Speech of Hon. S. H. Walley, of Massachusetts, on the Nebraska & Kansas Territorial Bill, Delivered in the House of Representatives, May 9, 1854.

Soft cover. Fine. 8vo. Original printed wrappers. Washington: Printed by J.T. & L. Towers 1854. First Edition. An important speech against the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, which prohibited slavery in the former Louisiana Territory. Not only will the repeal of the Missouri compromise be, in my judgment, a direct violation of good faith, and in entire contravention of the avowed understanding between leading men at the South and compromise men of 1850 at the North, in pursuance of which the measures of that year in Congress were to be acquiesced in as a final settlement of the slavery question, and further agitation and discussion of this subject were to be discountenanced; but it will of necessity impair confidence, and renew agitation of a more decided and alarming character than his hitherto existed. . . And I say, further, that after all those measures had been passed, a strong desire was expressed by Mr. Clay, and other leading statesmen of both political parties, North and South, that the action of Congress might be considered as a finality, and that slavery agitation might thenceforth cease in Congress. . . President Fillmore regarded the action of the thirtyfirst congress as a final settlement of this question, and has always so expressed himself; so did Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, and so as it was understood by the country before his election, and up to the time of the meeting of the present Congress did President Pierce. Fine. Scarce.