Kansas-Nebraska Act, May 30^th 1854

SEC.14 And be it further enacted, … That the Constitution, and all laws of the United States which are not locally inapplicable, shall have the same force and effect within the United States, except the eighth section of the act preparatory to the admission of Missouri into the Union, approved March 6, 1820, which, being inconsistent with the principle of non-intervention by Congress with slavery in the States and Territories, as recognized by the legislation off eighteen hundred and fifty, commonly called the Compromise Measures, is hereby declared inoperative and void; it being the true meaning and intent 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 form and regulate their domestic regulations in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to revive or put in force any law or regulation which may have existed prior to the act of March 6, 1820, either protecting, establishing, prohibiting, or abolishing slavery.