The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-03-14

Sio'O A9A1tco was l0cclSeQ. VI
ut ensued. The labor States asked tbat
N Mexican law of liberty, which covered
ms Territories brought in by the treaty Of nea
on might remain and be confirmed. The De,
es. oeratic party refused. The Missouri debs
ct of 1920 recurred now, under circumstances
K heat and excitement, in relation to these eo
at quests The defenders of labor took aIar
g, lest the number of new capital States milo
al become SO great as to enable that class
states to dictate the whole policy of Il
D. government; and in case of constitution
le resistance, then to form a new sIaveboldir
Is confederacy around the Gulf of Mexico. r
y ibis time the capital States seemed to bay
y become liked 10 determination that the Fet
erai Government. and even the labor State
should recognize their slaves, though outsiti
! OF Inc slave States and within the Territorie
Oh the United States, as property of whic
; the master could not be ia any way or by an
autnoity dIyested; and the labor States. hay
ing become now more essentially Damocrati
!, than ever before, by reason of the great de
veioPment OF free labor, more firmly than eve
INSISTED on the constitutional doctrine tba
slaves voluntarily carried by their masters int
the common Territories or into labor States
are persons men. ~ 1a
| Under the auspicious influences of a Whic
success, California and New Mexico appesreG
before Congress as labor States. The eanita
states refused to consent to their admissiou
INTO the Union; and again threats of disunion
carried terror and CONSERVATION througbout
the land Another compromise was made =
Specific enactments admitted California as a
labor State, and remanded New Mexico and
Utah to remain Territories with the right to
choose freedom or slavery when ripened into
states, while they gave new remedies for the
reception of fugitives from service, and abol.
Ished the open slave market in the District of
columbia These new enactments, eollated
with The existing statutes, namely; the ordiu
anee of 1887, the Missouri prohibitory law of
iozO, and the articles of Texas annexation.
disposed by law of the subject of slavery in
all the Territories of the United States. And
so the compromise of 1850 was pronounced a
fuiL fnal, absolute, and comprehensive settle
ment OF all existing and all possible disputes
concerning slavery under the Federal author
NV. Tne two great parties, fearful for the
onlon, struck hands in making and ia present.
ing thls as an adjustment, never afterwards to
oe opened, disturbed, or even questioned. and
the people accepted it by maiorities unknown
before. The new President, chosen over an
'iInstIions rival, uneqaivocaIy on the ground
"l greater aolllty, even if not more reliable
purpose, to maintain the new treaty inviolate.
made haste to Justify tSis expectation when
Congress assembled. He said
hen the grave shall have closed over sill
who are now endeavoring to meet the oblio,. O
tions of duty, the year 1850 will be recurred
to as period filed with anxiety and appre
hension. A successful war has Just terinina.
ted; peace brought with it great ang men.
taton of Territory. Disturbing questions
arose, bearing upon tie domestic institutions
OF portion of the Confederacy. and inyoIv.
ing the constitutional rights of the States :
But, notwithstanding differences of opinion
and sentiment, in relation to details and sne.
CHIC provisions, the acquiescence of distin.
ynlshed citizeps. whose devotion to the Union
'an never be doubted, has given newed Wig
,r 10 or institutions, and restored sense of
security and repose to the public mind thro'.
'ut the Confederaey. That this repose ia to
affer no shock during my official term, if L
lave the power to avert it, those who placed
ne here may be assured" =
. . ID ardly, however, had these inspiring sounds
lied away, throughout reassured and delight.
q land before the national repose was shock.
q again; shocked, indeed, as it had never be.
ore Been, and smitten this time by blow
rom the very hand that had Just released the
hords of the national harp from their utter.
nee of that exalted symphony of peace.
Kansas and Nebraska. the long devoted &
of labor and freedom, saved in the
gony OF national fear in 1920, and saved
gam In the panic of 1850, were now to be E
Pened by Congress, that the never ending
curse OF seed time and harvest might begin
be sfave capitalists of Missouri, from their
En well assured homes on tue eastern banks
thelr noble river, looked down upon aud
oVesed the fertile prairies of Kansas; while
sudden terror ran through all the capital
tates, when they saw a seeming certainty
lat at last new labor State would be built
Their western border, inevitably franght as
ney said, With near or remote abolition of
avery. What could be done? Congress-
BALD hardly be expected to intervene directly
'r thelr safety SO soon after the compromise
lo5O The labor hive of the free Sta tes
as distant, Inc way new, unknown, aud not
ithout pefils. Missouri was near and watch.
H. and held the keys Of the gates of Kansas.
ne might seizs the new and smiling Territorv
surprise, IF only Congress would remove
le barrier established in 1920. The eoniunc. i
ire was favorable. Clay and Webster. the
sting iished citizens whose unuaestionahIe
evotion to the Union was manifested by their
'quiescence in the compromise of 1850. had
one down already into their honored graves.
be labor States had dismissed MANY Of their
Presentatives here for too great fidelity tn
eedom, and TOO great distrust of the efficacy
that new bond of, peace, and had replaced
en- with partisans who we're only timid, but
It unwilling The Democratic President and
ongress hesitated, but not long. They re-
seq the last great compromise, and found.
tn dellghted surprise, that it was so far from
nnrmlng the law of freedom of 1920, that.
the other hand, it exactly provided for the
OF that venerated statute; nav.
at the compromise itself actually killed the
lrit OF the Missouri law, and devolyed on
'ngress the duty of removing the lifeless
ter from the national code The deed was
ne. Inc new enactment not only repealed
missouri prohibition of slsvery, but it /,
ono'!nced the people of Kansas and NebrAs
perfectly free to establish freedom or slay. II
b and pledged Congress to admit them in
9 Time as States either of capital or la Il
r. INTO the Union. The Whig representa- :
es OF the capital States,i in an hour of strange
eoncurred; and the Whig party
tantly went down, never to rise again !,
'mecrats secededand stood aleof: the conn. :
was eonfounded; and amid the perplexi- Z
5 OF the hour, Republican party was seen :
Inering Itself together with much earnest
IS, out with little show of organization, to :
cue II 1t were not now too late, the cause !
freedom and labor, so unexpectedly and =
evously imperilled in the Territories of the {
lited States. Il .. fe . - 49, '"o
will not liDger over the sequel. The pop. /
= sovereignty of Kansas proved to be the a
ate sovereignty of Missouri, not only in the :
'soos OF the rulers, but even in the letter of :
arbitrary and cruel code. The perfect free. :
m proved to be a hateful and intolerable +
ndage From 1855 to 1850, Kansas sus- q
ned and encouraged only by the Republican /