Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-04-10

Nebraska bill-a similar one saving the clause
repeating the Missouri Compromise, and es-
tablishing the principle of non-intervention,
passed the House of Representatives, with
scarcely an allusion to the slavery restriction
act of 1920, There was only forty-three
votes against the bill in the House. and some
of them from the North. On that occasion
there was not a word said of the propriety or
Justice of repeating the Missouri Compromise.
On the last night of that session l contr1bu-
ted, with the distinguished Senator from
Texas, Mr.. HoUsToN,] to defeat the passage
of that bill in the Senate. The objections
urged against it were, that there was no white
population in the Territory; that the measure
would be violation of numerous Indian trea-
ties: and at last the bill failed, more from the
want of time than from any other clause; not
a single Southern Senator, besides myself
and the Senator from Texas, interposed word
against the bill. So much as to the correct
ness of the statement of the Senator from
Georgia, in relation to the effect of the Mis-
souri, Compromise. That bill was laid on the
table on the last night of the session-the Sd
of March, 1853. General Pierce, on the next
day, in his inaugural address, congratulated
the country on the restoration of peace and
harmony and, true to his former pledge, he
solemnly promised that he would do nothing
during his administration to disturb the con-
ditiOn of things then so happily existing IN
the country. In the first message, on the
meeting of Congress in December following,
he renewed this pledge; but in less than two
short months from the date of that message,
the whole political heavens, then beaming
brightly and sending Joy and gladness to the
hearts of the people of the whole country,
the scene as it were, in n twinkling, and as by
the agency of some diabolical magic, was
changed. The political skies were suddenly
overcast by dark and portentous clouds, out
of which a storm arose, which, in the language
of the President, .has convulsed the Union
and shaken it to its very center"
] now ask the attention of the Senate to
the effect of the experiment of localiZing
slavery agitation in the Territories made in
1854, in changing the complexion of parties
both in Congress and in the country. In the
Congress which passed the kansas-Nebraska
bill we have seen that there was, at the COM
mencement of the session in December, 1853,
a Democratic majority of eighty-fOur in the
House of Representatives, and only four Free
Sellers; and in the Senate like number-so
small. yet so distinct in their principles, that
neither of the two great parties then known
to the country knew well how to arrange them
on committees
Mr.. HALE. You left them off.
Mr.. BELL. The Wings were afraid to touch
them. Mr.. Chase was Democrat, and was
so recognized by his brethren in the Senate,
and was taken care of by them in arranging
the committees yet he was one of the gentle
men whom | have designated as Frec-SOilers.
Now, let us see what was the effect of the
kansas-Nebraska act on the elections which
ensued in the fall of 1854, just on the heels of
the adoption of that measure. One hundred
and seven Free-SOilers were returned to the
House of Representatives; and the Democratic
party. instead of having majority of eighty
four in that House, found itself in minority
of seventy-six; and in the Senate the number
of Free-Soilers was increased to thirteen
Such was the complexion of the two Houses
of Congress in the Thirty-Third Congress.
which assembled in December, 1855. Now
we find in the Senate twenty Free-Soilers
How many more they may have in the next
Congress will depend upon the disposition we
make of the question nO1o before the Senate
| call upon the Senator from Georgia to say
whether he will have that number limited OF
not. Does he want a sufficient number to
prevent the ratification of any future treaty
of acquisition? How long will it be before
we have that number if the Southern DemOc-
racy persist in their present course? They
would seem to be deeply interested in adding
to the power of the Republican party. | con
slider that the most fearful and portentOuS OF
all the results Of the Kansas-Nebraska act
was to create, to build up a great sectional
party. My friend from Ohio. who sits neal
me, Mr.. WADE, must allow me to say that
regard his party as a sectional one.
Mr.. WADE. Is not the other side a sectional
party?
Mr.. BELL. So far as they are confined to tho
South they are, but they say that they laE
over.
Mr.. WADE. Lap over further South still
[Laughter.l
Mr.. BELL. consider that no more omin
Gus and threatening cloud can darken tn,
political horizon atsany time. How formidable
this party has already become may be wei
illustrated by the fact that its Representative,
candidate, Mr. Fremont, was only beaten il
the last presidential election 10y the most des
perate efforts; and | feel warranted i'll saying
that but for the imminent prospect of his sue
cess which shOne out near the close of tn,
canvass, Mr.. Buchanan would not have attain
ed his present high position.
Such have been the trophies of the victory
the triumph achieved in the passage of tn,
kansas-Nebraska act in 1854. 1t is with al
this sad experience of the effects of that eX
pertinent in localizing the slavery agitation
in the Territories, that we are now calico
upon to renew il. To be sure. we are told tn
circumstances are not the same. They ar
not identical, | admit. For instance, we ar,
told that if there is any wrong done by accep
ting the LecOmptOn constitution, the pCopI
of Kansas can easily redress it. They have
it is said, an inalenable right to change thei
| constitution when and how they please. an,
that they are not fettered by any restriction
contained in this constitution, | was SORT,
| to hear the honor able Senator fine Virginia
| mr.. HUNTER whom regard as one of the old
| fashioned supporters OF sound principles
| whatever Inconvenience theysometimes lead
say, in his latespeech, that he was inclined t
! think the provision in the Lecompton cousti
| tuition which prescribes that after the yea
| 1864 it may be amended in the way therein
| pointed out does not prevent any altera
ton or change of it which the people ma
| think proper To make before that time; nay
may say that L was astonished to hear such
| declaration coming from that Senator. whc
we all know that the only purpose of tina
! provision in the constitution was to proven
any amendment before 1864. This is the YER
restriction relied upon to give color to tn
change already made and propagated in som
of the slaveholding States, that those mem
| berS of Congress from the South who may b.
their votes defeat this measure, will have pre-
vented the establishment of slave State il
Kansas.
CONCLUDED MoNDAY