Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-02-11

10 move into any of the territories with his prop
erty, of whatever kind and description, and &c
hold and enjoy the same under the sanction oil
law. Your committee do not feel themselves
called upon 10 enter into the discussion of these
| :oniroverted questions. They involve the same
grave issues which produced the agitation, the
sectional strife and the fearful struggle of 1882
This language will bear repetition:
tYour committee do not feel themselves called
upon 10 enter into the discussion of these contro
| verted questions They involve the same grave
issues which produced the agitation, the sectional
STRIFE and the fearful struggle OF ls50.p
And they go on to say:
I .sCongress deemed II wise and prudent 10 re-
| frain from deciding the matters in controversy
| thea either by affirming or repeating the Mexican
laws, or by act declaraiory of the true intent oil
| the Constitution and the extent of the protection
afforded by il 10 slave property in the Territories;
20 your committee are not prepared now TO re.
commend departure from the course pursued on
that memorable OCCASION either by affirming or re-
pealing the eighth section OF the Missouri act or by
| any act declaratory of the meaning of the Consti-
tuition in respect to the legal points in dispute"
Mr.. President, here are veryremarkable facts.
| The Committee on Territories declared that it
was not wise, that it was not prudent, that it
| was not right, 10 renew the old controversy,
and TO rouse agitation. They declared that
they would abstain from any recommendation
of repeal of the prohibition, or of any provi-
sion declaratory of the construction of the Con-
stitution in respect to the legal points in dis
pute.
Mr.. President, l am not one of those who
suppose that the question between Mexican law
and the slave-holding claims was avoided in the
Utah and New Mexico act; nor do / think that
the introduction into the Nebraska bill of the
provisions of those acts in respect to slavery
would leave the question between the Missouri
prohibition and the same slave-holding claim
entirely unaffected | am of a very different
opinion. But l. am dealing now with the re-
port of the senator from Illinois, as chairman
of the committee; and l show, beyond all con-
troversy, that that report gave no countenance
whatever to the doctrine of repeal by super
seizure.
Well, sir, the bill reported by the committee
was printed in the Washington Sentinel on
Saturday, January I. 1t contained twenty sec
tions no more, no less. It contained no pro-
visions in respect to slavery except those in
the Utah and New Mexico bills. 1t left those
provisions to speak for themselves. This was
in harmony with the report of the committee.
On the 10th of January, on Tuesday, the act
appeared again in the Sentinel; but it had
grown longer during the interval. 1t appeared
now with twenty-one sections. There was a
statement in the paper that the twenty-first sec
ton had been omitted by clerical error.
But, sir, it is singular fact that this twenty
first section is entirely out Of harmony with the
| committees report. 1t undertakes to deter
mine the effect of the provision in the Utah
and New Mexico bills. 1t declares, among
other things, that all questions pertaining to
slavery in the Territories, and in the new States
to be formed therefrom, are to be left to the de-
cision of the people residing therein, through
their appropriate representatives. This provi-
sion, in effect, repealed the Missouri prohibi-
ton, which the committee, in their report, de-
clared ought not to be done. Is it possible,
sir, that this was mere clerical error? May
it not be that this twenty-frst section was the
| fruit of some Sunday ioork, between Saturday,
the It'll, and Tuesday, the 10th?
1 But sir, the addition of this section, it seems.
did not help the bill. 1t did not, / suppose,
meet the appreciation of southern gentlemen,
who contend that they have right to take
their slaves into the Territories, notwithstand-
ing any prohibition, either by Congress or by
a territorial legislature. dare say that it was
found that the votes of these gentlemen could
not be had for the bill with that clause in it. 1t
was not enough that the committee had aban
doned their report, and added this twenty-frs
section, in direct controvention ofits reasonings
must be abandoned, and the repeal of the Mis-
souri, prohibition placed in shape which would
not deny the slave.holding claim.
The Senator from Kentucky, Mr.. DIXON
! on the 10th of January, submitted an amend
ment which came square up to repeal and t.
the claim. That amendment probably pro
duced some futtering and some consultation
1t met the views of southern senator's, ant
probably determined the shape which the bill
has finally assumed. Of the various mutations
which it has undergone, can hardly be mis-
taken in attributing the last to the amendmen
of the senator from Kentucky. That there il
{ no effect without a cause, is among our earlies
lessons in physical philosophy; and know of nj
cause which will account for the remarkable
changes which the bill underwent after th,
10th Of January, other than that amendment
and the determination of southern senators t.
: support 1t, and to vote against any provision
recognising the right of any territorial legisla
ture to prohibit the introduction Of slavery.
1t was just seven days, Mr.. President, afte
the Senator from Kentucky had offered hi
; amendment, that fresh amendment was re
ported from the Committee on Territories il
the shape of new BILL enlarged to forty sec
tons. This new bill cuts off from the proposed
: Territory half degree of latitude on the south
: and divides the residue into two territories
the southern Territory Of Kansas, and tn,
northern Territory of Nebraska. 1t applies t.
, each all the provisions of the Utah and New
J Mexico bills; it rejects entirely the twenty
! first clericalerror section, and abrogates tho
Missouri prohibition by the very singular pro
vision, which | will read
"The Constitution and all laws Of the Unite,
States, which not locally inapplcable shall
: have the same force and effect within the sal,
4 Territory of Nebraska as elsewhere within tn,
: United States, except the eighth section Of the ac
; preparatory TO the admission OF Missouri into tn,
' Union, approved March 6. 1920, which was super
l seeded by the principles of the legislation of 1850
: commonly called the compromise measures AM
!, is therefore declared imperative"
! Doubtless, Mr.. President, this provision ope
rates as repeal Of the prohibition. The sena
tor from Kentucky was right when be said i
!, was in effect the equivalent Of his amendment
!, Those who are willing to break up and destro,
! the old compact of 1920, can vote for this bill
with full assurance that such will be its effect
But appeal to them not to vote for this super
seizure clause. | ask them not to incorporate
into the legislation Of the country declaration
which every one knows to be wholly untrue.