The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-09-30
NO. A..

ty. The treaty OF pence was concluded
i and large amount of territory was ac-
quired from Mexico. 1t settled rapidly.
California soon had large population,
owing to the discovery of gold within her
limits, and in short time the question
came up on her admission as free Stats.
Her Constitution prohibited slavery
Utah and New Mexico asked fo- Terrific
rial Governments. The question of the
iugitive-slaye Law was also apitated. AZ.
ter considerable excitement in 1850 the
Com promise measures were passed. Thew
consisted In the establishment of a bonn
dsry line for TexCs, the admission of CAL
ifornia into the Union as free State. the
establishment of Territorial Goyernments
for Utah and Neg Mexico, without the
slavery restriction, the abolition of the
slave trade in the District of Colansbia.
and the fugitiveslave law. 1t was obyiL
Gus that Congress had changed its policy.
which formerly was to restrict slavery
In 1850, they determined, and, in nv
Judgment, wisely determined, to leave
the question of domestic institutions 10 be-
settled by the people of the Territories.
The country generally aequiesccd in that
settlement. In 1852, both of Che great
political parties of the Union met in gen.
eral convention, and both passed resolu-
tloDs adopting the Compromise measures
as fnality on the slavery question:
| The country was sgain quieted on the
agitating slavery question. The peace,
however, was of brief duration.--
In 1853, the people of Nebraska De-
titioned for Territorial Government
A bill tor that purpose was reported and
passed the House Of Representatives,, but
it was laid upon the table iD the Senate.
In that bill nothing was said about the
Missouri Compromise, and think it was
unfortunate that it did not become law.
In 1854, the proposition was renewed,
and after some hesitation the chairman
of the Committee or the Territories, Sem
ator Douglas, reported bill providing
for the government of the Territories Of
Kansas and Nebraska, and at the same
time, for the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise. This was but four short years
ago. You remember the profound feel
ing it excited all over the country. At
ter fierce conflict the bill passed into
law. And here, gentlemen, l cannot re-
frain from saying, that. in my judgment,
this repeal was an uDwise proceeding
/ That was an ancient and time bonored
compromise. 1t had remained upon the
statute book for 81 years, with the
approval of men of all shades of politics.
1t had brought peace to the country, and
produced the so much desired harmony
between the two sections of the country
q the slavery question. 1t was unwise
in my judgment, say to disturb that
compromise. But | must not be under
stood as opposed to the principle of pop
ular sovereignty which auinates the Ne
braska-Kansas bill. believe that it is
correct and safe, and that wherever it is
necessary to act, the people 0! the Terri
tories should be allowed to settle their
own domestic institutions for themselves.
| would have this principle, however, to
settle questions, and not create new diff
culties. Now that it has been erected
upon the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise. now that it has received the sane
ton of Congress, of the Executive and of
the people generally, | would insist that
it should rigidly and religiously be sd-
hered to. l have far greater respect for
those who favored the repeal of the Mis-.
souri, Compromise, and who have shown
by their subsequent conduct that they
really meant what they said, when they
declared that their object was to leave the
people perfectly free to form their own
domestic institutions in their own way,
than l have for the men who opposed the
repeal, but [ have since endeavored to
force Constitution upon the people Of
Kansas against their will.
To resume: After the passage of the
Kansas Nebraska bill, A. Fl. Reeder, of
our own State, was appointed Governor
of the former Territory. He was menu
Der of the Democratic party, and oue of
the strictest of the sect He went to Kan
sas to put the new Government into ope-
ration upon the principle which bad been
inaugurated in the recent legislation.
He took the necessary steps for the e.
lection of Legislative Assembly. An
election was held But, citizens,
what an election 1t was not an election
Of the people of Kansas-no an electionin
the spirit of the Kansas bill. No! On the
contrary. it was an election by the people
of foreign jurisdietiOn-the people of
Missouri--and ~ electioni defiance OF all
law and all decency. The people of Mis-
souri, crossed the border, seized the ballot
boxes, and elected Legislature OF them
selves, and then returned to their homes.
Gov. Reeder, as in duty bound, set aside
these fraudulent returns wherever objee-
tons were duly made and proved; bet in
the case of several mem bers thus elected,
no specifications were filed With the Gov
ernor of course, he could not act. The
Legislative Assembly convened, and their
6rst act was to declare null and void that
which the Governor had done. They de-