JennY+Journal+Entry+3

I think the God is, indeed, in the Southerners’ side. Although the Missouri Compromise banned slavery in the Northwest, the Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed it and allowed settlers in those territories to determine if they would allow slavery within their boundaries. Praise the democratic Senator Stephen A. Douglas for designing such a wonderful act!

Everything seemed to not work out ever since Wilmot Proviso…but I guess not!

To win the popular sovereignty, my neighbors are moving into Kansas. I feel proud of them for doing what’s right. Slaves are our vital labor force. We should protect this system no matter what. People here call those Southerners the Squatters. I heard the name so many times when I came to Baltimore's Charles Street Theatre. I came all the way from Maryland to Baltimore to be an actor. Dear Diary, you must understand that love acting as much as politics.

As much as the Kansas-Nebraska Act sparked controversial debates over slavery, I can sense that people in Baltimore are also interested in the politicians’ opinions about the issue of slavery's expansion into new territories. The very recent debate was between Lincoln and Douglas. I didn’t get to hear it because the debate was held in Illinois but I managed to listen to the overall debate through a visitor who came to see one of the main actors in the play. I heard him saying that Lincoln claimed popular sovereignty would nationalize slavery. ‘Absurd!’ I said to myself. Then I listened to the visitor who also talked about Douglas.

“My friend, Douglas said that both Whigs and Democrats believed in popular sovereignty and that the Compromise of 1850 was a great example of this. I sure agree with him. But I have to admit that Lincoln was one of a kind.” After much discussion with his friend, the visitor left. He never explained who Lincoln was. Who is Lincoln? Although I’m deeply interested in politics, I never heard of him.

It was another long day in the theater. I admit that practicing my part, although it’s little, makes me tired. But I hear news pretty quickly because the theater is located in the center of Baltimore. It makes me sort of nervous. I just cannot predict what’s going to happen tomorrow… maybe a sudden rebellion of slaves?