The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-06-30
what Il Nigh, have Been.

What It Might have Been.
The events in Kansas are Just whatthei
of the Nebraska bill forboded |
from the first; just what they all along |
predicted; and follow that act of unjust
and dishonest legislation as naturally and
necessarily as disease and wretchedness
grow ont Of prOfigacy and tice.-lAadi-
Som Journal.
: Did our contemporary ever reflect
what would have probably happened if
that act had not passed?-NTt. Meas.
We have reflected on what would have
been the condition and the future of Kan
sas had it remained under the benifcent
operation of the Missouri Compromise.
Endowed with afertile soil. penetrated by
noble rivers, and blessed with a delicious
climate, it was rich in all the elements Of
greatness. Guaranteed, to freedom, no
human being could there be driven under
the lash of the taskmastet to unrequited
toll. The oppressor must have been be-
hind his victim when he crossed Its
boundaries. The system which makes
the rich richerand thepoor poorer. which
degrades free labor, builds up aristocrat-
ic distinctions in society, renders free
schools and the education of the masses
impossible, and impoverishes a country
by concentrating all wealth in the hands
of the few, and thus withers its enterprise
and blights its prosperity. Vas shut ont
of Kansas. A recent writer on this
subject has most happily depicted the
former promise, and present prospects,
of the Territories once shielded from slay-
cry by the Missouri Compromise. He
says:-"The American, and the foreign
.er even, felt his heart dilate as he beheld
in his rich fields the future homes of an
advancing and splendid civilization. He
could already hear in the rustic of the
grasses the hum of a prosperous industry;
he saw magnificent cities rise on the bor-
ders of the streams, and pleasant villages
dot the hills, and a flourishing commerce
whiten the ripplesof the lakes; the laugh
of happy children came up to him from
the corn fields. and as the glow of the
evening sun tinged the distant plains, a
radiant and kindling vision floated upon
its beams, of myriads of men, escaped
from the tyrannous old world, and gath
cred there in worshipping circles to pour
out their grateful hearts to God for re-
deemed and teeming earth. But, NO
unto us now. this beautiful region, COM
pared with which the most powerful
existing empires are of trivial extent, is
opened to the blight. the hopelessness. the
desolation of form of society, which can
never advance beyond semi-barbarism,
or whose highest achievement is a pur-
chase of. the wealth and freedom of one
race, by theeternals subjection of another.
Our vision of peaceful groups of free Ia
borers is changed into the contemplation
of black gangs of slaves. A single act of
legislation, like Satan, when he entered
Paradise, has reversed the destinies of q
world"
The News intimates that it was neces.
sary to repeal that compromise in order
to save the Union. It says that party
of disunionists exists at the South, that
the agitation of the subject Of slavery
"increasesits numbers" and that Kansas
and Nebraska had to be immelated upon
the altar of the black Moloch of slavery
in order to pacify that sectional organiza-
ton. The News also publishes extracts
in another column from the Charleston
Standard, fine specimens of South Caro-
lima high-falutin, expressing a decided
option that the Union is of no conse-
quence to the South, and thinks them
worthy of attention. But how has the
passage of the act referred to helped the
matter? Has it lessened agitation? Has
it not increased the agitation of the sia-
very question ten-foldl And who but
mole.eyed. mercenary, -temporizing poll
ticians did not foresee tie storm? That
act has opened the eyes of thousands TO
the rapacity of the slave power, to The
mercenary, trucking spirit of the leaders
of the party in power. and kindled de-
termined spirit of opposition to the ag-
gressions of slavery snd dough-face poll
ticians in the hearts of the free men of the
North.
Must we give up all our rights. and
PROSTATE ourselves in nhumble submission
to the 500, 900 afIsiocrats of the South,
and defeat the very ends for which the
Union wasformed, in order topreseryeit:
The Union was entered into originally,
as It's founders declare, to establish JUS
tice, promote domestic tranquility, and
secure the blessings of liberty. Wert
either of these objects promoted by ths
repeal of the Missouri Compromise? VIZ
think not. Instead of justice and tran
guilty, we have seen Kansas invaded by
armed bands under the guidance of Z
distinguished democratic" senator who
labored long and zealously for the pas
sage of the Kausas-Nebraska act; We
have seen the purity of the baElot-box
outraged, an election turned into ashame-
full mockery, the rights of the real elec-
! tors disregarded, the freedomof the press
cIoven down, and continued excitement
and outrage, until civil war seemed about
to break out upon our western borders;
instead of securing the blessings of liber-
ty, we have seen in that act only the in
definite extension and perpetuation of fbu-
man seryitnde.-Such have been the
fruits of that gigantic treason. By which
the barrier that kept back the tides Of
slavery from portion of our Territories
was ruthlessly swept away. and all the
broad domain, from the Missouri to the
Rocky mountains, opened to their desc
lating influence Wisconsin STATE Joar.
The Indian Lands.
The surveyor-general of Kansas and
Nebraska, in reply TO inquiries respecting
the lands which are TO be sold for the
benefit of the Indians, states that the Iowa