The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-10-27

North, according to the pledge in the
Baltimore platform? Did the Democratic
party under Southern control maintain
the harmony of the Union, and keep its
plighted faith with the people? Let their
very first Administration measure in Con-
gress answer, and let every subsequent
act of the Democratic party proclaim their
purposes and tendencies in the admins
tration of Government. By their own
acts that party shall be tried, and we ask
you, fellow citizens, to consider whether
they did not betray the people, and rem
der the organization Of the Republican
party necessity for the preservation of
the Liberties of the people, as imperative
as the Revolution itself. M1r
No sooner had the Democratic party
under the PIERCE administration become
fully prepared for action than the Nebras-
ka Bill was brought fol ward by Senator
DOUGLAS. The history Of this measur-
is we'll known and needs but little COM
ment. Suffice it TO say that it destroyed
national compromise Of thirty years
standing, whereby Slavery had been ex-
! Guided from the Territories north of the
Missouri line. and those Territories con-
secrated to Freedom, in the language of
that compromise, FOREVER that the
compromise had been acquiesced in by all
the distinguished conservative statesmen
of the country North and South; that tho
South had plighted its faith to the North
upoa maintaining it inviolate forever, and
had received the full benefits demanded
for itself, and yielded by the North by
virtue of the compromise, in the admiss-
ion of Missouri as slave State; and that
by thus opening up the Territories to the
admission of Slavery, it sought to deprive
the free laborars of the North of the bene-
fits and rights guaranteed to them by the
perpetual freedom of the Territories; that
there was no national sentiment asking
for such a measure as the Nebraska Bill !;
that besides being fragrant breach Of
faith, it was not only an uncaIled for, but
a F'anaticaJ reopening of the Slavery
question; that its purpose was to elevate
Slavery to National protection and Ma
tional Importance, in the Territories, equal
ly entitled to the fortering care of the
Government with free institutions and the
rights of laboring classes; not only this,
but as has been proved In the history of
Kansas, to force Slavery upon the Ter
ritories by the power of the General Gov
eminent, even against the will of the in
habitants of those Territories themselves.
1t was urged at the time that the object
of the measure was to leave the Slavery
question to be decided by the people of the
Territories themselves; but this question
lal already been decided by the whole
country have i common interest in those
Territories. Tho Missouri Compromise
was a SOLEMN agreement by the people
of both North and South that Slavery
should be forever excl ldvd therehon; the
people Of no territory had ,petitioncd
Congress to allow them to establish Slave
ry in violation of that Compromise; and
what earthly object conld there have been
in breaking down that Compromise ex-
ccpt to allow Slavery to gain foothold
in those free Territories, and lay the
foundation for its permanent establish
mcnt, when the Territories should assume
the position of State and rights of State
Sovereignty. 1t was also urged that the
Missouri Compromise was unconstitution-
al; but the Constitution gave Congress
the power to make all needful rules aud
regulations respecting the Territories of
! the United States; and willie the exclu-
sion of Slavery was regulation needful
for the prosperity and growth of the Ter
ritories-for their settlement and cultiva-
| ton bv free laborers-was that exclusion
unconstitutional. That compromise had
been held to be constitutional by the
greatest and best statesmen and jurists of
Union; and even DOUGLAS himself once
declared it sacred compact canonized
in the hearts of the people, and which no
ruthless hand would dare disturb.
The Nebraska Bill was forced through
Congress by the whole power of the
Enthusiastically batteries, promises,
threats and brides. No opportunity was
gwen the people of the country to express
their will upon it at the ballot box, before
its passage. The introduction of the bill
shocked the moral sentiment of the North
among all parties-the press everywhere
denounced it, meetings were held in the
most populous communities conservative
men who had previously stood aloof from
politics, arose and joined with active poll
ticians, and the people all over the North
demonstrated against its passage by every
means available in the few weeks ere it
passed to final vote. But all was no
avail. The South was memorable tho
Administration was a plant tool in its
hands-the opportunity to strike deci-
sive blow for slavery was never so great
before, and might never be within their
grasp again; and the deed was done, the
bill became law. The great barrier to
Slavery was broken down-the agitation
of Slavery was renewed by the party who
was pledged to the peace and harmony of
the Uniop-the war re-opened, and the
fair Territory of Kansas, the Key of the
West, was flung into the arena, inviting
the champions of Slavery on the one hand
and of free labor on the other, to grapple
anew in a deadly strife for the possession
of those fair fields which else had lain in
quiet beauty, inviting the laboring emf
grants of all chimes to take possession and
convert them into tranquil happy homes
and free communities.