanaticism on the field where the battle is to
be fought; and they ask, he said, to explain
and defend at large, in the Committee Of the
Whole, for their own justification, 'the great
principles Of civil and constitutional rights.
and the great principles of popular rights.
as asserted and vindcated in the bill" Mr..
Cutting expressed the opinion that such
discussion would clear away the preiudices
of the North. from which, and not from any
understanding of the merits of the bill, the
noisy agitation has arisen, and petitions are
poured in from thousands who understand
nothing on the subject. He expressed his
belief that not one of the clergymen who
sent the memorial to Congress, denouncinr
the bill, had read it.
He urged, moreover, that that this would
not produce the delay which was apprehend-
cd, for majority in the Committee Of the
Whole could take it up out Of its order. and
they could do that whenever they were
ready to pass it in the House
These reasons bad such an effect that the
unanimous New York delegation. with the
single exception of Hon. Mike Walsh, voted
with Mr.. Cutting. and a considerable num-
ber Of them are known to be decidedly in
favor of the bill.
1t follows that the majority of fifteen in
favor of this reference il not by any means
the index Of an unfavorable decision in the
House. On the contrary. taking these de-
clarations to be sincere. the omens are pro-
pitious for the agreement of the House in
the general principle which the bill purports
to enact-of non-interference by Congress
with the subject of slavery in the Territories.