as the unorganized remainder of the territory of Louisiana,
acquired from France in 1803, and in extent was ten times as large
as the combined area of New York and Pennsylvania. By the Missouri
Compromise every square mile of this domain had been honorably
devoted to freedom. At the period named Indian tribes roamed at
will throughout its whole extent and lighted their camp-fires on
the very borders of Missouri and Iowa. Herds of buffalo grazed
undisturbed on lands which to-day constitute the sites of large
cities. Fort Leavenworth was a far-western outpost, Council Bluffs
was on the frontier of civilization, and Omaha had not been named.
Adventurous merchants passed over the plains to the South-West with
long caravans, engaged in the Santa-Fe trade, and towards the North-
West, hunters, trappers, and a few hardy emigrants penetrated the
"Platte country," and through mountain passes pointed out by the
trail of the Indian and the buffalo had in many instances safely
crossed to Oregon. The tide of emigration which had filled Iowa
and Wisconsin, and which by the gold excitement of California had
for a time been drawn to the Pacific slope, now set again more
strongly then ever to the Mississippi valley, demanding and needing
new lands for settlement and cultivation. To answer this requirement
a movement was made during the closing weeks of Mr. Fillmore's
administration to establish the territory of Nebraska. A bill to
that effect was passed by a two-thirds vote in the House. The
slight opposition that was made came from the South, but its
significance was not perceived. When the bill reached the Senate
Mr. Douglas, as chairman of the committee on territories, promptly
reported it, and made an apparently sincere effort to pass it. He
did not succeed. Every senator from the slave-holding States,
except those from Missouri,--which was locally interested in having
the territory organized,--voted against it;--and the measure,
antagonizing other business in which Northern senators were more
immediately interested, was laid upon the table two days before
President Pierce was inaugurated. The bill had fully recognized
the binding force of the Missouri Compromise, and if it had passed,
there could have been no pretense for the introduction of slavery
in the territory of Nebraska.

REPEAL OF THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE.

Directly after the assurance so impressively given by the Presi