The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-03-03
Speech of a Ndissourian.

Ing Speecn, ueilseItu III tue hiss,oii
Legislature, IN session at Jefferson City,
on the eth alt. by FRANK P. BLAIR,
Esq. will be found worthy an attentive
perusal. Mr.BEAiR was advocating the
claims OF Mr.. BENTON for election to the
United States Senate over Mr.. Atchison
He showed most conclusively that Mr..
BENTON had always labored, and very
successfully, too, to advance the interests
of the State he represented, while Mr..
: Atchison's influence had been exerted to
the manifest injury of the State. The
whole speech is replete with sound reason
ing; but tho following win only be of
general interest to those in pursuit of
Kansas news:
The Senator from Pike eulogizes the
Kansas and Nebraska bill, as the great
measure of safety for the South. and Mr..
Atchison, as Its author, receives proper
tionate laudations. | believe that the pa
ternity belongs to him, and shallcheer-
fully accord whatever reputation may re-
dound to him from that act, of which, in
my opinion, the obloquy will be equal to
the notoriety. Fanatics may praise him
for the deed, but all high-minded and
honorable men must condemn, and the
future willratify the condemnation. The
Missouri compromise was a simple bar
gain by which the Louisiana Territory
was divided between the North and South.
The act was passed by southern votes,
against the wishes of the North, and has
given peace 10 the country for more than
30 years. 1t was sanctioned by thegreat
southern leaders of that day, Lowndes,
of South Carolina, Clay, of Kentucky,
President Monroe and his Cabinet, of
whom Mr.. Calhoun was one. 1t was re-
served for Atchison to undo their work,
and trample it under foot. and to bring
upon the southern States the disgrace of
refusing to abide by the bargain of which
they had received and enjoyed the con-
sideration. 1t is reserved for his ad-
miiers TO extol him for this act of peridy,
performed in violation of the instructions
given to him by the Legislature of Mis-
souri,, and i'm violation of his own pledge
not to agita:e the subject of slavery ''ir
OF out of Congress
Whenever it becomes fashionable fol
gentlemen to plume themselves uponsaeh
acts, the criminal dock and the felon' 'scel
will become vacant, and their tenants
should be advanced to seats of honor
among US.
1t is sought to recommend this odious
measure by proclaiming that it contains
the doctrine Of popular sovereignty. Net
until falsehood becomes virtue viii this
plea be admitted; for the bill itself en-
powers the President to appoint every Of
ficer in the Territories, and it deserves
therefore to be stigmatized by every low
er of truth, for the falsehood it bears on
its face. The true character of the meas
ure has been disclosed by the results it
has brought about. 1t was intended by
the cabal of nullifers by whom it was
originated, as an entering wedge to dis
solve the Union; and its results have JUS
titled the hopes of its authors, and the
fears of all good men. 1t has defeated
and destroyed the Democratic party at
the North, (and at least have always
supposed that that party was bulwark of
the Union, and in the place of parties
of principle, it has substituted parties di-
vided on sectional line, against which
the Father of his Country raised his warn
ing voice in his farewell address. The
Democratic party has been swept from
existence in the northern States, and al
ready a full majority have been elected to
one branch of Congress, upon the avowed
principle of hostility to southern institu-
tons. This is the fruit of Mr.. Atchison's
state smanship, and the ground upon which
he claims the gratitude of southern peo-
pie, and the Democracy of Missouri.
This measure has exasperated the whole
North, fostered Abolitionism, engendered
heart-burnings, and sown discord and
distrust between the two great sections
of the country. If, as it was truly said
few days since upon this floor, by the
Senator from Franklin, Missouri has lost
more slaves since the passage of the Ne
braska bill than in any former period Of
time of equal length, then we have to
thank Mr. Atchison for this perfdious
act of bad faith, which has melted the
northern people to activity in abdueting
our slaves, and preventing their recap
ture. IL hundreds or thousands of north
ern men, who formerly defended the peo-
pie of the South, and stood by them when
assailed, have now been turned against
us on account of what they justly con-
cciye to have been an act of aggression
by the South upon their rights, we may
alsoth Atchison and his Nebraska ex-
ploits. Fl, finally, Kansas should apply
for admission as slave State, and that
admission is denied by the majority in
Congress from the North, on the ground
that this result has been accomplished by
the population of a compromise first made
by southern men, and by the violence
and force exerted at the instigation OF
MIR. Atshison; by men not residing in the
Territory. but who went there to oyerawe
and control the people of the Territory IN
their decision; and if this refusal to admit
Kansas should result In another sectional
controversy, and in strife, bloodshed, and
in the dissolution of the Union-then we
may thank Atchison and the nuiiifying
squad who concocted this fatal measure
for the purpose of accomplishing this IA
tai result. No one can doubt that such
is the object for which the measure was
intended. And If it should fail of its
purpose, it will be through the firmness
and patriotism of the people, whose de-
rotion to the Union cannot be shaken by
the Vaccinations of traitors. fi
Mr.. President cannot regard this
measure as one of advantage to the inter-
ests of our State. The Senator from
Pike lauds the measure as one of absolute
necessity for the safety of our institutions,
because be says Kansas win become
slave State, under the provisions of the
bill In question. 1t is my belief. SIR,
that it IS not for the advantage of the
r.aorla of Missouri that Kansas should