Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-18
ON THE NEBRASKA QUESTION
A LETTER FROM MR. Bolts,

To Me Editors Of the National IateEigeneer:
It is my misfortune once again to find myself in a
situation which obliges to take par, against many of
my best personal and political friends and upon sub
ect and under circumstances that feeling and believing
do, it would be criminal on my part to be silent
and however much may regret the occasion and the
cessity must appeal to you national and con-
ductors of truly national paper, to allow the pri-
yege of addressing few reflections to the people of the
South through your columns on subject of the grayest
consequence to their interests mean the Nebraska
BILL pending before the Senate which, from all we
see, Is likely to become law without word against
it from the South and BY which it is proposed to
peal or declare imperative the Missouri Compromise Of
thrtyfour years standing and aceuescence in by all
parts and parties Of the country
tbs true have little now to do with politics. and
not in "poshOn to give influence and currency to
what ! may say. have no Congressional seat from
which can speak Shy authority but my interest in the
settlement Of this question citizen and my regard
for the welfare Of the country is none the less on that
account
After the careful examination of this portentous
question am satisfied that it is the most mischevous
and perncious that has been introduced
into the halls of Congress.
With the institution of slavery acknowledgedly in
with the public mind calmly subsidng and daily acquiesc
ing in the peaceful ana healing measures Of 1885, in the
absence Of any public necessity or demand from any
party section of the country with application from
NO human being outside Of the political circles in Wash
ingon without the question having presented
to the consideration of the people, who the only
proper parties to be consulted with solemn pledges from
both parties and both sections resist all future efforts
at agitation it is proposed to throw wide open the whole
txlnn a. l.cL H.
produce harmony between the North and the South for
the last thirty years by those who quite wise and
patriotic the Of the present day, and to revive
sectional animostes and euds in the most aggravated
and embttered FORM the end whereof foresee
Is it not legitimate then for any citizen however humble
feeling an interest in his countrys welfare ask empha
tically tchy is this to be done?
Is this last and hopeless chance for reconsrucng the
dsordered and scattered fragments of divided party
with any intelligent mind held to be sufficient reason
for SO much mischief Are the graspng and reckless
aspirations of ambitious men, who seek their ad
vancement bya spirit Of turbulence and discord through
the land sufficient justification for the wholesale
scene of riot and disorder that is to follow
II the compromise which has stood the test Of nethrd
Of century is longer available operative, how
long tie compromise of three years duration be
pected kss And it be possible that all the wisdom
and patriotism that marked the struggles of 1890 and OF
1850 are within short year after the decease of the
who then hushed the into silence and
ranquzed the nation, to be forgotten and laid aside
without necessity, without notice, without cause, and
without one justifyng or palliatng circumstance
AS Southern man, raise my voice against it. OPP
pose because it involves breach Of faith the part
of the South who have for throdd years enjoyed the
advantages obtained by them in the formation of the
States Of Missouri and Arkansas. Oppose It, because il
necessarily and unavoidably begets another angry
tional controversy, which there left among
strong enough in the confidence of the people to aay
oppose IT, because it uproots and destroys the compro
mise of 1850, to which the North is more
ulp than he
to be 8brogated. oppose H. because it would be
of infatuated madness the part of the South
it. Ioppose because it will be impossible agair
to obtain favorable terms from the North with Their
seven millions majority of white population, We OBJ
tanned when that population nearly Appropriated
equality Ioppese ii, upon the ground that it places
barren privilege in the HANDS of the South for which
only equivalent is offered but by which she must bt
an ultmate and great loser.
What can the South gain by opening the Territory
Nebraska to slavery when by the act she opens tn
territory south Of Nebraska to the free States Of tn
Union, and invites them to come in? Let US look at
calmly and practically. What consideration induce
ment be offered to the stakeholder of the South
carry his slave property into that Territory where net
the climate nor the productions Of the soil adapte
to slave labor and where it would always be both unpr
ftabe and insecure, while such Of uncutvats
lands in the finest cotton, sugar. and tobacco regions
the world lie open before him in the States of Texa
Arkansas, Missouri Alabama, &c. where the production
of labor profitable, where the climate is NOR
/
the lands be obtained favorable terms as i
Nebraska? Nebraska and Kansas win both then reai
free territory, and ultimately in free States
| What do these Northern gentlemen, Mr.. Douglas Nj
Pierce and their associates ask in return for this
valuable boon the South Why, that the North ma
equally free to settle territory south of G6o So will
their free population to be afterwards held free terri
tory, and be ultimately admitted free States Now
let what would be the prospects and advantage
Of each all old lines and divisions between the fire.
and the slave States being broken down.
The first question is, which has the largest surplu
population to send abroad The is the North ha
500 whites the South 1925 whites, whic
leaves the North with majority Of 1886 $50, to
nothing of the free foreign floating population from
quarter Of the globe seeking settlement and hom
| in all newly settled territories.
The next question is by which section of the countr
could this territory be filed up with the greatest facility
The Shareholder Of the South is generally landed pro
prietor on larger smaller scale; he would neces
sary require time to sell out his lands stock aud chat
tells while the free aborer Of the North packs his
bag at night, buckles his belt around his body in tn
morning. and is off at the first whistle Of the locomotive
Thus will they settle the territory wherever inducement
offered for settement and declare free while tn
Southern planter getting ready to start and thus vii
the Indian territory lying between the States of Missouri
and Texas south of SO 30 secured to the South
become free territory, and ultimately free State Will
by the adjustment of 1870 Tor Missouri compromse he
admission slave State is already provided for with
resistance the people composing the State SO des
it. Break up this compromise, and you invite resstanc
to the further admission Of slave States any where sout
Of e6o co. well north Of that line. And let it no
be forgotten that have acquired every inch
rtory that be obtained north of $50 3d. unless Ca
NADIA should ct far distant day be annexed to
when and where the introduction of slavery would
be attempted while every few years the South will con
nue to acquire and of the Mexican territory
until shall in oil probability absorb the whole every
foot Of which viii, under the Missouri compromise come
in slave States without resistance opposition unless
the people of those States should otherwise determine
.. N,h, 49, a. l.zl--