The North-Carolina standard., 1848-08-23

gress by the people of the missouri efIory oI ad-
mission into the Union a State. The discussion
upon the subject in Congress involved the question
of slavery, and was prosecuted wlthasuch violence
as to produce exciements alarming to every patriot
in the Union. But the good genius of conclllaton
which presided the birth of institutions final
ly prevailed, and the Missouri compromise was adopt
ed. The eighth section of the act of Congress OF
the 9th of March, 1920, to authorize the people OF
the Missouri Territory to form constitution and
State government" &C., provides "That in all that
territory cededby France the United States, un-
der the name of Louisiana, which lies north OF thr
ty-sx degrees and thirty minutes north latitude not
included within the limits of the State contemplated
by this act slavery and involuntary servltude otner
wise than in the punishment of crimes Wnereoi the
parties shall have been duly convicted shall De; ana
is hereby, forever prohibited Prooided oh1dys Indt
any person escaping into the same from whom laoor
or service is lawfully claimed in any State or Terri
tory of the United States such fugitive may be law
fully reclamed and conveyed to the person Claiming
his or her labor or services aforesaid"
/ This compromise had the effect OF calming the
troubled waves, and restoring peace and goodwill
throughout the States of the Union.
The Missouri question had excited intense aglta-
on of the public mind and threatened to divide the
country into geographical pares alternating the feel
ings of attachment which each portion OF our Union
should bear to every other. The compromise aliay-
ed the excitement ranquilized the popular mind and
restored confidence and aternal feeling Its authors
were hailed as public benefactors.
do not doubt that similar djustment OF the ques-
tons which now agitate the public mind would pro-
duce the same happy results fthe Legislation OF Con-
gress on the subject of the other Territories shall not
be adopted in spirit of cancellation and compromise 1t
is impossible that the country be satisfied, or that
the most disastrous consequences shall fail to ensue.
When Texas was admitted into the Union, the
same spirit of compromise which guided our Preoe-
cessors in the admission of Missouri, quarter OF
century before, prevailed without any serious oPPo-
ston. The +" Joint resolution for nexing Texas to
the United States,'' approved March the hrst, one
thousand eight hundred and fotyhve, provides that
such States as may be formed out of that portion OF
~oct
minutes, north latitude, COMMONLY known as the
Missouri compromise line shall be admitted 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 terrific
ry north of the Missouri compromise line, slavery or
involuntary servitude (except for crme shall be pro-
hbited.'
The territory of Oregon lies far north of thirtysx
degrees thirty minutes the Missouri and Texas COM
promise line. Its southern boundary is the parallel
of 10, 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 compro-
mise, 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 presented for my consider
alton would have been of far different character
and my action upon 1t must have corresponded with
my convictions.
Ought we now to disturb the Missouri and Texas
compromises! Ought we this late day, in attempt
ing to annul what has been so long established and
acquiesced in excite sectional divisions and Jeal-
ousies ALLEVIATE the people of different portions OF
the Union from each Others and to endanger the eN-
istence Of the Union itself?
From the adoption of the federal constitution, dur
ing period of sixty years, our progress as nation
has been without example in the annals OF history.
Under the protection of bountiful Providence, we
have advanced with giant strides in the career OF
wealth and prosperity. We have enjoyed the bless
ings of freedom to greater extent than any other
people, ancient modern, under a government
citizen life, liberty, and property We have now be-
cOme an example for imitation to the whole world
The friends of freedom in every cline point with adj
mraton to our institutions. Shall we then, at the
moment when the people of Europe are devoting all
their energies in the attempt to asslmate their in
stitutions to own, peril all our blessings by des-
psing the lessons ofexperence, and refusing tread
in the footsteps which fathers have trodden
And for what would we endanger glorious
Union! The Missouri compromise contains pro-
hbition of slavery throughout all that region
tending twelve and half degrees along the Pacific
from the parallel of thirty-sX degrees thirty minutes
that of fory-nne degrees, and from that
to and beyond the summit of the Rocky mountains
Why, then, should institutions be endangered be-
cause it is proposed to submit to the people of the
remainder of newly acquired territory lying south
of thirtysx degrees thirty minutes, embracing less
than four degrees of latitude, the question whether,
the language of the Texas compromise they 'shal
be admitted Gas State) into the Union with with
out slavery !'' Is this question to be pushed to
such eXtremtes by excited partisans the side
the other, in regard newly acquired distant
possessions the Pacific, to endanger the union
of thirty glorious States which constitute con-
federacy have abiding confidence that the sober
reflection and sound patriotism of the people of all
the States will bring them to the conclusion that
the dictate of wisdom is to follow the example those
who have gone before US, and settle this dangerous
question on the Missouri compromise, other
equitable compromise which would respect the rights
Of a and prove satisfactory to the different portions
Of the Union.
Holding a sacred trust the Executive authority
for the whole Union, and bound to guard the rights
Of all, should be constrained, by sense of duty,
to withhold my official sanction from any measure
which would conflict with these important objects
| cannot more appropriately close this message
than by quoting from the Farewell Address of the
Father OF his country His warning voice can never
be heard in vain by the American people. If the
view, thana half century ago, the present dis
racted condition of his country, the language which
he then employed, could not have been appropr
ate than it is TO the present occasion He declared
'' The unity of government, which constitutes you
one people, is also dear to you. Itis Justly so
for it is main pillar in the ediice of your real inde-
pendence, the support of your tranquility at home,
your abroad of your safety, of your prosperity
of that very liberty which you highly prize. But
it is easy to foresee that from different causes and
from different quarters, much pains will be taken,
many artices employed, to weaken in your minds the
conviction of this ruth-as this is the point in your
al and external enemies will be constantly and
actively (though often covertly and insdously) di
rected-t is of infinite moment that you should pro-
perly estimate the immense value of your national
union to your collective and individual happiness;
that you should cherish Cordial habitual, and i'm