Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-04-01
SPEECH OF Mr.. HUNT,
OF LOUISIANA,
ON THE NEBRASKA UESTIOR
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. MANOR %. 1851.


the state of the Union
Mr. HUNT said Mr.. Chairman, rise under deer
seuse Of public duty TO address the committee the bill
To organize the Territories Of Kansas and Nebraska. In
expressing my sentiments, sir, viii speak in the spirit
of national representative, freely and independently,
uninfuenced by sectional preiudccs unmovea by caor
here elsewhere, with mnd intent upon the right,
and anxious promote the best interests Of the country
to s peace and harmony and to pcrpe:ustc the
union C these States Trammeed by restriction Of this
House injurious to free discussion viii be compelled to
condense what have TO say and must therefore request
that may not be interrupted, unless, uah.rpiiy and
against ny predecrmuation, should say aught which
may wound the sensbiities touch the Of honor
0t any gentleman on this floor.
The ill proposes repeal of the Missouri compromise
am opposed to repeal violative OF good faith,
contrary the policy Of the country engendering
d:scgri and dssersion among tine people of the different
sections OF the country, anl putting to hazard the per-
mauency Of this blessed and glorious Union.
TO develop my views 4ry it win be necessary to a
80 tie history Of the compromise, and to show Its
true character.
In 1918 bin authorizing the people of the Territory
Of Mgs2G: 10 hold convention to form constitution
Snd State government, preliminary TO the decision Of
Congress upoa the admission OF Missouri az State into
the Un.on up"n equal fonpg with the oypal .acS,
failed By disagreement OF the two Houses on the sub
ject Of slavery The House Of Representatives il
favor oa clause in the bill containing the ordinance Of
1857, while the Senate was opposed To that clause
At the next session. IN December 1919, the people of
Mssouv presented memorial Congress praying to be
authorized to hold convention 20 form constitution and
State government preliminary to the decision OF Con-
gress tis admission of Missouri. Simultaneously the
people Of Maine applied for the admission of Maine
State into the Union At that time the public mind had
been aroused and excited on the subject of slavery The
North the South stood opposed eich other III
sioual and aurrv array: the North determined pro-
hbing aud the South equally determined on admitting
slavery into Missouri and the other portion OF the LouiS
ana Territory. The debates in Congress were OF the
most violent and preudccd character. The passions Of
both parties exasperated and rtamed by heated
ami acrimonious discussions This state Of bad feeling
increased by the opposite views of the two Houses
Of Congress. majority Of the House was for restrc
tion Of the admission OF slavery but majority Of the
Senate opposed any such restriction The patriots
OF the contry began to trenhlc for liberties for
that Unoa which is their only guaranty and safeguard
In letter written At the time by Mr. jefferson, he says
Tie Missouri question is the portenous which
et threatened our Union In the goomest moment Of
the revolutionary had any apprehension equal
that fee! from this source. ... ..t
In this critical and truly alarming condition OF public
feeling, under the dispensatiou Of awise and kind
Proyiaerce tine virtue of the republic manifested itself
in q soothing and benign spirit OF compromise. The Sc
nate with view 70 induce the House to con-
sent the admission Of Missouri without restriction
on slavery. had connected the bill for the admission of
Maine, favored by tho House. with the Missouri bill be-
fore msnoGel But now committees OF conference were
called achieve the patriotic work of compromise and
union and Mr. Clay informs us
II was Gaally settled discQnnect the bills; to al
NIT Maine separately, without any conGexion with Missouri
and insert in the Missouri bill clause proposed by Mr.
ThomI, VI Illinois, in the Senate rsstTle, the admission
Of aye north Of So 3V, and leaving tie estion open
south oi ~ 3d. either to admit not Gadmit slavery. The
bill was aGay rassti The committees If cyaGsrenee of tie
two usryg recommended ths attachment Of tie two bills
and the pNage the Missouri b with tho caue 800 90
So passed went TO Missouri. 80 it for time quiet
cd the country.
This sir, in ny Judgment the first Missouri COM
promsethe great settlement Of the controversy Of the
North End the South thc subject Of slavery II salts
fed the North because il prohibited siarery in the Lou
II S.5 tnk ~
because elt slavery open south Of 3G7 So for adms
slon aud because 1t laid basis for the admission o Mis-
souri, into tie Union without the rcstsichn Of slavery
sadi aei the people cf Missouri because it Gutho
riZed tn 10 held Convention ~ form State Coustitu
ton, wiki any clause in trestricye OF slavery with
view to their admission Into the Union. ~. ~.
1t concession TO the South hy the Eortln which
had originally conscnded for the ordinance Of 1897 for
AissCrrt aud the balance of the Louisiana territory. 1t
wGs sson also by the North the recplc Of Mis-
souri,, Whom IL authorized to form State Constitution
without the restriction Of slavery and II concession
to the North by the sduth which originally cueniei for
the admission &C slavery into the entire Louisiana Terri
tory, Missouri included r.
This understanding this agreement; these concessions
this satisfactory seteineut-al this constitutes, in my
mind, compromise. Call by what name yoa WILL
act CT legislation, contract c9mpaGtgaofIagUe
Saiae garaStit is great set Of compromise settle
men by those who had right to make i settlement
to their satfaction settlement Tor national adyan-
tage for peace and harmony, for raeraa concord and
for union.
have called this compromise the first Missouri
promise; aud desire adj, II ut the expense Of repe
ttion, that il is, in truth and in popular understanding
and accepation, the chief the real the substantial Mis-
souri compromise aud that it j. known and designated
such, only in common parancc bat in ihe writings
and speeches OF our statesmen, orators and other pubic
men
1t has been said that there parties who could
make Compromise think have already in the
OF my remarks shown the Of this assertion But
for direct reply it, viii relieve and crafty the
House By reading the remarks of Mr. Clay in his speech
On the late compromise measures in to similar
objection from Mr.. Davis, Of Massachusetts:
The honorable gentleman Massachusetts Mr. Dayc
says there parties who make coGpr0Esisc. VIII
the Senator for saying that this remark smells too
much Of the tceinicay Of Blackstone No parties Are
there conflicting interests conflicting opinions per
vading the whole country? Who the parties n that
greatest Of all compromises the Constitution Of the United
states There technical parties to that instrument
but in deheating upon what hegt for the country, aud
pcceivrg that there great and conflicting interests per
vadirg all its parts they compromised and settled them by
np!e concession and n the spirit If true patriotic amy
They adjusted these conflicting opinions and the COnstta
ton under which sit this is the work Of their
hands, great memorable magnificent compromisc which
indicates the Of duty when differences arise which
only be settled by the spirit Of mutual c9ncvssion
The year after the passage Of the Missouri the
people of Missouri, who had ayaed themselves Of il
authority to form State constitution came with
that constitution and presented it to Congress claim.
ing the admission OF Missouri into the Union Bu
the constitution offered unexpected obstacle 4
her admission. 1t contained proyso, inserted Iaai
o.1te7tiu as we are authoritavely Informed by thu
chief historian Of the compromise preventing the mgra
ton OF free people Of color into that State
the angry winds rushed forth from every quarter and tn
gallant ship Of State would have been swallowed up tn
raging mass of upheavcd from their prof0unies
dnn,s hut for the efforts of her noble crew and chief