The daily Gate City., 1856-03-11

even the slaveholding interest, had already
converted into Free States, and reasonably
menaced Congress and the Union with over
throw, if its demands were not conceded. -
The free sp rit Of the country was reused
with indignation by these pretensions, and
for time the whole nation reused to the
tempest which they had created. Untoward
events aided the wrong. The death Of the
President threw the whole power of the Ad-
ministration into timid and faithless hands
Party resentments and party ambitions in
terposed against the right. Great men,
leaders of the people, from whom in better
days the people had learned lessons of prn-
ciples and patriotism, yielded to the howlings
of the storm and sought shelter, in submis-
sion, from it's rage. The slaveholding inter
est was again victorious. California, with
her free Constitution, was indeed admitted
into the Union; but New Mexico, with her
Constitution forbidding Slavery within her
borders, was denied admission, and remand
ed to the condition of a Territory and
while Congress refused TO enact positive
prohibition Of Slavery in the Territories of
New Mexico and Deseret, it was provided
that, when they should apply for admission
as States, they should come in with or with
out Slavery, as their inhabitants might de-
eide. Additional concessions were made 10
Slave Power:-the General Government as
sumed the recapture Of fugitive slaves, and
pvssed laws for the accomplishment Of that
end, subyersiye at once Of State sovereign
ty, and of the established safeguards of civ
II Astreedom. Then the couatry again had
rest. Wearied with It's efforts, or content
with their success, the slayeholding interest
proclaimed truce.
When Franklin Pierce, on the 4th of
March, 1853, became President of the Uni
ted States, no controversy growing out of
Slavery was agitating the country. Estab-
lished laws, some Of them enacted with un-
usual solemuity and under circumstances
which made them of more than ordinary OBJ
legation, aud fixed the character Of all the
States, had ended the contest concerning the
Territories. Sixteen States were Free States.
and fifteen States were Slave States By the
Missouri Compromise of 1920, Slavery was
forever prohibited from all the Louisiana
Territory lying north of the line Of 35 deg
80 min, while over that Territory living south
of that line, and over the Territories Of New
Mexico and Deseret, no such prohibition had
been extended. The whole country reposed
upon this arrangement All sections and all
interests, whether approving it or not, seem
ed TO acquiesce in its terms. The Slavehold-
ing interest through all its organs, and espec-
tally through the General Government, pro-
claimed that this was final and irrepealable
adjustment between Freedom and Slavery for
political power; that il had been effected by
mutual concessions and IN the spirit Of com
promise; and that it should be us enduring
as the Union, and as sacred as the Constitu-
tlon itself. Both political paaties gave it
49, ~ Il q.
the whole country assented to its validity !,
and President Pierce, in his first official mes
sage TO Congress, pledged himself to use all
the power of his position to prevent it from
being disturbed.
But all these protestations proved delusive,
and the acquiescence and contentment which
they produced afforded the opportunity, not
only for new aggressions on the part of
Slavery, but for the Reputation of engage
ments into which its agents had solemniy en-
tered. Less than year had elapsed before
these pledges were broken, and the advanta-
ges which they secured TO Freedom with
drawn by the Slaveholding Power.
REPEAL OF THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE.
In the course of time and the natural prog
ress of population, that portion of the Lou
isiana Territory, living west Of the Mississip
pi River, and north of the line Of 36 deg. 80
min. came to be desired for occupation and
on the oath day eff May, 1854, an act was
passed erecting upon it the two Territories
Of Kansas and Nebraska, and organizing
Governments for them both. From this
whole region the Slaveholding interest "a
years before had agreed that '.Slaverv and
involuntary servitude, otherwise that in the
punishment of crime, should be forever pro-
hibted, and had received as the price Of
this agreement, the admission Of Missouri.
and subsequently, the admission of Arkansas
By the Kansas and Nebraska bill, this nrohi-
bltlon was declared to be s. s'iaoperattre and
r0id," and the intent and meaning Of the
bill was further declared to be, .snot to LEG
islate Slavery into any Territory or State,
nor to eyclude IL fheretrom but TO leave the
people thereof perfectly free to form and
regulate their domestic institutions in their
own way, subject only to the Constitution of
the United States.' Thus, without "a single
petition for such action from any quarter of
the Union, but against the earnest remon-
strances OF thousands of our citizens
against the settled and profound convictions
of the great body of the people In every por-
ton OF the country, and in wanton disregard
Of the obligations of justice and Of good
faith, the Missouri Compromise of 1920 was
repealed, and the seal which had guaranteed
Freedom to that vast Territory, which the
Y. S. had purchased from France, was
snatched from the bond. Oregon, Washing.
trn, New Mexico, Deseret, and the new Stat.
acquired from Texas, north of SO deg. 80
mn., by this compact, were ali opened uI
to Slavery, and those who might first becom,
the the inhabitants thereof, were authorized
to make laws for its establishment an / per.
petuation.
Concluded tomorrow