The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-13

j
Northern stsfesui1h to go oSs stses beyond tbaSHs
manded by tho strict requirements OF that instru
ment
t---T The Mfxs0urt c0xp rQuI1sc-------
From The Mai nal lnteis spovr F.7
Nine weeks having elapsed since Cangress Assem-
4 bled cohprehepdipg nearly third: 1f the dslk
duration OF first session. We may now pause Tor
msment to cast glance back upon WHAT has done
and forward to what is promises IN future. Less
a. than ID. zen acts of foompa little sigaf
canoe, comprise tho whole bodyOf Legislation TO the
present day. "A vast deal OF business hiss b.sn re-
Clustered on the calendars Of both houses, and much
ether Of equal importance with any that has been
reported upon ia still before the committees OF both
houses. We do not know, however, that in this ap-
i larently dlstory action any inference should be
drawn against the present Congress- for in this par
hcular il has not fallen behind its recent predeees
sors. The disposition Of both houses, it will be al
lowed by all calm observers, Is quite rs favorable to
an intelligent and dispassionate discharge Of their
duty VI any Congress Of the last fifteen or twenty
years and until within few days past there has
been no reason to anticipate anything like undaly
excited discussions Of tho questions to be brought
4 before them --' - stts-a.s
Having published the proceedings from day to
day 1t is needless for MS TO particuarze or to dwell
upon even the leading me asures already before COM
grese. An exception to this remark ought perhaps
to be made Of the bill for establishing Territorial
governments In the country designated IS the Ne
brasks Territory To the establishment of q resu,
lar government the vast territory which has at
present no government, except such as 10 generally
applicable to all the country still in possession OF tue
Indians there would be no objection, or none to
speak Of were it not fer an important principle not
necessarily connected with the question, which has
been incidentally brought into debate in the Senate.
The circumstance TO which We refer is, o. course,
the feature proposed by the Committee Territories
of that body, upon an I'm ucky aterthought, to re
peal the Missouri compromise, and TO introduce in
lsu OF it provision extending the constitution aud
all the laws Of the United States over the Territories
except as follows $3.50, -s,~.
Ero.p the eighth seeten Of the preparatory TO
adDss a A~ouI into the Union, pprovet March
1922 which superseded ~ he tncip sof the sgs
lation OF $780, nmonly called tho compromise
sures and Ia declared imperative 4sft D q.
The committee here In fact propose what An no.
norable Senator from Missouri at the last session Of
Congress, expressed his belief tina. there was no
prospect nor any hope OF, to wit, repeal OF the
Missouri compromise.
We shall NOT nov enter into con siderston of the
motives, apart from t5e interests Of the Territories
in question: which are supposed by many of our
temperaries to have Influenced the introiuctio1 of
this proposition at this tlMe into the b ais of G N
the measure in the minds Of lis authors tits not pos
sbe that they could five we're made fully aware of
them, be such IS to obviate tine decisive objections
that We have to this part of the bill Of the com
mittee. 'nE5 - II
The fundamental objection to this proposition
which must strike every mind the mere suggestion
OF which, indeed, IL enosgA t. stare the le friends
OF the constitution IN eysry qlarer OF the Unlonis
tDat IL proposes Nunoht CfcumlOcutiOA, ule dDrDga-
ton of compact hardly less formal than That Of the
constitute ION itself aud which can hardly be deeMed
Of less high Obligation than that instrument Asd
this notification OF solemn covenant bstween she
United States and the Slate Of. Missouri1betNeee
the South and the Motifs proposed on the ground
that this compact vas "snpefseded !" and rendered
imperative by the g com PROMISES of lS50!ef
There is no one in the wide circte of our readers
the policy as wen as to the durability Of the COM
promise Of 1850. But no one, we should think,
would seriously pretend that it is of higher obiga
ton in any part OF it, than the com pact which is
usually known as the Missouri compromise. ~
The bare recurrence to the circumstances under
which the Missouri compromise was ratified will
chow with how much gre ater solemnity the termioa
tion of that alarming controversy was attended The
discussion and the excitement Of the Missouri qnes-
ton continued during the terms Of two Congresses,
and during Of course an equal space OF tme in the
now State of Missoari. The crisis Of 1850, on the
contrary broke out on sudden uSOn the Upeniag Of
threatening aspect But, after all, the Nashville
convention, the product OF that excitement, was but
he creature Of an hour. Within very few months,
rainly by the exeron Of spirit Of pure patriotism
sides Of certain geographical line and the good
fortune OF the nation in its having then ut its hsln
wise and upright chief magistrate the question
sicaby settled to the nearly universal sltisftc
son OF all good citizens. 0fthe leaders in this gre,s
cheme Of conci'iation without sitting the names of
be living, the nation yet mourns the decease Of NO
great statesmen-Clay aud Webster--the termioation
s'@hcse earthly career. it can hardly 20 dolbted
FASTENED by their almost than mortal Efforts
to bring about that suspicious result. 1sr
Nor In this connection can we f6rbear recurring to
the closing scenes Of the Missouri controversy, more
than thirty years ago. Who that Witnessed them
ever forget thefhl Whatever the reader may have
happened to think Of toe political character of Nc.
Clay, the Chief actor in that scene, one Of any
creed in politics but rene nbsr with respect and
admiration, the fearless indie endencs the total
disregard Of party or selfinterest, with which he
threw himself Into the breach on that OCCASION and
by hts energy ind influence restored quiet - a dis
!. tracted country, Nor should we nit due honor to
those fellow members Of Mr.. Clay in the Same House
OF Representatives. Who resisting curren, OF pub.
lie feeling in States which they represented as
sisted him to breast the storm and steer the
ship OF State into calm waters. The colleagues
OF those gentlemen, who took different course,
and persevered TO the end in resisting the con-
promise, we have never, doubted acted u1der q
sense OF duty which they could not capssentiously
disobey. so much grea er the merit Of those from
the some part Of Die country VINO dared t, differ
| from them. the Representatives from Northern
States who stood by Mr. Clay on this day Of tris, Of
/ the strength OF this government Did not exceed
/ twenty Ia number. To show OF what cha,acter they
were, h enough to recall 70 memory the names Of
| Henry Bad win late Justice of the Supreme Ciur. j;
OF joseph Bloomfield, IRON, New Jersey, an officer
81 the revolution ard OK the war OF lsl2; OF Straight
Henry Southland, that faithful jersey Blue who
ried arms through the whole of the revolutionary
war, and had been ia Congress almost ever since; OF
the respected Samuel EDDY, OF Rsode Island; of
LaDgdon Hill and Henry Shaw, Of Massachusetts;
Of Henry Megs, Of New. York; OF Henry
X. Storrs, the distinguished member OF the
bar athe same STATE; and o! hosest Daniel Udree,
OF Penhsylvanis. IL IL small honor for those nsnes
TO be recalled in this manner 20 remembrance IN
these columns but il IL great honor - them and
those who, uniting with them, contributed 20 tae III
innate decision, ~ be remembered in connection With
an event which, In the apprehension OF same of the
fEl ttann mt
! tire war. fet.e el +. s..s.e fsIl@f W H,sas
We cannot dismiss this brief historical refereace
without inviting the earnest attention OF all oar
younger readers to the fact that Mr.. Clay did cot
lose, by his steady opposition to the restrc upon
Missouri aoy portion Of the pablo esteem and coaf
| dence which he had prev. ,usly commanded, HIS
lofty independence was recognized aud appreciated
4 by the world. BY the 6rs. President subsequent
elected from Northern State he was selected from
all his fellow citizens TO be the Secretary OF State
end ever afterwards enjoyed large portion II che