The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1860-08-10
Douglas and the Missouri Com
promise.
From the Chicago Press and Tribune.

PoRr BYRON, July 10.
A question has arisen in this cOmmu-
nifty in regard to the course pursued by
Mr.. Douglas in the Congress in which he
introduced the Kansas and Nebraska bill.
1t is contended by Republicans that he
(Douglas) changed his course in the same
session-thetis is, that he first went against
the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise,
and snhseanentlv, in the same sessi. in. =.
went for its repeal. This is denied BY the
leading Douglas men, who say that six
years elapsed before he changed his views
in regard to this Compromise, having
spoken against its repeal in '4s and for
Il in '54.
viii YOU please publish the record of
this matter in the Press and Tribunel
Your obedent servant,
N. B. Ellis.
We are able to furnish the information
desired by our correspondent On the
4th day Of January, 1854, Mr.. Douglas,
as Chairman of the Committee on Terri
tories, reported to the Senate bill for
the organisation of the Territory of Ne
braska. The bill was accompanied by a
report, from which we take the following
extract: ..........
"Your Committee do not feel them
selves called upon TO enter into the dis
cussion of these cOnIoveFted questions.
They involve the same grave issues
which produced the agitation, the sec.
tional strife and the fearful struggle OF
1850. As Congress deemed it wise and
prudent to refrain from deciding the mat.
1 -. =. .a,s.o,,o-g,, tkan n;tha a. b,, oa,rr,
ing or repeating the Mexican laws, or by
an act deolaratOry Of the true intent Oi
the Constitution and the extent Of the
protection afforded by it to slave proper.
ty in the Territories, so YOUR COM
MITTEE ARE NOT PREPARED
NOW TO RECOMMEND A DEPART
IURE from the course pursued on tina
memorable occasion, EITHER BY AF-
FIRMING OR REPEATING THE
EIGHTH SECTION OF THE MIS-.
SOURI, ACT, OF by any Act declarato
nv of the meaning Of the Constitution II
respect to the legal points Of dispute."-
Douglas Report rs Chairman Of the Com
lnittee on Territories, in Senate, Januar.
4, 1855.
Here the matter rested for nineteen
days. During that period Senator Dix
on of Kentucky introduced his amend
ment, repeating the Missouri CompTo
mise. Senator AtchisOn Of Missouri
was also engaged in privately manipulS
ting Douglas. In a speech delivered q
AtchisOn City, in Kansas, in Septembe
1854, the former thus Glludes to thi
fact.
"For myself am entirely devoted {
the interests Of the South, and wOul
sacrifice everything but my hope in HeaV
en- TO advance her welfare. He though
the Missouri Compromise ought to be re
pealed; he had pledged himself in bi
public addresses 20 vote for no terTitOriI
organisation that would not virtually az
; nul il; and with this feeling in his hear
: he desired to be the Chairman Of the Ser
! ate Committee on Territories, when
bill was introduced.
"With this object in view, he had
private interview with Mr.. Douglas, an
Informed him Of what he desired-the IN
PRODUCTION Of a bill for Nebraska lik
what he had promised to vote for, an
that he would like 10 be Chairman Of th
Committee on Territories, in order toiT
troduce such a measure; and IL he eoul
get that position he would immediatel
resign as President Of the Senate. Judg
, Douglas requested twenty-four hours I
consider the matter, and II, at tine expirI
ton Of that time, he could not intr0due
such bill as he (Mr Atchison) propoi
ed, which would at the same time accOr
Z with his own sense Of justice TO the SOut
he would resign as Chairman ofthe Tel
ritorial Committee in Democratic cat
Gus, and exert his influence TO get hiI
!, (AtchisOnl appointed. At .no expir'
tiOn Of the given time, Senator Douglu
signifed his intention 10 introduce sue
bill as had been spoken Of"
Accordingly, OH the 2sd day Of Janu'
~, 1904, Mr.. Douglas brought in bi
which he offered as a substitute to hi
bill presented nineteen days previoush
dividing Nebruska into two Territories
2 Kansas and NebFaska--and repeating II