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


ed. That course was agreed upon, and Mr.. Holmes,
believe, Of Maine, presided over the committee OF
the Senate, and presided over the committee Of the
House. Idid them what protested would not do at
this session. took too much the lead in the discussion
brought forward the proposition which will refer to
presently; aud did more took the trouble TO ascer
tain the views OF each member of the committee--l
polled the committee, if Imay use the expression.
said, now, gentlemen we do not want a proposition
carried here by simple majority and reported TO the
House, there to be ected am for something prac
tical something conclusive, something decisive upon
this agtating question: and it should be carried by
good majority. How will you vote, Mr. AT how will
you vote, Mr.. Bl how will YOU vote, Mr.. c.! and
polled them in that way Wel sir, to my very great
happiness, sufficient number responded afirmltvely
that they wod vote for the proposition to enable me
TO know that II thay continued to vote that way in the
two houses Of which had not particle OF doubt IN
the world the proposition would be carried in the two
houses. Accordingly, it having been agreed upon by
both committees, and reported to their respective
houses, it was finally adopted.
This joint resolution for the admission of Missouri
passed in 1921. Il find have been furnished WIN
one which was proposed, but not adopted The rignt
one is conainedin the statutes at arge have seen
there)
Well, sir, the resolution was finally adopted lean
state without reading 1t, what its provisions are, IL
3cares that ii tn re be any provision IN the contu-
ton of Missouri Incompatible with the constitution OF
the United Sates Missouri shall forbear to enforce the
repugnant provisions Of her constitution, ana tnat she
shall by some solemn and authentic act declare that
she will not enforce any provisions other constitution
which ara incompatible with the constitution of the
United States and upon her passage OF such solemn
and authentic act the Presid3n of the United States
who was at that time Mr.. Monroe-shall make proc
lamaon of the fact and thereupon, and without any
further legislation of Congress, Missouri shall be ad
mted into the Union.
Now sir want to call your attention TO this period
of history and TO the transactions which took place du
ring the progress of the discussion upon the resolution
During the discussion which took place in the House
at that time, from day to day. and from night to night
for the discussions frequently ran into the might've
VINO for admitting Missouri into the Union said tC
our brethren from the North, " Why, gentlemen, i
there be any provisions in the constitution of Missouri
which is repugnant TO the constitution Of the UniteC
States it is nullity The constitution of the United
States by virtue Of its own operation-ts own self
operaton--v -vacates it. Amy tribunal earth before
which thu question may be brought must pronounce
the constitution Of the United States paramount, ant
must pronounce as invalid the repugnant provisions
the constitution of Missouri" Well sir the argu
ment was turned, and twisted and used in every pos
sible variety ofform All was in vain An inhexiblt
minority stood out to the last against the admission
| M.ssou l. and yet the resolution
| Mr.. Underwood | have it here
Mr. Clay. If you will read it. shall be obliged tc
Mr.. Underwood read the resolution as follows:
Resolution providing for the admission of the State o
Missouri into the Union, on certain condition:
tires Of the United States Of America In Congress
aSSemJtei, That Missouri shall be admitted into this
Union on an equal footing with the original States in all
respects whatever, upon the fundamental condition
that the fourth clause of the 26lh section of the thrC
article of the con5uti m submitted on the part of sale
State TO Congress- shall never be construed to auth0
rze the passage Of any law and that no law shall be
passed in conformity thereto, by which any citizen
either Othe States in this Union shall be excluded from
the enjoyment OF any of the privileges and immunitie
to which such citizen is entitled under the constitution
OF the United States: PrOUded That the Legislature
he said State, by solemn public act shall declare thu
assent of ht said State TO the said fun ameAtal cond
ton, and shall transmit TO the President of the Unite,
Stltes, on or before the fourth Monday in November
next an authentic copy Of the said act upon the recep
whereof the Presdnntby proclamation, shall announce
the fact; wheriupon, and without any further proceed
ing on the part of Congress- the admission of the sale
State into this Union shall be considered complete
[Approved, March Q, 1921.
Hr Clay. There is the resolution, sir, and you SCI
II is prucialv Whist have stated After all this excite
minl throughout the country, reaching to such an
farming point, that the Union itself supposed 10 b.
the most imminent peril and danger the parties wer
satisfied by the declaration of nconestable princi
pie o constitutional law, that when the constitution
state Is yioatve in its provisions of the constitution
OF the United States the constitution of the o. State
u paramount and the constitution of the State in tina
particular Is nullity and void. That all. They
wanted something as Justification and this appeared
a. least Justification of the course they took. ThcrC
IL great deal of language there of high sounding
charactar-that II shall be fundamental act solemn
act an authentic act; but, after ALL when you come to
strip ii Of its yorbiage it Is nothing but the announce.
ment OF the principle that the con'ttutOn of the Uni
ted States Is paramount over the local constitution Of
any ono Of the States of the Union.
Nh President, may draw from th, Transaction in
our history which we arc now examining this moral;
that now thon f will only suffer our reason to
have its scope and sway and to still and hush the pas.
sion and excitement that has been created by the
sion, the difficulty will be more than half removed in
the settlement upon just anil amicable principles OF
any question, which unhuPpily divide us at this
ment.
But sir, wish to contrast the plan of accommola.
ton which is proposed by mo with that which Is offer.
ed by tho Missouri compromise line being extended to
the Pacific ocean, and to ask of gentlemen from tho
South, and gentlemen from the North, too which is
most proper, which most just, and to which there is
the least cause of objection
Now, sir, what was done by the Missouri linel Sla-
very was positively nterdicted north othat line The
question Of the admission exclusion of slavery south
of that line not settled. There was no provision
TINT slavery shodb be introduced or established south of
that line In point of fact it existed in all the territory
south of the line Of SD 30 embracing Arkansas and
Louisiana. II was not necessary then, II is true to in
ser clause admitting slavery at that time But sir
II there is power 10 inerdct there is power to aA
NIT and lpu II TO g,ntleman from the South are they
prepared to be- satisfied with the limo Of 80 deg 30 mn
slavery 10 the north Of It. and giving them
no guaranty for tho possession olsavery south of that
llns The honorable Senator from Mississippi told us
the other day that he not prepared to be satisfied
with that compromise line He told u.s. if understood
him rightly, that nothing short of positive introduce
tion--
Mr.. Foote. Recognition.
Mr.. Clay, That nothing short of n positive recogni-
tion of slavery south of the line of 80 deg 80 min.
would at fly him Well, is tharc any body who be.
eves that YOU oudgot twenty votes in this body
proportional number in the other House, TO decara.
ton in 1yOr Of the recognition of slavery south of the
lina 3jlg. 30 min lti' impossible. All that you
can g't, all that you can expect to got all that was
proPoi'da' thl last Si'iol action the north OF
tho ln', anl non.a'inn as regards slavery south of
that limo. Ii is int rlictel on one side, without any
provision for It's admission ON the other
81 !, Of ii, lin of SO deg. 30 min.
Now, Sir, when cana TO consider tho subject, and
To compare the provisions of the line Of 36 deg 30 mn
tho Mis- siOuri compromise line--wth the plan which
propose for the accommodation of that question, what
said to mysefl Why, II | offer the line of 80 deg,
30 min, intoxicating slavery north of it, and leaving
the question open south of that ne offer that which
IN u7ory to tho South offer that which will deceive
them, II they suppose slavery will be introduced south
OF that line. 1t Is better 10 them said to myself-it
Is better for tho whole South that there should be
action both ses than that thore should be action
slavery side, without action for the
admission of slavery the other side Of the line Is
II not sol What then, Is gained by the South, If the
Missouri line is extended tp the Pacific, with an inter-
dicon of slavery north of III Why, ona of the very
arguments which has been most often and most seri-
ousy ugedby the south has been this that we do not
want you to legislae upon the subject at ALL you
ought not to touch 1t, you have no power over It.
do not concur, as is we'll known from what | have
said upon this OCCASION in this view of the subject
But that Is the Southern argument. We do not want
you to lesiiate at all on the subject of slavery but
you adopt the Missouri line and extend it to the Pa.
ciAic and ntcrdct slavery north of that line, you do
icg'ate upon the subject OF slavery and you egisate
without corresponding equivalent Of legislation on
tho subNct ofsltVerY south Of the limo For II there