The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-14

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sons indiscreet-mad IL you choose-fanatics, II
you choose to call them so-who are for dissoiv-
! ing this Union-(ind we know there are some
at the North who are for dissolying u, IN conse-
quence Of the connection which exists between
the free and slaveholding States)-l do not thlnk
that any State ought to be held responsible Tor
the doctrines which they propagate, unless the
State itself adopts those doctrines.
The last resolution declares
s. ResolDed, That Congress has no power 10
prohibit or obstruct the trade in slaves De-
tween the slsveholdiDg States; but that the au-
mission or exclusion OF slaves brought from one
into another of them, depends exclusively upon
their own particular laws
This is concession-not admit of any real
constitutional provision, but concession OF what
is understood, believe, by great number at the
North to be a constitutional provision-fron 'he
North to the South if the resolution be adopted
Take away the decisions of the Supreme Court OF
the United States on that subject, ana know
there is a great deal that might be said On both
sides Of the subject of the right OF Congress 10
regulate the trade between the States But DE-
lieve the decision of the Supreme Court has been
founded upon correct principles; and nope
will forever put an end TO the question whether
Congress has or has not the power to regulate the
slave trade between the different States.
Such, MIR President is the series Of resolutions
which, with ON earnest and anxious desire to pre-
sent the olive branch to both parts of this dis
tracted and, at this moment, unhappy country,
thought il my duty to offer.
Sir, while [ was engaged in anxious considera
ton upon this subject The idea of the Missouri
Compromise, as it has been termed, came under
my review was considered by me, and finally re-
jected as in my judgment less worthy of the COM
mon acceptance of both parties of this MON tn an
the project which offer to your consideration.
Mr.. President before enter into particular
examination however, of that Missouri Compro-
mise, beg TO be allowed to correct great error,
not merely in the Senate, but throughout the
whole country in respect to my agency in regard
to the Missouri Compromise or, rather, the line
Of $50 3U, established by the agency OF Congress
| do not know, Mr.. President, whether anything
has excited more surprise in my mind rs to the
rapidity with which important historical transac-
tions are obliterated and pass out of the memory,
than has the knowledge of the fact that | was
every where considered the author Of the line of
800 3U, which was established upon the occasion
of the admission Of Missouri into the u Mon.
MIR. President it would take up too much time
to 20 over the whole Of that important era in the
public affairs of this country | shall not attempt
it, although ] have ample materials before me-
derived from a careful and particular examination
of the journals of both Houses. ! will not occupy
your time by going into any detailed account Of
the whole transaction, but | will content myself
with stating that, so far from my having presented
as proposition the line of3Go 30 upon the occa-
sion of considering whether Missouri ~ ~ - he.
admitted into the Union or not, IL did not Origi-
nate in the House of which was member Ii
originated in this body. Those who will cast
their recollection back-and ! am sure the honor
able Senator from Missouri, more correctly per-
haps than anybody else-must bring to recOllec-
ton the fact that at the first Congress when the
proposition was made to admit Missouri or
rather to permit her to hold a convention and to
form constitution, az preliminary to deciding
whether she should be admitted into this Union
the bill failed by disagreement between the two
Houses; the House of Representatives insisting
upon, and the Senate dissenting from, the provi-
sion contained in the Ordinance of 1897 the
House insisting upon the Introduction of slavery,
and the Senate rejecting the proposition for the
Introduction of slavery. The bill failed 1t did
not pass at that session of Congress.
AT the next session it was renewed and, at the
time of its renewal, Maine was knocking at our
door, ALSO to be admitted into the Union In the
House there was a majority for restriction Of
the admission of slavery; in the Senate majority
was opposed to any such restriction In the Sen
ate therefore, in order to carry through Missouri
a bill or provision for her admission, or rather
authorizing her to determine the question of her
admission, was coupled with the bill for the adj
mission of Maine. They were connected 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 Missouri also. There was a
mejority--not a very large one, but very firm
and decided majority-in the Senate for coupling
them together Well, sir, the bill went through
all the usual stages of disagreement, and of COM
mittees of conference for there were two com.
mittees of conference upon the occasion before the
matter was finally settled. Ii Was finally settled
! to dsconnect the two bills to admit Maine sep
arately without any connection with Missouri,
and to insert in the Missouri bill a clause which
was inserted in the Senate Of the United States
clause which WAS proposed by Mr.. Thomas Of
Illinois, in the Senate. restricting the admission
of slavery north of $50 3d. and leaving the ques.
ton open south of 800 30', either to admit or not
to admit slavery The bill was finally passed
| The committee of conference of the two Houses
| recommended the detachment Of the two bills. and
the passage of the Missouri bill, with the clause
of $50 80 in it. So it passed. So it went to Mis-
souri, So for moment, it queted the country.
But the clause of 800 so, repeat, you will find,
| sir if you will take the trouble to look into the
| Journals was, upon three or four different occa-
sions, offered Mr. Thomas acting in every in
stance presented the proposition of 800 20'; and
| l
| to say that among those who agreed to that line
were a majority of Southern members My friend
from Alabama, in the Senate, Mr.. King Mr.
Pinkney from Maryla and majority Of the
Southern Senator's in this body, voted in favor of
the line of 800 30; and a majority Of Southern
| members in the other House. at the head of whom
| was Mr. Lawrence himself, voted also for that
line. have no doubt that did also; but, rs was
Speaker of the House, and as the journal does not
show which way the Speaker votes except in the
cases Of tie, am not able to tell, with certainty
how actually did vote; but | have no earthly
doubt that | voted, in common with my other
Southern friends, for the adoption of the line of
| 800 3U.
| So the matter ended in 1920 During that year
Missouri held Convention, adopted Constitu-
| tion sent her Constitution, by her members, to
| Congress, TO be admitted into the Union but she
had inadvertently inserted into that Constitution
q provision TO prevent the migration of free peo-
| pie of color into that State. She came here with
| the Constitution containing that provision and
Immediately Northern members took exception to
| it. The fame which had been repressed at the
previous session, now burst out with redoubled
force and violence throughout the whole Union
Legislative bodies all got in motion to keep out
| Missouri from the Union, in consequence of her
Introduction of the admission Of free people of
color within her limits
| did not arrive at Washington, at that session,
until January and when got here | found both
bodies completely paralyzed by the excitement
which had been produced in the struggle to adj
nit or exclude Missouri from the Union, in con-
sequence of that prohibition Well, sir, made
an effort, first, in the House of Representatives
to settle it. | asked for Committee of thirteen,
and Committee Of thirteen was granted 10 me-
representing all the old States of the Uuion
That committee met. presented to that Com
mittee a resolution 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 carried it through the
House but for the votes of Mr.. Randolph of