Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-04-01
In SENATE, MARCH 8, 1854.

II
In SENATE, MARCH 3, 1854.
The Senate having under consideration the bill to or
ganze the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas
Mr.. BELL said Mr.. President feel greatly embar-
rassed in undertaking address the Senate at this time
particularly since the sentiment Of the body has been 50
decidedly expressed only in regard the feature
which is considered the most important in the BILL but in
regard every other to which propose to address my
remarks. regret sir that feel under any necessity
respass all upon the attention Of the Senate
this subject and particularly when observe the solicit
tude of the friends of the bill for it's immediate passage
But the relations in which stand to this measure,
think forbid to forbear. My Retrospect would
forbid that should forbear however painful it may be
to to express any views in opposition % measure
which seems commend itself to the almost unanimous
approval and support of my Southern friends
Mr.. President one in this body knows better than
yourself the fact that took decided grounds in oppQs
ton the Nebraska bill at the last session Of Congress-
opposed 1t with the greatest earnestness That bill
promise in any form shape whatever wish to state
that did advise the introduction Of that feature
into the bill of this session 1t SO happened that was
absent from the city when this bill was first reported
from the Committee on Territories, of which was
member but was present when the amendment to the
original BILL containing provision for the virtual repeal
Of the Missouri compromise, under consideration in
the committee 1t the first time that the bill of this
session in any shape fell under my notice.
The first notice had that the repeal of the Missouri
compromise was in Contemplation by any one was the
introduction of the bill for that purpose by my friend
from Kentucky (hr. DIXON not informed, that
my friend the responsibility of origina-
ting such proposition but to make the object explicit
and unequvocal which seemed to be implied in pro-
vision of the bill first reported The honorable chair
man of the Committee on Territories (Mr. DoUGLAs)
knows that had barely tme when this bill was first
brought to my notice in committee, to glance its
provisions. saw that the objections had urged to the
Nebraska bill Of the last session Of Congress would apply
to the then before the committee and my i'm
pressons against the expedency introducing clause
affecting the Missouri compromise were strong; but as
had not considered the proposition in all its aspects
agreed that the amendment might be reported but,
the honorable chairman of the committee will do me the
justice to admit did with the express reservation of
the privilege of opposing the passage Of the BILL it, upon
careful examination of the subject should feel it
duty to do Mr.. DOUGLAS bowed his assent to the
correctness Of the statement
The question Of the repeal of the Missouri compromise
being thus fairly presented for consideration to the Sc
nae finding upon inquiry, that the general sentiment
of Southern Senators favorable to the measure
brought forward it seemed to be- with the
of large number of Northern gentlemen; approving
did, the principle of the compromise acts of S50 and
wishing to separate myself from my friends resolved
to take step in opposition until should have full time
to consider the subject in all its bearings and be able to
supply the deficiencies Of my judgment and expert
ence from the lights which might be shed by others
the subject in the discussion have accordingly voted
uniformly with my Southern friends all questions Of
amendment, without any particular examination on my
part to their wisdom proprety and leaving it to
them to perfect the bill in any way they thought exped
ent and proper have listened with profound interest
and attention all that has been said in debate both
sides of the question. have sought to be enlightened
in the private conferences Of the friends Of thb and
have given the subject the most serious reflection to
if could discover any sufficient grounds to
overrue the objections which had presented themselves
my mind in favor of the Of my friends from the
South l make this statement, not that suppose any
views which may be able to present upon this sub
ec will have any greater weight with the Senate but to
explain my silence during the preceding discussions
now proceed to consider the provisions Of this bill
which appear to me to present the most serious and i'm
portant objections. ...,,
My first objection the Nebraska bill of the last ses-
sion OF Congress that there necessity for the
measures that it novelty in the legislation Of this
country that ms far back as l remembered it
anomaly the practice of the Government propose
organize Territorial goyernment large extent of
territory in which there were white nhabitants-I
mean no white inhabitants except those who were the
officials of the Government soldiers missionaries or Ii
tensed tradersno white population demand the pro-
lection and security of Territorial government On
looking the report Of the Commissioner Of Indian
Affairs, find the statement that as late October last
there were but three white men in the whole OF that vast
territory except the class already alluded to- There may
be four five hundred now for any thing that
know but still think and maintain that this
is uncalled fer at this time
The given to that objection the last session
and mean to deal fairly with the whole argument go far
have time to do it-by the honorable chairman of the
Committee Territories was that it important to
the western boundary of the States to California and Ore
gon. admit there was some force in this but still
did not that II important to amount to ne
cessty, or the ease SO urgent to justify departure
from the long established policy of the Government, by
organizing Territorial governments in advance Of settle
ments, and particularly before the wild Indian
tribes inhabng the country reconced to the mes-
sure by treaties and proper disposition made of
those emgrant tribes which held portion ofhe country
under the most solemn the OF the Gov
ernment that they should be exposed to the pres
sure of white population.
My second objection to the Nebraska bill Of the last
session was that it proposed organize Territorial
government and to throw open for settlement the whole
extent of the country lying west Of Missouri and Iowa.
which now Indian territory guarded and protected
against the intrusion of white population by statute
of thirty sections besides the faith of treaties applicable
to numerous emigrant tribes thus bringing unneces
saTy pressure upon the wild Indian tribes and tending
to drive them to desperation by the destruction Of the
principal of their subsistence the buffalo, which,
you know, sir will disappear upon the first clear crack
Of the frontier rifle and the omnous appearance of the
settler in the neighborhood Of their haunts. 4
objected further sir, that in addition to the Indian
hosttes likely to be provoked by encouraging settle
mens at irregular and distant intervals, over such an
extent of territory inhabited by wild Indians the
measure evidently contemplated the exhaustion OF all the
most desirable portions Of the public domain in few
years. leaving resduum to invite the enterprise or to
furnish cheap homes the young men and yorng families
of the next generation. / held such policy unwse,
unstatesmanke and essentially selfish In the present
generation. of the opinion that there was no ne
cessty arising from crowded population IN the frontier
States, from any deficiency Of good unaPpropriaed
lands in those States justify measure which proposes
to throw open large extent OF new country Tor set
tlement
contcned that the population in the border States was
yet small and sparse and that there within their
limits abundant supply of good lands inviting settle