The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1850-03-09

wouio nan u WIN piedsuIs, anu auoh II with
delight.
When preparing this plan the Missouri
compromise was suggested to his mind, aud
after considering II, he had rejected it as be.
ing less worthy Of mutual appreciation than
the plan proposed. HIS agcnc, 10 The csrab.
l,shment Of the Missouri line Of 36o 80 had
been greatly exaggerated. He had been
derlulIy surprised at the rapldliy with which
historical events are iorgo,teu. lie was not,
as had been said, the author Of that conpro.
mise line. lie was no, even a member OF the
House in which II originated.
Al the first session at which bill was in.
troduced TO admit Missouri, the bill failed
the House Insisting on ENGRAVING the proviso
Of the ordinance Of 1877, and ihe Senate dis.
seniIng. Al The next session, Maine was
knocking for admission. The Senate coupled
! the two States together in one bill, and said
# you do not admit Missouri we will not ad.
mt Maine. THIS was dune by decided ma.
Joriiy. The bill went through all the stages
ot conference before II was settled, aud then
il was settled by d.conneciing the two States.
Anc then /, was that Mr. Thomas, a Sc a,or
! from lilinois, proposed the line Of 36o 30
aud so !, passed. and so it went to Missouri.
and for a while quoted the country. b.
reference Ia the journals II appears that 10 ev-
~ instance this line OF 36;3U was offered by
Mr.. Thomas.
The ilne Of 36o 30 was voted for nv a m'lor.
iiy Of the Senators from tie South, among
whom were Nj. Pukue,, of Mary land, and
Mr. kmg. al Alabama. ln The House the
majorily o(lhe Southern menbe g, headed by
Nj Lnwntes, voted for H. He believed he
did too.
At the next session it was discovered that
Missouri had inadvertently Introduced into
her constitution an IuiefdiCtion Of free col.
ored people and when the constitution cann
to Congress the country was in an uproar.
Legislative bodies had taken action TO keep
out Missouri because OF this interdlcIon.
Tie did not come TO Washington that year until
near January, and with view 10 settlement,
he asked a committee oil thirteen TO be appoint
ed from the old thirteen States, and that com.
milee reported resolution, which was de.
trsted by three southern votes. The matter
then laid over. Tie believed he could have
; carried any thing there was majority
/, IA Congress IN favor of settling The difficulty !;
bu' there we're not enough Of Curlluses and
! Leonldases willing TO sacrifice themselves
for the Country.
} He then proposed joint committee, that
ot The House IL consist al twenty three mem.
bers 10 BE- chosen Ly bsllo,--frr Mr.. Ts,or
; was Speaker, md II was Mr.. Taylor VITO
had proposed this prov..o on al occasions
: aud on Inc titsi ballot eighteen of the twenty.
three persons nominated by him members
oi The comnittee we're chosen. The remain.
ing hive we're then chosen. Much 10 his re.
eret, some Of these declined, and Mr.. Ran.
; dolph was appointed on The Committee. The
two committees met 10 the Senate chamber
on the Sabbath, aud but a few DAYS before
the adjournment of Congress, aud. after a
consultation, adopted a resolution submitted
by him. That resolution was reported 10
both houses. and became the law.
Aud what was NJ II was a mere resou.
ton, declaring, AS n great fundamental prln.
ciple, that the Constitution of the United
States was the paramount law of the land,
and that all State constitutions and laws we're
Of no effect If in conflict with the Constitution
Of the uuled States. That # there were
anything IN the constitution of Missouri in
conil,ct with the Constitution Of the United
States, Missouri shall, by solne solemn &C, of
her legislature, suspend its operations; and that
upon such act Of Missouri being communca.
ted TO the President, Mr.. Monroe, the Pes.
ldent shall issue his proclamation, and Mis-.
sour shni' then be admitted into the Union.
lhis was the compromise. All parties were
satisfied with the assertion of an lncontesti.
Bile principle of law, couched 10 rather high
sounding words. meaning nn,hins
The enaclt men, Of the line Of go 80 would
be an interdiclIon of slavery north OF that
line. Will the South be satlied with this!
The Senator from Mississippi (Mr. Dav,s)
has SAID he will accept nothing short Of a re.
cosnilou Of The right to hold slaves south OF
that line, which proposition could not com.
mand over twenty votes in the Senate. Is
not non.action by Congress the best pocyl
II Is bstiet Ia have nnn.aclion than iegsla.
ion, inlerdicting slavery north of 800 3U,
and no recognition of II south Of that line.
No earthly power could make him vote to in.
,roduce slavery south of So 80; bu, ifa ma.
lorry decided that SLAYER, should be inlerdlc,.
ed north and recognised south of that line,
which would be hui equal justice. however
much i, would couhc, with his principles
and feelings, he would he the las, to IN erposs
sny obstacle to lis adoption. Bu, non action
by Congress, as no proposed, was the best
policy. Ii had been said that non action Sc
cured every thing tho North demanded; and
who was to blame for thisl Nut Congress.
lf the people Of California thought proper to
exclude slavery, that was their own business,
and a policy they had riga, to adopt. II
nature had rendered tho soil of tho rest Of
that territory unfit for slavery to exist there,
thore was none to ba reproached save nature
aud natures God.
IL 81. 4