Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-02-28
VOL. Xiv, No. 16.---WHOLE NO. 226a

oo''1.ay than anybody else-must bring to
leooiecSeu the fact, that at the first Con-
sress' "heN the proposition was to admit
"iSsouri-of' s,her to permit her to hold a
convention and 70 form constitution az
preliminary to dec,a,no whether she should
be admitted into this Uu;on-,be h;,I cid
by disagreement between The ,wo hou-
ses the House of Represeu,a,;ves ;ns;s,-
ing upon, and the Senate dissen,ino from
the provision containing the ordinance orI7.
81 the House insisting upon the in,erd;c-
ton of slavery, and the Senate rejecting the
proposition for the Introduction of slavery
The bill failed. 1t did not pass at that ses-
sion ofCongress.
AT the next session it was renewed and at
the time Of its renewal, Maine was knocking ut
our door, also, to be admitted into the Union In
the House there was majority for restriction
of the admission Of slavery in the Senate, a
majority was opposed to any such restriction. In
the Senate, therefore, in order to carry through
Missouri, bill or provision for her admission,
or rather authorizing her to determine the cues
ton of her admission, was coupled with the bill
for the admission of Maine. They were con-
nected together and the Senate said to the House,
You want the bill for the admission of Maine
passed. you shall not have it, unless you take
along with it the bill for the admission of II is
sourl also. There was a majoriy-not a very
large one, but very firm and decided majority
in the Senate for coupling them together.-
We'll. sir, the bill went through all the usual
stages of disagreement, and Of committees of
Conference; for there were two committees of
conference upon the occasion before the matter
was finally settled. Il was finally settled to DIS
connect the two bills; TO admit Maine separate
| iy, without any connection with Missouri. and
/ to insert in the Missouri bill clanse which was
a-x=. Il IL, Oh II -
! clause which was proposed by Ar. Thomas, of
] Illinois. in The Senate, restricting the admission
Of slavery north of sc deg. 30 min, and leaYin.
the question open south OF Sc deg. 80 min, eth
or 10 admit or not to admit slavery. The bIl
was finally passed. The committees of confer
ence OF the two houses recommended the de-
,achment Of the two bills. and the passage OF
the .isSouri bill, with the clause of IS deg. 80
mn in il. So il passed. So it went to Missou-
RI. So for moment it quoted the Country
BIr the clause of SO deg. 80 min repeat. YOU
viii fl ID. sir, if you will take the trouble 10 LOOK
into the journals. was, upon three four differ
ent occasions offered. Mr.. Tho1ls, acting in
every instance, presented the proposition oi sc
deg. so min. and il finally agreed 20. But
take the occasion to say, that among those who
agreed TO that line majority of southern
members. My friend from Alabs ma, in the SEN
ate, Mr. King ur. Pinckney, from Maryland,
I
body, voted IN favor of the line of 80 deg. 30
min and majority of The southern members
of the other House. at the head of whom was
Mr.. Lowndes himself. voted also for that line
have no doubt did also but, as was Speaker
of the House and as the journal does not show
which way the Speaker votes, except in tha cas-
es of tie, am unable 10 tell, with certainly,
how | actually did vote but have no earthly
doubt that voted, in common with my other
J ,ta-p tbo o1D Of 1f,-a ,f
80 deg. 80 min
So the matter ended in 1870. During that
year Misoouri hold convention, adopted a
stitutlon, sent her constitution by her members
to Congress. to be admitted into the Union; but
she had inadvertently insened into that consti-
ution provision to prevent the miyraton
of people of free color into that Safe
She came here with the constitution containing
tat provision; and Immediately northern mem
bers took exception TO it. The fame which lad
been repressed at the previous session now burst
out with redoubled force and violence through
out the whole Union. Legislative bodies all got
in morton TO keep out Missouri from the Union,
in consequence of her intersiction of the admis-
sim of free people of color within her limits.
Did not arrive at Washington at that session
uuril January ; and when | got here. | found
both bodies completely paralyzed by the excite
ment which had been produced in IT," struggle
to admit or to exclude Missouri from the Union,
in consequence of that prohibition. Wsll, sir, |
made an effort, first, in the House of Represen-
tatives, TO settle it. | asked committee of ,hir-
teen: it was granted to me, representing all the
old states Of the Union. That committee met |
presented TO that committee res )lutlon, which
was adopted by it and reported to the House, not
unlike the one TO which will presently call the
attention of the Senate. We should have car
ned it through the House but for the votes of
Mr.. Randolph, Of Virginia, Mr.. Edwards Of
North Carulua, and Mr.. Burton. Of North Caro-
lina-two, think, Of the three 10 longer living.
Those three southern votes were all cast agains,
the compromise proposed to the committee IF
thirteen by myself, as chairman OF tina, commit
tee, and they defeated it.
In that manner things held for several days.
TIE greatest anxiety prevailed. The country
was unsettled. men were unhappy. Thee
a large majority in the House then-as | hope
and trust there is now large maturity in Con-
gress in favor Of the equitable accommodation
and settlement of the question. | could have
ny coatera' question passed which | pleased,
except that when II came to the vote, by ayes
aud noes uniortunately-m unfortunately
then tuan now, hope, should there be occssi..u
for it-there were but few Curiiuses and Leoni-
d ses, ready to risk themselves for the safety and
honor of the country. Bet | endeavored TO a.
vail myself, much as could, of the good feel
ing that prevailed; and af'er some days had
elapsed fought forward ano her proposition,
and new one perfectly unpractlsed upon IN the
country. before or SINCE so far as kn w. pro-
posed joint committee of the Two houses that
Of the House consisted of % members that of
the Senate OIL do not recollect precisely how
miny. but of proper number to meet the COM
mile of the House and that this Committee be
appointed by ballot At that time, Mr.. Taylor,
Of New YORK, W. in the chair; and Mr.. Taylor
tad been the very who had FIST proposed
the restriction upon Missouri that she should
only be admitted under the provisions of the
dlnance o. I7o7. | proposed, therefore, that the
committee should be chosen by ballot. Well,
SIR ,ny motion carried by large majority.
and members cane to me from all quarters Of
The House asking Mr.. Clay, do you want
10 serve with you upon that committee: made
put my list OF twenty three members, and ven-
lure say that there happened upoi that occa-
sion what would hardly happen again; eighteen
# the twenty three were elected upon the frs.
ballot, and the remaining five, having the larg-
est number of votes, but not majority, were the
i st FIVE upon my list. moved to dispense with