Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1848-12-23
THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE.

The lucid. n,S CONNECTED with his era in
our history sh"uId be remembered. 10 he pro
pofly estimated. IL 1919 Missouri applied N
he admitted as Stat. into the Unisn. A
subject which had been brni,ed in the pnblIc
prints. and winch had deeply agita,ed The
public minds. was the recognition Of slavery
"Shall there hr slavery nr Involuntary sprvi.
'ud- in said te!rl'ory," was discussed a, two
sessions, aud such was the angry feeling
produced ny the discuss in, TIA, .he most
relentless h">'lltes were caused. not only in
Congress, but IN every portion Of the Unlon.
- The North was array-d against the Son,h,
and the mo1' threatening deHrnstra' ions were
used by these dlSeren, sections If The con.
tederacy. And to- such a degree did this feel.
ing prevail IN Congress, that all social inter.
course between It's members was destroyed.
This feeling was most graphlcAIly displayed
j" our rre>enr" by the late Governor James
Barbour. and p y. Barbour, both If whom
were mttnhtrs at The time. Judge Barbour Of
The lower House, decla,ed ,ha, he had never
conceived so intense an excitement could ex
isl in aay body. tn. Nur,h-rn and Southern
members orcnpied different, paris of the hall
the usual cnnr,esies We're abandoned, aud the
most irritating and provoking ,hrea,s and yes.
Their. The Mas,p, Spirits Of the House had
vanly endeavored TO throw oil on the troubled
walters. Every Fort increased the excitement,
and opened wider the breach which was alarm
Ingly -nIarging between them. Alter all ex
ped-n' had failed, aud Congress aud the ma,
Ton had de>pairrd Of Cancellation. aud scarce !.
~ hope left. the friend Of tho country was
heard rrtuk'ng The argry pillows Of faction.
He said TO The waves be s'ill, and forthwith
the winds ceased. Henry Clay -,i'a,'"an who
lives IN every pano'ic hear. i" this Union
will do justice, was the last 10 come 10 tie
rescue. aud 10 him alone is due the salvation
Of this Uuou. We wish we could give the
history Of This Effort as i, was given TO Us Ivy
The IaIe Judge Barbour, who, though a warm
political opponen, of Mr.. CLAY. was ", dis.
posed TO do hin jns'ire. He described The
scene as the mos, Imposing he had ever wit,
messed. Each side Of ,he hall were the North.
psn and Southern membefs, occupy Ing sepa.
rate aud opposite seats. Mr.. Clay stood in The
av.nae between them. aud for several hours
held :hem in the mos, eurapnfpd en,hral.
men,. II was no, un,,l he had been some
time speaking that he observed The pffrc,
which his ovprpOwerino eloquence had IL
pom his audience. For The first hour they
wer. as solid aud hnmovpahe as the marble
pillars with which they were surrounded. Mo-
thing seemed 10 arouse them; but finally there
came from the orator a torrent OF eluqnence.
accompanied with appeals TO their patriotism,
,ha, touched chord which none could resist.
The evidence Of this effnrt were seen in tie
Influences upon the House. From entire
d,f+ renee, the derpest concern was exhih,
ted in The restless movements and anxious
coun,enances Of the Northern members. On
one occasion. they involuntary rose from their
seats. and expressed their feelings in tho mos,
decisive manifestations. 81 had read, said
Judge B., Of Roman and Grecian cratory
II was familiar with The accounts furnished