Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-11

Virginia. its consideration was postponed for seyera
weeks; all which, be it observed is in open contrast wit
Ae manner In which the present discussion has been pre-
cipitated upon Congress. Meanwhile the Maine bill
when reported to the House, was promptly acted upo
and sent to the Senate
In the interval between the report of the Missouri bill
and its consideration by the House committee
sttuted on motion of Mr.. Taylor, Of New York, to in
qare into the expectancy Of prohibiting the introduction
OF slavery into the Territories west of the Mississippi
This committee at the end Of fortnight was discharged
from further consideration Of the subject which,
understood would enter into the postponed debate
Missouri bill This early effort to nterdct slavery in thu
territories by special law is worthy of notice
count OF some of the expressions Of opinion which it drew
forth In the course Of his remarks Mr. Taylor declared
that I" he presumed there members--he knew O
doubted the constitutional power of Congress
to impose such a restriction the Territories"
generous voice from Virginia recognised once thu
rgh ana duty OF Congress. This from Charles Fen
ton Mercer who declared that when the question pro
should come fairly before the House he should sup
port the proposition. He should record his agans
suffering the dark cloud of nhumany, which now dark
ened his country, from rolling beyond the peaceful
shores of the Mississippi"
At length, on the 26th January 1920, the House re-
solved itself into Committee the Whole on the Missouri
bill and proceeded with its discussion day by day. till
the 18th OF February, when it reported back with
amendments But meanwhile the question was pre-
sented to the Senate, where conclusion was reached
earlier than in the House clause for the admission OF
Missouri was moved by way of tack to the Maine bill To
TINS an amendment was moved by Mr. Roberts, of Penn
syvania prohibiting the further introduction Of slavery
into the State which, after fortnighs debate was de-
feated by Y nays to l6 yeas.
The debate in the Senate Of unusual interest and
splendor II especially illustrated by an effort Of
power from that great lawyer and orator
William Pnkney Recently returned from succession
OF missions to foreign courts and at this time the
knowledged chief of the American bar particularly skill
ed In questions of constitutional law his
ator from Maryland calculated produce profound
impression. In speech which drew to this chamber an
admrng throng for two days. and which at the time
ondy with the best examples Of Greece and
Rome no first authorativey proposed and developed the
Missouri compromise His mastery effort was mainly
directed against the restriction upon Missouri but be-
gan and ended with theidea Of compromise sNotwith-
standing he says occasional appearances of rather an
unfavorabe description have long since persuaded my
self that the Missouri question: it is called might be laid
to rest with innocence and safety by conatoTy
compromise at least by which, is duty we might
reconcile the extremes of conflicting views and feelings
without any sacrifice of constitutional principles" And
he closed with the hope that the restriction on Missouri
would not be pressed but that the whole question
be disposed OF in satisfactory to all sy positive
prohibition Of slavery in the territory to The north and cest
of Missouri
This authoritative proposition Of com promise from the
most powerful advocate of the unconditional admission Of
Missouri made in the Senate on the 2lst of January
From various Indications it seems to have found prompt
favor in that body Finally the 18th of February the
union OF Maine and Missouri in bill prevailed there
by % yeas to q nays. On the day Mr. Thomas Of
Illinois, who had always voted with the South against any
restriction upon Missouri introduced the famous clause
prohibiting slavery north of $50 3O which now const-
tutes the eighth section Of the Missouri act An effort
was made to include the Arkansas Territory within this
prohibitions but the South united against this extension
Of the area Of freedom and it defeated by "a nays
20 yeas The prohibition moved by Mr. Thomas then
prevailed by "a yeas to only 10 nays Among those
slave States louisiana Tennessee Kentucky Delaware
Maryland and Alabama, and also one of the Senators
from each of the slave States Mississippi and North Ca
roina including in the honorable list the familiar names
Iorno Rrnvyv De.
King.
This BILL thus amended is the first legislative embod
ment Of the Missouri compact compromise the essen
al conditions Of which were the admission of Missouri
as State without any restriction of slavery and the
hibton of slavery in all the remaining Territory Of Lou
isana north of $50 3 janus faced with one front to-
wards freedom and another towards slavery this not
be COMPOUNDED with the simpler proposition Of Mr. Tay
or at the last session to prohibit slavery in oil the terri
tory north of $50 30 including Missouri The compro-
mise now the early lead of Mr. Nc
Laneboth recognised and prohibited slavery north
$50 3 Here for the first tme these opposite prin
cples comminged in legislative channels and it is
Immediately subsequent to this junction that discern
And now observe the ndubitabe and decisive fact This
BILL thus composed, containing two oleonts-ths
double measure-fnaly passed the Senate by test vote
Senator except Nathaniel Macon of North Carolina
and William Smith, of South Carolina.
Mr.: BUTLER, interrupting) Mr. Gaillard, of South
Carolina, voted with Mr. Smith
hold in hand shows that he voted for the compromise
repeat that the yeas this vital question embraced
every Southern Senator except Mr.. Macon and Mr.
Smith The nays embraced every Northern Senator ex
cept the two Senators from Illinois, and Senator from
Rhode Island, and from New Hampshire. And this
is the record of the first stage in the adoption of the
Missouri compromise First openly announced and vim
dicated on the floor Of the Senate by distinguished
Southern statesman it forced the North by On al
most unanimous Southern vote.
| While things had thus eliminated in the Senate dis.
cusson still proceeding in the other House on the
original Missouri BILL This for moment arrested
by the reception from the Senate Of the Maine BILL
bodyng the Missouri compromise Upon this the de-
bate was brief and the decision prompt But here even
at this STAGE at every other Southern statesman in
tervenes Mr. Smith, Of Maryland, for many years IN
eminent Senator Of that State but ct this time Repre-
sentative, while opposing the restriction Of Missouri
indicated the prohibition Of slavery in the Territories
and thus practically accepted the compromise:
Mr. S. Smith said that he principally with view to
state his understanding of the proposed amendment
That retained the boundaries of Missouri deneated in
the bill that 1t prohibited the admission Of
the west line of Missouri and north of the north line that
did not interfere with the Territory of Arkansas the
unnhabed land thereof thought the proDostion MOI
rcpona but doubted the proprety of its forming mart
of the BILL He considered the of Congress over the
Territory supreme unlimited before its admission
Congress could impose its Territories any restriction
thought proper that If citizens into the Territories thus
restricted they cannot carry with them slaves They will be
without slaves and will be educated with preudces and ha
bits such will exclude oil desire their part to admit
slavery when they shall become sufficiently to be
admitted State And this is the advantage proposed by
| the amendment"
But the House not disposed to abandon the sub
santa restriction Of slavery in Missouri for what seem.
ed its unsubstantal prohibition in unsettled territory
/ NJ ~.~1-- - ~ 49, ruH