The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1854-05-30
Deceiving the People-Ths Humbug
Exposed.


the Nebraska Bill, is the greatest humous
ever attempted by my party to be palmed OH
upon the American people-and that " Is
the only argument, proves how little may De
said in defence of that action, which has re-
suited in destroying the only compromise the
North ever made with the South by which
she could possibly receive justice, and by re-
pealing this, opening the door for the admis-
sion of slavery into new territories. That
argument is addressed to the republican spir-
It of the people, and places both supporters
and opposers of the bill In wrong position.
1t il meant to deceive, just as much as the cry
oi"abolition" is intended to frighten the weak
hearted or weak minded from opposing the
ubiquitous measure. We wish our readers to
particularly mark what we are going to say,
and remember itwhenever they hear speak
or or see an article, appealing to the people
to support this bill because ait favors popular
sovereignty" We say it does no such thing
in the way these speakers and editors and
conventions. are trying to make the people
believe it does. They are continually as
ssrting, that this bill gives the people of
these territories the power through their Leg
islatures, to prohibit or exclude slavery. The
Southern organs positively assert this is false
that, should the bill pass, the Constitution
carries slavery theoretically into the terrific
ries; Shareholders may carry their slaves
there, and the Territorial Legislatures may
and ought to protect them, but will have no
power to prohibit the slave relation, or ex-
elude the slaves. While the supporters of
the bill were thus differing, Mr.. Mace, of this
State, to "expose this contradiction in doc
trins. this fraud in the bill, this duplicity
among its supporters" moved to insert in the
fret section:
"Ahd the Territorial Legislature shall
have power to admit or exclude slavery at
any time by law"
Was not this just exactly what certain
men are now trying to deceive the people in
to believing the bill actually declares! Yet
what was done with this proposed amend
ment, giving Northern and Southern advo-
Gates of the bill an opportunity to come to
an understanding and state precisely what
they meant, They voted it down-96 to 76,
and thus as a contemporary says, uoted against
inuesting the Territorial Legislatures with popcr
to admit or srclude SLAVERY. And now they
are talking about the sovereignty ofths peo-
pie, and the great principle contained in this
bill. that the people of territories, through
their Legislatures may have the power to ad.
nit or exclude slavery!
But Mr.. Fuller. of Maine, friend of the
administration and Democrat, and most de-
siSeus evidently OF acting with the majority
moved to insert:
"And the Territorial Legislatures shall
have the power to establish or exclude slave
~, as to them shall seem proper"
He wished to vote for the bill as national
Democrat, he said, and with this amendment
he would vote for It. And what was done
with that amendment, stating the principle
80 clearly and Enthusiastically, and which
would 'permit the people of territory to
choose their own form of government" so far
as this slavery matter is concerned, Why
IL was voted down by vote Of 81 to rs
thus saying, we the supporters of this hill will
not grant the territorial Legislature power tc
establish or exclude slavery. We venture
the remark that had such power been clear
ly and explicitly stated in the bill, it would
not have received dozen Southern votes
Thus it will be seen that every attempt, a,
at an open and honest presentation of the
protested object ofthe friends OF the measure
was eschewed with contempt. In order Il
fully establish the designs of Douglas and hi'
confederates, and expose the sugar coated
Implicitly by which they desired to legislat'
slavery into Nebraska and Kansas territories
no further evidence is needed, and none more
conclusive can be found than their acts.
The amended bill as reported from the com
mittes to the Senate contains the following
provision, intended to confer the power on tn.
people OF those territories to regulate the sub
jset of slavery as to them seemed best:
And be 1t further enacted, Thet, in order e
avoid all miscoustruction, it is hereby declar
Cd to be the true intent and meaniog of thi,
act, 80 far az the question of slavery is con
eerned, to carry into practical operation III.
Following propositions and principles, es,ab
nsned by the compromise measures of 1850
to-wit:
.,."' That all questions pertaining /,
s,Nery IN the territories, and in the new
states 70 be formed therefrom, are to be lef
70 the decision of the people residing there
n,through their appropriate representatives..
This provision, like all others which me
the question of popular sovereignty" fsirl
and openly, was forthwith stricken ou,-.n
why! simply because that was not the ob;ee
sought. This provision left the establish
ment of slavery in these territories az a ma
ter of uncertainty. The REAL oBIrcr of III
bill was greatly hazarded by such an unr,