Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-09-25

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one side and prohibiting it on the other
If universally acquiesced in and reli-
giousy observed as a patriotic Offering up
on the altar Of our common country, woald
put an end to the controversy forever, and
form a bond of peace and brotherhood il
the future. But, unfortunately, when this
expedient was proposed by the Senate in
1913, Ii was indignantly repudiatcd b. the
House of Representatives. and as a conse-
quence the whole country was plunged in
to a whirlpool of sectional strife and angry
elimination. which alarmed the greatest
and purest patriots of the land for the safe
ty of the republic, and was only rescued
from the impending perils by the adoption
of.he compromise measures of 1859, which
abandoned the policy ola geographical
line, and substituted for it the great pril-
ciples of self government and State equality
in obedience to the federal constitution
In view of the history of the pas, your
committee can perceive no safety in the fu-
ture except in 4 strict and religious fidelity
TO the true principles of the constitution as
imbodied in the adjustment OF that unfortu-
nate controversy, and adopted by the
whole country as rules Of action, to be ap-
piled in all future time, when, in tie pro-
gross of events, ii should be necessary to
organize Territories or adinit new States.-
The Kansas Nebraska act was the logical
consequence of the compromise measures
of 1889, and rendered impcratively neccs-
sary in order to establish and perpeiuatc
the principles of self government and STATE
equality in the organization Of Territories
and admission Of new States. For these
reasons your committee cannot concu~ with
the House of Representatives il the Pre-
position TO blot out from tire organic act of
Kansas and Nebraska those essential pro
visions and cardinal principle the faithful
observance OF which can alone preserve the
jus. rights of the inhabitants of The terii.o-
ries and maintain the peace, unity and fra
ternity Of the republic The great object
is to withdraw the slavery question fom
the halls of Congress and remand It's decis-
ION to the people of the several States and
territories. subject to no other conditions
or restrictions than those imposed by The
consiitut on Of the United States. Those
provisions Of the bill under consideration
which introduce and establish slavery. TO-
ge.hcr with those which ab lish ana pro-
hibi l. are alike obnoxious on the score IF
principle, iuasmuch as ;hey assert and cx-
egcise the right # Congress to form and re-
gnla.c ihe local affairs and domestic insi-
III ions of a distant and distinct people,
without their consent and regardless OF
their rights and wishes To avoid MI mis-
construction. however, upon this point.
your committee deem proper to remark that
tIiciv objections do not apply 10 that part of
the bill which extends the provisions OF the
fugitive slave law to the territories of Kan
sas and Nebraska, and provides THAT any
.person lawfully held to service in any other
State or Territory, and escaping iato either
the Territory OF Kansas or Nebraska. max
be reclaimed and removed to the person or
place where such service is due, under any
law of the United States which shall be in
force upon the subject" In this clause
your committee are rejoiced to find frank
and conscientious acknowledgement ofthe
duty Of Congress to provide efficient laws
for carrying into faithful execution the pro-
vision of the Constitution OF the United
States which provides for the rendition Of
fugitive slaves, rs well as all other obliga-
tons imposed by that instrument.
The preservation of our free institutions
depends upon a faithful observance of the
constitution in all its parts; and the assur-
ance thus furnished, that the representa-
uvcs of the people are ever ready To pro-
vide new ard additional, guarantees, when
supposed to be necessary, for the perform
ance Of that constitutional obligation which
has been the subject Of the scvcrcst criii-
cism in some portions Of the country, can
not fail to CRAFTY every true friend of the
Union. In this case, however, no such
legislation is necessary, inasmuch rs the
organic act Of Kansas and Nebraska extend
ed the provisions of the fugitive slave law
to both of those Territories.
The fifteenth and sixteenth sections of
the bill under consideration ead as fol
lows:
SEC. Is. Ind be dfurther enacted, That
all suits, process and proceedings, civil and
criminal at law and in chancery, and all
indictments and information which shall be
pending and undetermined in the courts OF
the Territory of Kansas. OF Of New Mexi-
co. when this act shall take effect. shall
remain in said courts where pending. to be
heard, ,riel prosecuted and determined il
such courts rs though this act had not