Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1848-09-02

sitely the question of domestic slavery
within their respective limits, they provi.
ded that slaves who might escape into 9th.
er states not recognizing the institution Of
slavery "shall be, delivered up on the claim
of ths party to whom such service or labor
may be due"
Upon this foundation the matter rested
until the Missouri Question arose. ..
In December, 1919, application was
made TO Congress by the people of the Mis-
souri, Territory for admission into the
Union as State. The discussion upon
the subject to Congress involved the ques.
question Of slavery, and was, prosecuted
with such violence as to produce excite.
tnents alarming 10 every patriot in the
Union. But the good genius of concia.
ton which presided at the birth of our in.
stitutions finally prevailed and the Nilsson.
souri, compromise was adopted The 9Th
section of the act of Congress of the eth
of March. 1920, "To authorize the people
of the Missouri Territory to form a
Constitution and State Government" &C.,
provides, ....... ....
THAT in all that territory coded by France
to the United States, under the name of
Louisiana, which lies north of thrty.six de-
gress and thirty minutes north latitude, not
included within the limits of the State con.
templa,ed by this act, slavery and involun.
tary servitude, otherwise than in punish
ment Of crimes, whereof the parties shall
have been duly convicted, shall be and is
hereby forever prohibited: Provided, al.
,cdys, That any person escaping into the
same from whom labor or service is lawful
ly claimed in any State or Territory
of the United States, such fugitive may be
lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the
person claiming his or her labor or service
as aforesaid" ... .......
This compromise had the effect of calm.
ing the troubled waves and restoring peace
and good will throughout the States of the
Union. ... ....
The Missouri question had excited in
tense agitation of the public mind, and
threatened to divide the country into geo.
graphical parties, alternating the feelings of
attachment which each portion of our
union should bear to every other. The
compromise allayed the excitement. tran.
quilted the popular mind, and restored
confidence and fratcrnal feelings. Its au.
thors were hailed as public benefac,ors.
do not doubt but that similar adjust
ment Of the questions which now agitale
the public mind would produce the same
happy results. If the legislation of
Congress on the subject of the other Ter.
ri,ories shall not be adopted in a spirit of
Cancellation and compromise. i, is imposs-
Bile that the country can be satisfied, or that
the most disastrous consequences shall fail
to er sue.
When Texas was admitted into the
Union, the same spirit of compromise
which guided our predecessors in the ad.
mission of Missouri, a quarter Of q centu-
ry before, prevailed without any serious OPP
position. The joint resolution for annexing
Texas to the United States, approved
March ], 1915. provides that "such States
as may be framed out of that portion of
said territory lying south of SO degrees 80
minutes north latitude commonly known as
the Missouri compromise line, shall be ad-
mtted into the Union with or without
slavery, as the people of each State asking
admission may desire; and in such State
or States as shall be formed out of said
territory north of the Missouri com.
promise line, slavery or involuntary servi.
tude Except for crime) shall be prohibited
The territory of Oregon lies far north of
SO degrees thirty minutes. the Missouri and
Texas compromise line. It's southern boun.
Diary is the parallel Of AZ deg. leaving the
intermediate distance TO be three hundred
and thirty geographical miles.
And it is because the provisions of this
bill are not inconsistent with the terms of
the Missouri compromise, if extended from
the Rio Grande TO the Pacific ocean, that
have not felt at liberty to withhold my
sanction. Had it embraced territories
south of that compromise, the question pre-.
sented for, consideration would have been
Of far different character, and my &C.
tions must have correspondent with my
convictions.
Ought we now 10 disturb the Missouri and
Texas compromise? Ought we, at this late day.
in attempting 10 annul what has been so long es.
tablished and acquiesced in, 10 excite sectional
divisions and jealousness, to ALLEVIATE the people
Of different portions Of the Union from each other,
and 10 endanger the existence Of the Union itself?
From the adoption Of the Federal Constitution,
during period OF 90 years, our progress as
nation has been without example in the annals Of
history. Under lie protection Of beautiful Prov.
idence, We have advanced with giant strides in
the career Of wealth and prosperity. We have
enjoyed the blessings Of freedom TO greater sx.
tent than any other people, ancient or modern,
under government which has preserved order
and secured TO every citizen life, liberty. and
property. We have now become an example for
Imitation to the whole world. The friends Of free.
} dom in every cline point with admiration TO our
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