Kansas-Nebraska Act: Sovereignty Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Section.Sentence)

Quote #4

[…] it being the true intent and meaning of this act not to legislate slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States […] (14.4; 32.4)

Do what you want with your domestic institutions, Kansas and Nebraska. These are your territories, after all. Just make sure you don't do anything the United States Constitution wouldn't do.

Quote #5

And be it further enacted, That the provisions of the act entitled 'An act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from, the service of their masters,' approved February twelfth, seventeen hundred and ninety-three, and the provisions of the act entitled 'An act to amend, and supplementary to, the aforesaid act,' approved September eighteenth, eighteen hundred and fifty, be, and the same are hereby, declared to extend to and be in full force within the limits of the said Territory of Kansas. (28.1)

Okay, Nebraska and Kansas, we know we said you guys get to decide what you want to do about slavery, because you're sovereign and you're awesome, but if you could go ahead and return any escaped slaves to their owners regardless of what you decide, that'd be great.