Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-07-11

way in which such Reunion can .be niale etiEse-
Ths.subject upon which We have differed, IS
| that which nov furnishes the leading issue be-
ta.ee3 the principal parties in the coming else
ion and to which an nthcr matters have become
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of siaHerJ IN the territories
! Nv own course in regard 70 it has been one, by
the record Of which shah always be willing to
he Judged. whenever and wherever the acts of
an Individual are deemed If sufficient importance
to attgaet attention. The same thing can,
doubt not, BE- said bT those Of you who have diff
fere from me, and there we must leave tnat mat
| ter. We cannot eonfrol each others opinions,
1 when arguments fail to convince, and should not
desire 20 do so five could
+ I have, from the beginning, preferred the
| mode Of dealing with the subject Of slavery IN
the territories adopted at an early day oY the
1 founderSof the government, and continued 70 \
recent date and have uniformly resisted 3 de-
/ partrre from it. No mIu in the country can be
| more sincerely opposed to the repeal OF the Ms
I souri, COMPROMISES ives informed OF it under
circumstances csicaIated 20 make an American
Irrost sensitive in regard to all domestic acts
/ from which he thinks there is reason to apPre-
bend danger to the Perpetuity OF our political
/ institutions-in foreign land, surrounded BY
! the subjects and atfzocatcs of oespOtic power
Deeply sensible of its injustice, and foreseelng
the extent to which the measure would reopen
slavery sgitatiOn-the deleterious effects OF
| which few were more capable OF approaching
than myself did not hesitate 10 condemn the
Tact But the measure has been accomplished.
and the question that presents itself % those
who agreed With me IN that eoademnanon IS
what IS the best step to be next taken in the mat
ter with reference simply 70 the public interest
The propositions brought into view by the prin-
cipaI parties in the approaching election consist
of. IsL The restoration Of the Missouri Com
promise; 3D. The settlement Of questions rela-
ting to slavery in the territories by the direct
Legislation of Congress Sd. The immediate
admission Of Kansas as a free State under tue
Topeka 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 III regard
to them. --.55-...
It is worthy Of remark that, notwithstanding
the seeming fitness of the form of redress en-
Tbraccd in the first proposition, there has not
from the beginning been anything ike unanlm-
ity. in opinion on the part Of those most cpPos-
ed to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, IN
| favor of making its restoration principal
issue in the contest This has doubtless arisen
in part from distrust of success, founded on
the political condition of the Senate, the length
of time It must take to press the point with q
hone of its accomplishment, and tue weight Of
influence the propositions must encounter: But
other considerations have believe, contributed
to this result, The only territories left for the
Missouri Compromise TO act upon, if it were re-
stored, are those III Texas and Kansas The re-
Istoration of the Compromise, if effected, might
icome in season for the conversion Of the Texas
TERRITORY into slave State or States, but one
lean scarcely doubt that the Kansas question
will have been settled before that of the restora
ton of the compromise, with however much
energy the latter might be urged. {,
OF the restoration Of the old mode OF settling
lsuch questions viii speak hereafter.
The convention which framed the Topeka con-
stitntion was convened, without specific authori-
tty from Congress, in despite Of the viii of the
1.-THE territorial government which is recognised
as legitimate by the federal executive, and did
mot even profess to represent more than part
ofthe people ofthe territory But the objections tc
the admissios Of a new state into oar conieder'
leracy, organized under such circumstances, are
sought to be removed by the grave charges that
1.-The legislative branch of the existing territorial
Government, was not chosen by the people Of the
territory but by lawless and, in some instances,
IarTned intruders from Missouri, who intcrfered
lin the matter with design to make the territory
Ia slave state, against the wishes OF majority
of the people thercoftlat redress OF this Sriev-
ance, through the instrnmentality OF the judici-
ary Is FOR reasons assigned, impracicable, and
the President and territorial Governor, appoint
cd by him, desiring to promote the policy of the
Missouri INVADERS refused to extend to the &C
tua residents Of the territory the protection, il
respect to the exercise Of the right Of suffrage,
to which they were entitled under the organic
ilaw.
1 do not think it necessary, in The view have
takcu Of the subject, to enter into discussion
of the truth of these charges. Congress doubt
less possesses the constitutional power to dis
pense with file preliminary steps which have
usually been required for the admission OF state
into the Union But consideratc men will,
.N. -. ole
to be in the main well founded, Congress ougai
not to be asked To aetin so summary y way, and
upon SO grave matter, except as last resort
and after every attampt to secure to the territory
4 peaceablc and regular state organization have
been exhausted. The case before US has not et
think, arrived at the condition, and this brings
me to the consideration of the fourth PROPOSE
ttion, viz the carrying ont of the Nebraska-h Kan
isas act
lam free to confess that I have for some time
tpast regarded this act with more favor than
Ibid when it was first presented to my conside
ration as the instrument by which the Missouri
Compromise was overthTown. This may have
arisen from The fact that Itiave felt myself com
Ipelled to regard it as the only attainable mode
hy which the country can hope to be relieved
from the injurious and demoralizing effect o
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 won't
ed purity, conscientiously believe the future
welfare Of the country will depend. believe
also that the people of the free States, when the
resentment justly excited by the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise has subsidized, and more
Especially when they shall have witnessed a E,iI
and peMccable execution of the provisions o.
that act, will generally regard It as q mode fol
the settlement OF slavery questions, by which
they will stand better chance to have their
feelings and opinions upon the subject respect.
ed, and one less exposed to extraneous and i'm.
proper influences, than has been the case with
specific Congressional legislation. have moi
the leisure, il doomed it necessary to, to assign
cooclveior Thn minis In, regard to the measure