The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1850-02-22


limiting themselves to objections To any
one or To all Of the series of resolutions
that have offered. lfmy plan of peace,
and accommodation. aud harmony, is not
right, present us your plan. Let us see
the counter project. Let US see how all
the questions that have arisen out of this
unhappy subject of slavery can he better
settled, more fairly aud justly settled To
all quarters of the Union, than on the
plan proposed in tue resolutions have
and will hail it with pleasure. and
will accept il without The slightest selling
Of regret that my own was Abandoned
Sir. while was engaged in anxious con-
sideralon upon this subject. the idea OF
the Missouri comrromise, as it has been
termed. came under my review, was con.
sidered by me, and finally rejected. as in
my Judgment less worthy of the Common
acceptance of both parts Of this Union
than The project which | have offered for
consideration.
Before, enter into particular examination, how
ever, of that Missouri Compromise, beg 10 be allow
ed to correct great error which is prevailing, not
merely in this Senate but throughout the whole coun
try, in respect TO my agency in the Missouri compro
misa rather in respect 10 the line Of 80 deg 80 n
which established in 1890 by act of Congress.
do not know whether anything has excited more sur
prise IN my mind to the rapilty with which i'm
portat historic tranactons are obltorated and pass
from the mind, than when understood everywhere
that lhad been the author of the line of 36 deg 80 mn
which was established upon the occasion OF the admls
sion Of Missouri into the Union. II would take too
much time to 20 OyJr the whole of that important era
in the public affairs of the country. shall not 10 it
although have got ample materials before me, derived
from careful examination OF the journals oi both
Houses will not occupy your time by going In de-
tail through the whole transaction, but will content
mys If with stating that far from my having presen
ted as proposition this line of 80 deg 30 min, upon
the occasion Of the consideration whether Missouri
should be admitted into the Union no., Il did not
| ginata In the House OF Which was member. 1t or
ginatgl in this body as those who will cast their
coll ietion back and the honorable senator
| from Missouri, Mr. Blnon) more correctly than any
body ol5e must bring to his recollection the fact that
at the Congress when the proposition first made TO
admit Ms5ouri-or rather to allow her to hold con
VanliOn and frame q constitution and decide whether
she should or should not be admitted into The Union
the bill failed by disagreement between tho two hou
3cs, the House njting on and th5 mate dissenting
from the provisions Confined in the ordinance Of l787
Ihc House insisting the nterct0n Of slavery, and
Ln3 Lle proposition OF Lne lntefulCtOn
Of slavery, he bill li through; did not pass at that
session Of Congress. At TIE next session it was re-
newtd and az the time Of is rsnewa Maine knock.
ing at onr door 10 be admitted into the Union In the
House there was j)rlty for the restriction az TO
slavery in Missouri in the Senate there was maiori-
y opposed TO all restriction In the Senate therefore,
in urda 10 carry through the Missouri BILL the pro-
vision for her admissionorrather authorizing her to
etnnine the question of her admission that bill was
| coupled with bill for the admission oil Maine. They
were conn 'cted together, and the Senate said IN the
House. You want bill Tor tie admission of Maine
pqsind, but you shs not have IT, unless you take along
with il bill for the admission of Missouri" There
wIsa mljorty, a very large one, in the Senate for
coupling both together
| Well, sic, the bill went through all tho usual stages
Of diiagr lement, OF committees OF conference and
thoro two committees of conference on the occa.
iioI before to matter was finally settled And il was
finally settled to dIconnnct tho two bills to admit
Nhln> separately, without any cOnnexOn with Mis-
souri,, and 10 insert in Missouri A chuse propose 10
the Senate Of the United States by Mr. Thomas, Sena-
tor from Illinois, restricting slavery north of the line
" deg 30 min; and leaving it open south of that line
either to admit it or not admit IT, Well sir the bill
llnally passed. The committees Of conference of the
two houses recommended the detachment of tho two
cases, and the passage of the Missouri bill with the
clause 80 deg 30 min in it, and 50 passed. so wont
t. Missouri ~ ii for moment quoted thu country by
m sans of the introduction of the caue 81 deg 30 min.
You Will lni repeat, sir, Ii you will tko the trouble
10 look at the journals that on as many as three or four
different occasions Mr. Thomas in every instance pre-
scented the proposition of 80 dog 80 min It was final
agreed ~; and take occasion 10 say that amongst
those who voted for the line 36 dlg. 30 min. were tho
| majority Of the southern msmbers-my friend from
Aabama, Mr. King,) in the Senate, Mr. Pinckney,
from Maryland, and indeed the majority of the south
ernScnitors voted in favor of tho line 3j deg 30 min;
and the majority OF ta southern members in the other
House. at tho head of whom was Mr. Lowndos him
sill, voted also for that limo have doubt ddal
hIt 4 a.
the Journal docs not show how the Speaker votes ex
ccp. IN tho caso oa te was not able to ascertain by
r2sorts TO tho records how did vote, but have vo
ry luc doubt that voted, in common with my other
southern Friends for th, adoption in spirit OF COM
Proniia, II is true, Of the line 38 dog 30 min.
Wol'lr' so th' matter ended in 1870 During that
yoar 'i'souri held her Convention, adopted her con-
situation, son her delegates TO Congress, seakng 10 be
admitted INTO tho Unlon but she had inserted clause
IN her constitution containing prohibition Of Tree poo
PIo OF color from That State She came here with her
conulnh'n m containing that prohibition, aud nmadl-
tleY the northern members took exception to It, The
uahs which had been repraiscd during the previous
session now burst forth with double violence through
out thH whoa Union Legislative bodies all got IN mo-
ton To keep out Missouri, in conse lnence of her inter
dIcton OF FREQ people of color from within hnr linitS
dld not arrive at Congress that session till January
and whom got here found both bodies comp pl,tely |
paraly2ei in consequence of tho struggle to exclude
Missouri from tho Union in consequence Of that prohi
bition,
Wall sir made the first effort in tho House to set.
tie It. asked for a committceof thirteen, aud com.
mttee OF thirteen was granted to me- representing all
the oil States of the Union. The committee mat,
presented to them resolution, which adopted by
tho committee and reported to the House-not unlike
the to which, shall pres ntly call thu attention of
the Sanata--and W. should have carried Il in tho
House but Tor tho yotos of Mr. Randolph of Virginia,
MI. Edwards, OF North Carolina and Mr. Burton, of
North Carolina-two oftho thrae | beleye no longer
living These three southern votes wore all cast a.
gain,t the compromise which was prapired by tho
or rather by m myseh As chairman Of the