The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-06-29
The Nebraska Excitement.

ent advocate Of the pacificatory measures o
Henry Clay, we humbly claim voice in tn,
upheaval Of public sentiment which is agta
ting our Union. Drops contribute to form
the fathomless deep. but there is no yoic,
that can say to its turbulent pillows, "peace
be stll'' and they obey. The once mighty
minds Of the nation are obscured by death
the towering intellect that for fifty years
dictated the course Of government and res
| eued her from political maestrom, rule,
but by example in the past. No lofty ane
far-seeing patriot stands at the helm to d.
rect the ship Of state amid the shoals am
quicksands that beset her perilous course
Lesser minds, humble though they be ane
limited their sphere Of action, must unite il
the effort to effect what great intellect,
could more surely have comprehended
We are pleased to see sentiments thrown
out in late issue, which we feared were
isolated, prove but reflections from the vel
| digested ideas Of superior minds; it convin
ces US of their truth. The passage of the
Nebraska bill has aroused in the north I
greater antagonism to the Fugitive Slave
/ Law. While that act constitutes a portion
OF the laws Of the y. States, every man whit
loves his country will regret to see oper
opposition manifested to it. Mob law, come
in what form it may, is everto be regretted
and no good can possibly arise from forcefu
opposition to any enactment Of Congress
however repugnant it may be to the mora
sentiment Of community. twas not oppo
sition to The measure, however, which here
tofore occasioned such difficulty in its en-
forccmcnt, 50 much as the desire upon TIL
part of many well disposed persons to see
the laws carried cut, and who thus have aid
led in its execution.
Taught from the recent action of Con-
gross that the compromise is binding but
upon one side, they will be less chary OF
their aid in future While mob violence
will be thus measurably avoided the diff
Guilty or enforcing the law will become SO
great that it will rarely be attempted, and
its repeal may be ultimately effected with.
out that fearful result which the N Y.
Tribune and kindred prints by innaming the
passions, are 50 anxious TO bring to pass
While under the petulance OF feelings justly
aroused by Congress dsregarding the wishes
and remonstrances Of their constituents
men are naturally disposed to resort to cx-
IRENE measures; but sober second thought
must convince them that the labored efforts
now being made in many portions OF the
East to get up lengthy petitions for the re-
peal Of tho Fugitive Slave Law, are useless.
1t cannot be done, and under the present
state of excitement, the attempt is hazar
do,ls. "TIe Union is too precious, the con-
s.itution is too sacred, to be sacrificed in a
moment OF hasty resentment for an aifront
which is dishonorable only to the party
from which it proceeds.
Slavery will gain nothing by the passage
OF the Nebraska bill. The south can hope
for no more compromises from the north
In the language Of Senator Wade, of Ohio
northern Wings can never again combine
with their southern brethren in support OF
slavery" While the recent act Of Con.
gress annnlled past compromises, in the
words of Sumner, at made future mpro-
misses impossible" The man counts with
out his host who supposcs that the Wing.
of the north will ever unite with those OF
the south, in any measure calculated to
perpetuate the institution or extend the
area of slavery.