Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-05-08
THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER-
THE FORCE OF HABIT.

II
bad) has in controlling the actions Of men, it
has been called "second nature, and the in
fuence of an evil habit is ofentimes as difficult
successfully to resist, as is that of evil origi.
nal nature.
Though the latter is implanted by the Deity
and the former is the acquisition of man, it |
may be doubted if nature be more powerful |
than habit.
Be this as it may, profitable lesson in re-
gard to the controlling influence of habit overyI
the actions Of men, may be derived by contem-
plating its effects upon our respectable contem-
porary, the National Latelligencer. l
From time whereof the memory of few
men runneth to the contrary, the Inteltigencer
has been opposing the Democratic Party. Its
opposition has rpened into a habit which we
| fear is irradicable.
| A crisis in political affairs which threatens
the perpetuity Of the. Union, may, for time,
arrest the course of the lntelligencer and
awaken its reason, but, the crisis passed, habit
resumes its sway and our respectable contem-
porary, never learning and never forgetting,
| falls into its Bourbonic drift.
In the year 1850, series Of measures called
the Compromise Measures were adopted. These
measures the Wing National Convention de-
clared that they would "abide by as final
settlement" The National Democratic Con-
vention also acquesced" in these measures.
Thus the two great parties of the country
! adopted the Compromise measures of 1850, as
their future rule of action.
The Democratic and Wing parties had at
length found a point upon which they could
agree, and these two parties together comprised
the whole people Of the United States, except
the Abolitionists.
Among the Compromise Measures we're the
acts organizing the Territories of New Mexico
and Utah.
By these acts the people of each territory,
respectively, were authorized to settle for them
! selves the propriety of adopting or prohibiting
| slavery, as to them might seem best. In neither
of these Territories was slavery prohibited by
Congress, though portions Of both of them
we're north of $50 3O/ north latitude.
All of Utah except a small portion was
north of the line, and all of New Mexico, ex-
cept small portion, was south OF the line.
To neither had the principle of the so-called
Missouri Compromise been applied.
As to the two, the only two Territories whose
organizations were included among the Com
promise Measures of 1850, the so-caled Mis-
souri, Compromise was /" imperative and roid,"
and to the Compromise of 1850, both the Demo
cratic and Wing parties were fully committed.
In 1854, the public veal demanded the or
ganzaton of Nebraska and Kansas. No OBJ
lection was urged from any quarter to the
organization of these Territories. The excite
ment which subsequently grew up, was caused
by particular provisions Of the act. No one
said that the Territories should not be or
ganized at all. The contest was as to the
principle upon which they we're to be organized,
and not as to the organization ITSELF
Now, what was the principle upon which
the Democratic party claimed that the Terri
tories should be organized? We reply, upon
the same principle upon which The Territories
of Ne,o Merico and Utah ,oere organized-or,
in other words, UPON THE PRINCIPLES OF THE
oMPRoMIsE OF 1850.
BY the acts organizing New Mexico and
Utah, the people of those Territories we're left
free to settle for themselves respectively the
question of slavery.
By the act organizing Nebraska and Kansas,
the people of those Territories were left free
to settle for themselves respectively the ques-
ton of slavery.
AS regards New Mexico and Utah, the so
called Missouri Compromise line was mop
eratiUe and uoid." n
AS regards Nebraska and Kansas, the Mis-
souri, Compromise line was imperative and
uoid"
That the Abolitionists should oppose the
Nebraska Kansas act was to have been ex-
pected. They had opposed the Compromise
Measures of 1850, or, as the Wing party de-
lighted to call them, the Peace measures of
1850"
The Aboltionists we're so few in number,
that their opposition excited no apprehension.
The Democratic party had introduced the
bill, and had every right to expect the hearty
cooperation Of the Wing party.
But, alas the "Peace" measures we're more
than three years old-the crisis had passed,
and habit resumed its sway. The Lateliigenccr
opened the war, by proclaiming the declaration
Of the bill that the Missouri Compromise was
"uoperatire and roid, TO be breach of faith
to the North, and prophesied the renewal Of
the slavery agitation.
Occupying the position it did with its party,
and claiming to be "Southern in feeling and
principle" the language Of the bateuigcncer
was calculated to create the agitation it fore
| told.
The Wing party North ignored the peace
measures of which il had been so proud. 1t
did know nothing of them. Some of the
4 Wb,oo Moth, brsd,lx TO he hol;.