Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-03-09

seemed to have become fixed IN a determine
ton that the Federal Government, and even
hte labor States, should recognize their
slaves. though outside Of the slave States,
and within the Territories of the United
States. as property of which the master could
not be in any wav or by any authority d.
vested and the labor States having become
now more essentially Democratic than ever
before, by the great development of free Ia
Dor. more firmly than ever insisted on the
constitutional doctrine that slaves ~volunta-
rily carried by their masters into the com
mon Territories or into labor States, are per-
sons. men.
Under the suspicious influences of a Wing
success. California and New Mexico appeared
before Congress as labor States. The capt.
tai States refused tc consent to their admls-
sion into the Union and again threats OF
disunion carried terror and consterna-
ton throughout the land. Another
compromise was made. Specific enact
ments admitted California as a labor State,
and remanded New Mexico and Utah to re-
main Tarritorie', with the right to choose
freedom and slavery when ripened into States
while they rave new rem dies for the recap
Ni'ii VI lhEiiiNFH ! 'Ai ~ NV u
the open slave market in the District OF Co
lumhil. Thesn new enactments. c'llatal
with the existing statutes. namely. the ordl-
nancn Of 1877. the Missouri prohih.tory law
Of 1890. AMI the article Of Texls annexation,
disposed hv law of the subject Of slavery IN
al the Territories Of the United States. And
50 the comnrpm So Of 1850 was p onOunced a
full. final. abs lutte. and comprehenslve set
Element Of all ~existint and all possible DIS
rutes c,ncerning slavery under the Federal
luth"ritv. The two great par les, feIrtdl tnr
TIE Union. struck hands in making and pre-
sentinr this as an adjustment, never alter
wards to he opened, disturbed, or even ques-
toned, and the people accepted it by m1lor-
tiles unknown before. The new President,
chosen over an illustriOus rival. unequIvocal-
" on the ground Of greater ability, even If
not more reliable purpose 70 maintain the
new treaty i~nviolate. made haste to Justify
this expectation when Congress assembled.
He said
"wher the grave shall have closed over all who
are now endeavoring To meet tie obligations of
iItv. the year 1850 will be REQUIRED to az a period
filled with anxiety and apprehension A success
full war has Just terminated; peace brought with
it a great au ,mentation Of territory. Disturbing
questions arose bearing upon the domestic institu-
tions of a portion If the Confederary and involving
The CONSTITUTE nal rights of The States. But, not
outstanding diFe ences Of opinion and sentiment,
in relation I, details and specific provision, the
acouiescence o. distinguished citizens. whose devo-
ton TO the Union can never BE- doubted, has given
renewe vigor 10 our Institutions, and restored a
-ense Of security and rep 'se to the public mind
thr' ughout Ii, Con'ederacy. Til . this repose is
TO suffer no check during nv official term, if l
have the power 10 avert it, those who placed me
here may rest assured"
Hardly, however, had these inspiring
sounds died away, throughout a treasured
and delighted land before the national repase
was shocked again shocked, indeed, as 1t
had never before been. and smitten this time
by a blow from the very hand that had just
released the chords of the national harp from
their utterance of that exalted symphony Of
peace.
KANSAS AND NEBRASKA.
Kansas and Nebraska, the long-devoted
reservation of labor and freedom, saved in
the agony ofnational fear in 1920, and saved
again in the panic of 1850, were now to be
opened by Congress, that the never-endiug
course of seed time and harvest might begin
The save capitalists Of Missouri. from their
own well-assured homes on the eastern bank
of their noble river, looked down up n and
coveted the fertile prairraot Kansas; Will
"A sudden terror ran thr1Sgh all the capital
States, when they saw a seeming certainty
that at last a new labor State would be built
on their western border, inevitably fraught
as they said, with a near or remote abolition
of slavery. What could be done? Congress
could hardly be expected to intervene directly
for their safety 50 soon after the compromise
Of 1850. The la9or hive of the free States
was distant, the way new, unknown, and not
without perils. Missouri was near and watch
full and held the keys of the gates CT Kansas.
She might seize the new and smiling Terrific
~ by surprise, if only Congress would remove
the barrier established in 1920. The con-
i%uncture WAS favorable. Clay and Webster,
the distinguished citizens whose IN
questionable devotion to the C"i'" wac
manifested bv their acqulescence IN
the compromise Of 1850. had gone down
into their honored graves. The
lab r States ha dismissed many Of their rep
resentatives here for too great fidelity - free
dom. and too great distrust of the efficacy Of
that new bond OF peace, and had replaced
them Wit partisans who were only umId,
hut not un mailing. The Democratic Presi-
lent and Congress hesitatei. hut not long
rhev revised the last great c~nmpr1mis-, and
found with d-ligrted surprise, that it was S
FAR from confirming he law of freedom If
1920. that on the other hand, it exactly pro
for the abrogation of that venerdtgd
nay that the compromise it>elt actu-
ally killed the spirit Of the Missouri law, and
lev lvrd ON Congress the duty of removing
lIfeless letter from the national code. The
iced was done. The new enactment not only
the Missouri prohibition Of slavery.
it pronounced the people of Kansas and
\ braSKa perfectly free to establish freedom
II slavery; and pledged Congress to admit
EN- in due time as States, either Of capital
II labor, into the Union. The Wing repre-
entat YES of the capital States, in an hour Of
range bewilderment, c%Oncurred and the
\ hig party instantly went down, never to !
Use again. Democrats stood aloof the /
was confounded and amid the per
'~lexities Of the hour, a Republican party
vas seen gathering itself together with much
arnestness, but with little show Of organiza-
ion to rescue, il it were not now too late, the
ause Of Freedom and labor, SO Unexpectedly
nd grievOusly lmperilled in the Territories Of
be United States.
HE SEQUEL.
| will not linger the sequel. The
Opular sovereignty Of Kansas proved to lie
he State sovereignty of Missouri, not only
the persons of the rulers, but even in the
tier OF an arbitrary and cruel code. The
eriect freedom proved to be a hateful and in
bondage. From 1855 to 1860.
ansas. sustained and encouraged only by
le Republican party, has been engaged in
I~ccsesive and ever-varying struggles, which
I've taxed ali her virtue wisdom, 4. modera-
energies, and resources, and often even
n physical strength and martial courage,
save herself from being betrayed into the
Mon as Il slave State. Nebraska, though
,oosing freedom, is, through the direct ex-
of the Executive power, overriding her
vn will. held as a slave Territory and
Mexico has relapsed voluntarily into
e practice OF slavery, from which she had
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