The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-11-11
The Question STATED.

The following i from the speech Of Mr.
Buchanan, deIiveied in the Senate, March
1854, upon the Nebraska Kansas question
''The people OF pennsy Ivana have, from
the earliest times had the unquesioned fish
of establishing cr pIohibting among them
selves the ins,iluIron of slavery. They per
muled and Iegulized it SO long as they
thought proper, and when the time arriv ed
| tlat it was exped:ent and riSh, 10 eradicate
| it, they did 80 without diclation from any lor.
! ei9h authority. Neither the British crown.
| The continental Congress, or the government
! of the United States, ever spoke TO Penn
| sylvania in the tone of command upon this
! subject. We decided for ourselves, as the
| best Judge Of cur own interests and welfare,
aud we could have Justly spurned any in
| junction issued from an alien authority. Al
tho northern States Of the old thirteen who
participated in the Revolution aud won their
| liberties by the power OF force, enjoyed the
same exclusive Jurisdiction over the same
Question. This principle Of local control
! and legislation is as prominently stamped
upon the political policy Of the norlhsm
States as any of which hisloy holds the re-
cord. Pennsylvania, for good reasons; foun'
ded in policy and principle, abolished, in
1880, the institution OF slavery within her
5oidots; and she did this in a manner as Just
as it was heneficent and saulary. Not proup.
ted by the blind incalcuIating spirit of mod
ern nboIiuonism, she accomplished the work
gradually, and under conditions as little op.
prsssivc rs possible upon individual rights
aud existing arrangements. j there any
solid objection against EXTENDING 10 the peo-
pie of Nebraska the same rights which we
have enjoyed and excrrised! Ara tcpubh.
can principles to be varied by location and
geography, so that what is tight along the
waters of the Susquehanua shall he conSld q
cred criminal upon the prairies of the far
west, aud Il, the base of the Rocky noun.
tains Can Massachusetts, or New York,
or Maryland, deny TO their people who have
gone westward, rights which have been net
ther denied or questioned in the States from
which they omigra'rd
What spjn Of owl is 'his which rises np
in our midS, end invckes us to work al
outrage aud wroNgi Have the republican
citizens of the Territories no ti4ht 10 com.
plain that the general govcruuca. should nj.
Tempt 10 dictate their Institutions, and de-
7rve them of a jurisdiction over thcir own
concerns which has been enjoyed by the
=, Il
cucd, and are rescuug, the region in which
they have settled, from lis desert condition,
aud have made, and are making il, il for
the habuo,ion Of civilized man. Tho forests
have fallen before Them; The savage has r..
tired us they have advanced; they have sub
lrctcd alike prairie, mountain, aud valley,
la the dominion ot labor and industry, and
have swollen the wealth aud eNlcuded the
limits Of the republic. ACj sha" lEcy have
no riAhts except such as ar1 do,cd ou, IN
them from government located nj the city
o! Washington Shall their Laws bc framed
aal imposed upon ,hs,a ~ representatives
Of lluuorl, Boston. and Ea!imorc or shall
thcv, free tJom congressional mieglercuce--
tteo itcm tae dicta,ou OF representatives IheS
have ~ voice in c.cc'Nc--,hape tNer own
Institutions and the laws nadeE which they
are ~ I've ?'
awe would resent, in reuusy lvaria, to the
u'an.t. any ercrrachmeNt cf the fedora
government nran yur Just AMI reserve,
rights And why should we, therefore, as
SIS. in extending Congressional interference
mo the Territories ct the Union, The hum
bie emjgrant who soes out from amongst Us,
our relative, ne'EAya' or ftjoa1-shou'd car.
~ wi,h hum, - his rev home in the ives,
the same republican, principles, which prevai
in The locality ITom Which he emigEtcs.-
There is no reason why he shon'i fofeil auy
oi his rights as an American citizen, by i
removal into tie Terrlories-the common
1ropaoy OF 'be Cnucd States. Sir, when
lh's principle OF local power squares exactly
with tho national alcresis, in removing the
9srs;iou Of slavery from the field OF Con,
ste>sional debate, and secures the peace and
harmony OF the Sta,es in their relation to
each other. that man must have bad motives
or ru>I be greatly or grossly mistaken, WIS
would oppose lis adoption"