Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-07-12

tween the principal parties in the coming cleo
ton, and 10 which all other matters have be
come subordinate-tha of slavery in th'
Territories. My own course in regard TO |
has been one, by the record of which l shall
always be willing to be judged, whenever ane
wherever the acts of an individual are deemed
OF sufficient Importance to attract attention
The same thing can, doubt not, be said by
those Of you who have differed from me, and
there we must leave that matter. We cannot
control each others opinions, when arguments
fail to convince, and should not desire to do SC
if we could. / have, from the beginning, pre-
ferred the mode of dealing with the subject OF
slavery in the Territories adopted at an early
day by the founders Of the Government, and
continued to recent period, and have uni
formly resisted departure from it, No man
in the country can have been more sincerely
opposed to the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise. was informed of at under circumstan-
ces calculated to make an American most sem
stive in regard to all domestic acts from which
he thinks there is reason to apprehend danger
to the perpetuity of our political institutions
in foreign land, surrounded by the subjects
and advocates of despotic power. Deeply SEN
sibe OF its injustice, and forseeing the extent
to which the measure would reopen slavery ag-
itaton-the deleterious effects Of which few
were more capable of approaching than myself,
did not hesitate to condemn the act. But the
measure has been accomplished, and the ques-
ton that presents itself to those who agreed
with me in that condemnation is-what is the
best step to be next taken in the matter with
reference simply to the public interest. The
propositions brought into view by the principal
parties in the approaching election consist Of:
I ct Tho Of ba Missouri
mise; I'd. The settlement Of questions relating
to slavery in the Territories by the direct legis
lation of Congress; Sd. The immediate admis
sion of Kansas as free State under the To-
peka Constitution; and 4th. The execution Of
the Nebraska Kansas act without regard to
the latter movement.
Upon each of these propositions ! will say
enough to possess you with my views in regard
to them.
1t is worthy of remark that notwithstanding
the seeming fitness of the form of redress en-
braced in the first proposition, there has not
from the beginning been anything like una
nimity in opinion, on the part of those most
opposed to the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise, in favor of making its restoration prin-
cipal issue in the contest. This has doubtless
arisen in partfrom distrust of success, founded
on the political condition Of the Senate, the
length of time it must take to press the point
with hope of its accomplishment, and the
weight of influence the proposition must en-
counter. But other considerations have | be-
levd contributed to this result. The only Ter
ritories left for the Missouri Compromise to act
upon, if it were restored, are those in Texas
and in Kansas. The restoration of the com
promise, if effected, might come in season for
the conversion of the Texas Territory into a
slave State or States, but one can scarcely
doubt that the Kansas question will have been
settled before that of the restoration of the
compromise, with however much energy the
latter might be urged.
Of the restoration Of the old mode Of set
ting such questions / will speak hereafter.
The convention which framed the Topeka
constitution was convened without specific au-
thority from Congress, in despite of the will Of
the Territorial government, which is recognized
as legitimate by the Federal Executive, and
did not even profess to represent more than
part of the people of the Territory. But the
objections to the admission of a new State, into
our confederacy, organized under such circum-
stances, are sought to be removed by the grave
charges that the legislative branch of the ex-
listing Territorial government was net chosen
by the people Of the Territory, but by lawless
Missouri, who interfered in the matter with a
design to make the Territory a slave State,
against the wishes of majority of the people
thereof-that a redress of this grievance,
through the instrumentality of the judiciary is,
for reasons assigned impractcable, and that
the President and Territorial Governor ap-
pointed by him, desiring to promote the policy
of the Missouri invaders, refused to extend to
the actual residents of the Territory the pro-
lection, in respect to the exercise of the right
of suffrage, to which they were entitled under
the organic law.
/ do not think it necessary, in the view
have taken of the subject to enter into dis
cussion of the truth Of these charges. Congress
doubtless possesses the constitutional power to
dispense with the preliminary steps which have
usually been required for the admission of
State into the Union. But considerable men
will, / think, admit that even assuming these
charges to be in the main well founded,
Congress ought not to be asked to act in so
summary way and upon so grave a matter,
except as last resort and after every attempt
to secure to the Territory peaceable and re-
gular State Organization have been exhausted.
The case before US has not yet, think, arrived
at that condition, and this brings me to the
consideration of the fourth proposition, viz
the carrying out Of the Nebraska Kansas act.
] am free to confess that / have for some
time past regarded this act with more favor
than did when it was first presented to my
consideration as the instrument by which the
Missouri Compromise was overthrow. This
may have arisen from the fact that have felt
myself compelled to regard it as the only at
tainable mode by which the country can hope
to be relieved from the injurious and demora-
lzing effects of slavery agitation or it may
have been produced by the great unanimity
with which its principles have been adopted,
In all parts of the country, by political party
in which / have been reared and upon the
maintenance of which, in its wonted purity,
conscientiously believe the future welfare Of
the country will depend. believe also that
the people Of the free States, when the resent
ment Justly excited by the repeal of the Mis-
souri, Compromise has subsidized, and more
especially when they shall have witnessed a
fair and peaceabe execution Of the provisions
Of that act, will generally regard it as a mode
for the settlement of slavery questions, by
which they will stand better chance to have
their feelings and opinions upon the subject