The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-03-11

not be Ut liberty 10 choose their own
way. Such construction Of the
organic act is manifestly erroneous.
Having thus given historical ac-
count Of the matter referred for their
consideration, your Committee will
briefly review the whole subject, un.
embarrassed by details They will
look at the subject as II originated,
as it has been for three year, and as
it now is
The population Of our country four
years ago, was principally confined
by treaty and by law to the compar-
atively small region lying TO the east
of the river Mississippi. Iowa, Mis-.
souri,, Arkansas, and part of I,ouisi-
ana were found on the western bank.
Also, on the extreme southern bank,
Texas; and Minnesota on the north
ern. California and the settlements
Of the Oregon were upon the Pacific
coast; in the center, New Mexico
and Utah The immense country
lying between our scanty settle.
ments upon the Pacific and western
boundaries Of Iowa, Missouri and
Arkansas, may be said, in general
terms, and with the above exceptions,
Ia have been unoccupicd. Guarded
by the Indian non-intercoursc act
and by Indian treaties, and without
territorial organization, the country
waa rendered. by statutory prohibi-
tiohs, an inaccessible solitude, which
pioneer settlers might not legally
disturb, Further extensions Of set
Element to the westward were thus
arrested by law. The western Dor
der of three or four States was the
western border of the United States
until we reached the top of the Sicr.
ra Nevada, and looked down upon
the long aud narrow settlement upon
the shores of the Pncilic. Tho Dor.
der States had become dissatisfied.
and clamorcd for western expansion
over the beautiful and fertile wilder.
ness which, though extending for
continuous distance Of n thousand
miles. approaching within three hun
dred miles of the Mississippi, was
abandoned by the government 10 the
exclusive use Of wild scmi-civilizcd
and yaprant Indian tribes. Unable
longer 10 resist tho demands of the
West for the opening M 10 settle
ment of n country 40 contiguous. i'm.
portant and valuable, and which had
been neglected no long as TO become
a lust cause Of reproach 10 the gov.
crnment Congress, in 1854. took into
it's serious consideration. the Justice
and policy Of organizing IL into Ter.
ritorics.
But two difficulties were in the
way Of an organisation: one was
the question of Indian occupancy
the other that Of African slavery.
The first was easily adjusted; the
second was the subject Of long, heat
cd and angry discussion. More than
one hundred speeches were delivered
in Congress at that session upon the
slavery question. At length the
whole country lying west of Nilsson.
ri, Iowa, and Minnesota, east Of Utah,
Oregon and Washington Territories,
and north of tho 37th and south of
tho A9th parallels OF latitude, was or.
gained into two territories, and
named Kansas and Nebraska
The law organizing these Terrific
ries settled the slavery controversy,
by providing that the people Of them
might form their domestic institutions
in their own way, subject only to the
Constitution Of the United States;
and to enable the people 10 do 40
without h,hafance Vi any k'nd, there
was lhSern' 10 inc &c. a cause TO
Pea''hs All laws eS'ap''S",hg, reg"'
| IatiDK or prohibiting BIavehOidlDH,