The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-04-03
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President PIerce's Administration.

President Pierce's Administration.
President Pierce and the Democratic party,
at the first session of Congress after his elec.
ton, set to work diligently to carry out the
FIRST great purpose for which they had been
elevated to power-to give peace and repose
to the Union, by settling the slavery question
The South had submitted to squatter sove
veignty. They imagined that it was the prin.
ciple involved which had wnn the acquiescence
of the North. The idea that the people Of a
Territory, whilst Territory, whether foreign
or native, few or many, should have the power,
not only of settling for themselves but for the
hundreds of thousands who would come after
them--aad notafor the narrow districts they iii.
habited, but for the vast States which ,smuss
arise out of<tbe Territory institutions
which should prevail over them as States for
ever, was supposed to he very potent with the
North, especially as the great e",igrating Popu.
lation must always come from that quarter of
the Union. Accordingly, the Northwestern
Democrats, with Gen. Cass and Mr.. Douglas
at their head, proposed that this principle,
which had just won fnrthe north California
and New Mexico, should he carried out in all
the Territories TO do this, the Missouri Com.
promise, which established a line Of separation
between the Territories open or closed to slave
ry, was repealed in the Nebraska and Kansas
bill. On its face, that measure reserved to
Southern interests an appeal to the courts,
which was construed by: Southern Representa-
,ives as favorable totheir section, and accord.
ingly they give it their support. But it was
soon seen that, practically, it. was meant to
establish squat,er sovereignty and Messrs.
.Cass and Shields, when the fires Of public
opinion at home ragged furiou>ly around them,
openly pronounced the Nebraska Kansas bill
an anti-slavery measure.
There could be less objection on the part Of
the North to this hill, because, when the Ore.
gon and California bills were before Congress,
the South had proposed that the Missouri Com
promise Line should be recognised and carried
out IN these Territories, and the North had re-
jected it. 1t was surpassed, therefore, that
squatter sovereignty, with the hearty good will
of the North, at least was the grand talisman
of peace between the conquering North and
the subject South. Accordingly, the measure
Was brought forward in Congress-covered up,
qualified and disguised, as we have stated -
The South, which certainly could neither re-
cover lost nor establish new rights by the bill,
which could colonise no faster and ne more
after its passage than before, which had been
robbed of California and New Mexico, By
squatter sovereignty, and had deemed the out.
rage sufficient cause of dissolution OF the
Union, con6ding in the Constitutional appeal,
and eager for peace, supported the measure;
while the North, Ito the astonishment of all.
opposed it! the North, which had conquered
BY it before-which must now conqner-by it!
the North. which had twice refused to recog
nize the Missouri Compromise Line, bt came
indignant at its repeal! Tie occasion is seized
for renewed anti.slavery agitation. The bill
passes, but throughout the Free States, by an
almost unanimous determination, as declared
and execrated. The very measure, as after
wards avowed by its originators. which was
intended for their benefit, by establishing a
principle odious and fatal to the South. is de-
nonnced from stump and pulpit; and Fanati-
cism, grown arrogant at this attempt to ap
pease it's fury, lashes itself into the widest
rage, and makes demands more insolent than
before. 1t will have no terms with Slavery,
nor tolerate Government which stands be-
tween them and their designs upon the South.
d The truth is now made manifest, that there
Is no principle iu the measures by which slave.
ry may be assailed in the Union. Squatter
sovereignty was supported in the North when
California and New Mexico were in question,
because by it they may lose that Territory
At one time, the Missouri Compr"mise is re:
jected, because the South might retain the right
of entering part Of our common domain. At
another it is supported, because it leaves open
to her small portion. but excludes her from
vast regions beyond. Destitute of faith or
principle, everything yields to the absorbing
anti.slavery fury of the North.
The advocates of squatter sovereignty in
Congress, and indeed nearly all of our states.
men, North and South, have totally mistaken
the anti.slsvery feeling Of the Free States
And now, what have President Pierce and the
Democratic party affected In giving peace and
repose TO the Union, BY the passage of the
Nebraska. .Ksnsas billi Nothing. absolutely
nothing! The spirit Of aggression upon the
institutions OF the South is stronger than ever.
For the first fine since the foundation of the;
Government, the Representatives in Congress-
from the Free States have been elected upon
strictly sectional issues and interests. State
after State has been carried upon them, until