votes. The debate went on until the
3d of March, when the bill was placed upon its passage, and even then
the discussion went on. When the vote was finally taken, the bill
passed by a vote of 37 yeas to 14 nays. The bill went to the House,
where it was made a substitute to a bill already introduced, and
passed by a vote of 113 yeas to 100 nays as follows:

"Representatives from free States in favor of the bill, 44.
"Representatives from slave States in favor of the bill, 69.
----
113.

"Representatives from free States against the bill, 91.
"Representatives from slave States against the bill, 9.
----
100."

And thus, approved by the President, the measure became a law under
the title of "_An Act to Organize the Territories of Kansas and
Nebraska_."

Congress had violated the sublimest principles of law, had broken
faith with the people; had opened a wide door to slavery; had blotted
from the map of the United States the last asylum where the oppressed
might seek protection; had put the country in a way to be reddened
with a fratricidal war, and made our flag a flaunting lie in the eyes
of the civilized world. There was nothing to be done now but to let
the leaven of sectional malice work, that had been hurled into the
slavery discussions in Congress. The bloodless war of words was now
transferred to the territory of Kansas, where a conflict of political
parties, election frauds, and assassination did their hateful work.

The South began to put her State militia upon a war footing, and to
make every preparation for battle. The Administration of President
Buchanan was in the interest of the South from beginning to end. He
refused to give Gov. John W. Geary, of Kansas, the military support
the "_border ruffians_" made necessary; allowed the public debt to
increase, our precious coin to go abroad, our treasury to become
depleted, our navy to go to the distant ports of China and Japan, our
army to our extremest frontiers, the music of our industries to cease;
and the faith of a loyal people in the perpetuity of the republic was
allowed to faint amid the din of mobs and the threats of secession.

FOOTNOTES:

[36] There we