Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-04-20
From the Alabama Planter. )
A Few Words on Politics

49, 0 w. o'oy neHtlS US the commune
cation IN our columns this morning concern.
ing Douglass Nebraska Bill
It is unfortunate for timid noliticiane that
not to approve this bill is to stand in some
measure, with the freesoilers. The aroument
is after this fashion: Giddings. Horace Gree.
ly, &C., are against the bill; ERGO. every man
that is against 1t is an abolitiOnist. The ar
gument Is very common in unWise partisan
newspapers, and one may see it almost every
day served up with as much earnestness as
though 1T were as plain as the proposition
that two and two make four.
1t il thig consideration which, doubtless.
deters many a Southern man from expressing
an honest and good southern opinion. and
which, with as little doubt, has its eject on
members of Congress, many of whom stand
more in awe Of thoughtless or corrupt news
papers than Of their own consciences.
| We wonld suggest to our readers to look at
affairs with their own eyes, and. if. in thus
looking, they find any thing good among the
abolitiOnists, we beseech them to lay fast hold
Of it. The adoption Of it by those pestilent
fellows cannot make it bad. Recollect that.
They think-at least they profess to think
that to lie is not virtue; and we have the
best reason for believing that when they catch
a rogue stealing, they have no objection
against putting him into the hands of the po-
| lice. This may be news to some of the poll
ticians, but we aver it on evidence which we
think cannot be gainsaid. We trust, howev-
er, that none Of our readers, because the fact
! can be proved, is ready to defend lying or
rescue thief from the custody Of the city
guards.
And this brings us to the point we are aim
ing at. Because Mr.. Douglass bill seems to
! I ri
low that it is benefit to the South.
The territory in dispute is totally valueless
to the South. 1t canbe used by no process
except a special providence slavehol-
ders.
The question then is, why renew most
pernicious agitation by insisting upon the
bill?
The best answer is, that to enact it will be
to get cOncession-a regular abstract con-
/ cession. Heaven save US from distractions,
II one in pursuing them lose a concrete fact.
And this loss, we fear. will follow on the
heels Of the Nebraska bill. In the first place,
although Mr.. Douglas did deliver a very Gle
Yer speech on the measure, he did not by any
means prove that the Missouri compromise
was repealed by the compromise of 1850. We
do not believe that the compromise was then
repealed Certainly no one at time heard of
the measure Of 1850 as having that effect. 1t
was not used as an argument for or against
the then compromise and it is only now that
we learn that on that occasion. the old com
promise was destroyed.
The debaters in Congress lay great stress
on this point-and it is vastly important
for if it be acknowledged, and Douglass bill
be defeated we shall be at sea again, without
rudder or compass and this were to be in a
| hnJ nlnCc Fo.,
stronger than,our vessel.
Again The south is getting composed un-
| der the condition of things. In the north,
the organized opposition to the south on the
settled questions Of the past, is entirely be-
meath contempt. The people Of the north, al
though not less opposed to slavery, have ap-
parently, generally concluded that it is. a
question with Which they have nothing to do.
With this we should be satisfied, if we intend
to remain within the union.
Mr.. Douglass bill will change this condi-
ton. Ii viii wipe out the past and renew the
| strife between the sections. And for what
purpose? What good? How will Nebraska
and Kansas help the south? OF what value
are those territories, present or prospective,
that We should sacrifice or jeopardize our
peace for what they will bring US?
Let some one answer these questions.
The Missouri compromise we acquiesced in
An unjuster measure is not citable; yet we
took it were willing to abide by it and we
declare that it is our interest to insist upon
it.-unless, indeed, we desire sectional war,
and wish to discover the Union. IF we wish
and desire these things why letus have Doug
lass bill or any body else's bill which will
renew the fraternal strife.
Of late there has been o pretty clear un-
derstanding in all parts Of the country that
the national legislation in regard to slavery
has been determined Under this understan-
ding the abQlitiOnists and freesollers have
pretty nearly lost their vocation Time, by
continuing this condition, might consolidate
it so that for long time we should have in
ternal peaee-perhaps, in the progress of
knowledge, even the prevalence of juster
views regarding slavery and. finally, the
adoption universally Of the sentiment express
sed by Mr.. Everett that slavery is within the
hands of God and He, without the help of
man, will order it for the best This. we say,
with care might be the result and it would
be what all of us desire, for who is not will
ling to leave the solution Of this difficulty to
the Almighty? Mr.. Douglass bill does not
consider this; but it contemplates, without
any reason that we can now see, to take the
matter again from the place wherein Mr..
Everett has deposited it. for the purpose of
trying to obtain victory-a barren victory
--over the sentiment Of freesoilism. Of what
good can this be? Whom will it help? What
benefit will it be to the South?
But there is something more in the matter.
The quiescent condition of public opinion
throughout the country is the result of two
facts-frst, the north--we mean the vast ma
jority of its people-thinks that the south is
satisfied, and the south-through great tribu-
lation and most reasonable suspicion com
ing to the conclusion that the north is salts
fed. ~ of 81
Mr.. Douglass bill will have the effect to
make this an allusiou. 1t will rearm the
north against the south, and, by consequence,
excite within the south those suspicious which
will be bar to any subsequent understand
ing between the two sections The northwiH
think that the south is always waiting for an
opportunity to assail the north and the lat
ter will think that it must be always acting
on the offensive against the South. ls a.
1t is these suspicious, as much as any ac-