Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-01-14
THE NEBRASKA BILL.

THE NEBRASKA BILL.
In the course of our remarks yesterday
touching Judge Douglas Nebraska bill, We
made particular mention Of the position which
the National Era, of this city, and the Albany
Atlas, of New York, had taken with regard to
it. At the same time we promised to repub-
fish the articles of those two journals.
But upon more minute consideration of
the remarks of the Era and the atlas, we are
incorrect copy of the Nebraska bill which was
first published in the papers, and not upon the
correct copy of the bill subsequently presented
to the public through our columns. That be-
lief is strengthened and confirmed by the fact
that, we perceive that many of our exchanges
have been misled by regarding the erroneous
copy, as the bill now before the Senate. There
fore we shall postpone, for the present, the
publication Of the articles we alluded to yes
terday, for we do not wish to perplex the public
mind with irrellavent issues; our purpose is to
do whatever we can properly do to bring every
democratic press, and every democratic politi-
clan, to direct and positive committal on the
principles Of the compromise of 1850, which
were recognized at Baltimore as final settle.
ment of the slavery question in the U. States.
The Albany Atlas says that it is satisfied
with Judge Douglas bill so far as it relates to
Nebraska as Te,ritory-but the freesoil or.
gan objects to that portion of the bill which
applies to the admission of the State or States
to be formed out of the Territory of Nebraska.
Considering that the freesoil organ had studied
only the erroneous copy of the bill, We can IN
derstand its meaning-otherwise we cannot.
1t means to say that the anti-slavery restriction
of 1920, which was applied to Territory which
was then slave Territory is to be permitted to
remain in full force and vigor during the pro-
stationary condition of Nebraska.
This is wrong; but the freesoil organ COM
mits greater wrong, and strikes more directly
and pointedly at the Baltimore platform when
it repudates the idea that those provisions Of
the compromise of 1850, which appertain to
Utah and New Mexico, when they shall apply
for admission into the Union as States, may
be applied to Nebraska when it may apply for
admission as a State or States
This is direct reputation of the Baltimore
platform by the organ of the soft shell Van Blu
rem party of New York Just as we expected
When we said yesterday that the compro-
mise Of 1920 had been superseded by a new
compromise, made in 1850, and endorsed by
the democratic party as a final settlement Of the
stace,y question, we had reference to the moral
rather than the legal issue involved. We
meant TO say that the democratic party is SOL
EMMY pledged by the resolutions constituting
the Baltimore platform to place the slavery
question whenever and wherever it may arise,
under the principles Of the compromise of 1850,
regardless Of all previous inconsistent legisla-
ton. If we read Judge Douglas bill Alright,
1t intends to do that-it intends to place Ne
braska IN the same position it would occupy as
new acquisition with the late compromise en-
actments extended over it.
But before we go further we will quote those
sections OF the bill which, because Of a clerical
error, did not appear in the bill as originally
published. They are in these words:
SEC. Il. And be ii further enacted. That
in order 10 avoid all misconstruction. Il l.
hereby declared to be the true intent and
meaning of this act so far as the question Of
slavery is concerned, to carry into practical
operation the following propositions and prin
ciples established by the compromise measures
of 1850, to wit:
First, 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.
Second, that "all cases involving title to
slaves" and Questions of personal freedom"
are referred to the adjudication of the local tri-
bunals, with the right of appeal to the Supreme
Court of the United States.
Third, that the provisions Of the Constitution
and laws Of the United States, in respect to fu.
gitives from service, are to be carried into
faithful execution in all I" the organized Terri
tories the same as in the States.
If we understand this declaratory provision
rightly, it was intended to place the Territory
of Nebraska under the shelter and protection
Of the compromise acts of 1850, as if the Mis-
sour compromise had never been adopted.
Without any special authority for saying so, we