Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-10-02
From the Progressive Age.
Mai. Sapp and Mr.. Dunn,s Bill.

From the Leaders of the Buchanan par
tv in this congressional district, down to
the little wiffets that yelP at their heeiS'
there has been for the last month, con-
t;puo1 bowling against Major Sapp, and
the Republican members OF Congress, be
cause they voted for Dunn's bill; the OBJ
iect Of which was the restoration of the
Missouri Compromise, the abrogation of
the infamous territorial laws of Kansas,
the pacification of the troubles in that ter
ritory, and to secure the peace of the coun-
try.
And with a gross misrepresentation of
the object and tenor Of the bill have charg
ed that it fastened slavery upon Kansas for
two years, and extended the Fugitive Slave
law over that country.
These charges, we say, are without the
least shadow of foundation in truth. The
act denominated the Fugitive Slave law
already extends to all the territories as
well as the states; and no further act could
further extend it; therefore it was not i'll
the least degree, altered or enlarged by
that bill. As to the other feature of the
bill; the proyiso was offered by way of
compromise. The Republicans in Con
gress were anxious to put an end to the
crime and outrages committed upon the
Free State men in Kansas, and had made
several propositions to their opponents to
secure the abrogation of these infamous
territorial laws, but in vain. Notwith-
standing these laws had been pronounced
by several distinguished members of Con-
gress of both political parties, as unconsti-
tutional and disgrace TO the age. Under
these circumstances Mr.. Dunn introduced
his bill which provided for the abrogation
of the infamous territorial code, the restor-
alton of the Missouri Compromise, and the
pacification of the troubles in Kansas. 1t
also provides by way of compromise, that
the Fugitive Slave law should have the
same binding force that it had under the
Missouri Compromise, and no more. And
that any person lamJuty held to service in
said territory, shall not be discharged from
such service by reason Of the repeal of said
laws, or the restoration of the said Mis-
souri, Compromise, if such person shall be
permanently remoced from SAID territory,
prior to tie first day Of Jaanary, Il. d..
1856.
Now We claim that no man of common
sense can honestly consrtue that law so as
to make it fasten slavery upon that terrific
~ until 1853. 1t merely gives an oppor-
tunity to those who legally own slaves in
the territory, If any such there be, to re-
move them before that time; but it does
not leyalize slapery there by any means
the legality of holding slaves in the terri
tory is a matter TO be settled by the pro-
per courts. This is the sum and sub
stance of that part of Dunn's bill at which
these slavery propagandists howl so loud
". And to say the least of the matter,
this howl comes out with bad grace from
a party that are sustaining the executive
and servile tools, the Border Ruffians, to
enforce the laws which tend TO perpetuate
the cursed system of slavery in that terri
tory, and by whose legislation, slavery has
been carried there. Had Dunn's bill be-
come law it would have thwarted these de-
signs and secured Kansas to Freedom for
ever after January, lst 1858; and would
have prevented any further outrages in
Kansas. We say emphatically that the
course pursued by Maj. Sapp and the Re-
publican party, was ri ght under the
circumstances Had the Republican party
been able to secure those ends without this
proriso it would doubtless have been done,
but every proposition that tended in the
least towards the restriction of slavery in
Kansas was opposed by the South and
their northern allies, the selfstyled De-
mocracy of the North.