Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-05-27
DEATH AND BURIAL OF THE MISSOURI COM
.e PROMISE.

DEATH AND BURIAL OF THE MISSOURI CON-
PROMISE
The final blow was inflicted on the venerable
Missouri Compromise on Thursday night last, and
this ancient Pacfcator of the Country, this Healer
of Dscord, this Friend of the Union, was dispatch
ed in the Senate House little after midnight
by majority of almost three to one. This
ancient pact had fulfilled, it is true, in all sub
stantial ends its mission of peace. But we should
have been glad, for the good it had done, had it
been permitted to live until old age had closed its
blameless life. Feeling thus, how could without
grief and repuguance see it hurried out Of the world
by the hand of violence Gratitude for the service
it had done the State, and respect for the memory
of the patriotic and virtuous men who gave it being
to say nothing Of the sanctions Of honor by which it
was surrounded, had inspired us with q veneration
for this old compromise, the earliest and most i'm
portant since that Of the Constitution We witnessed
its birth with JOY, and remember the universal con-
tentt spread through the land but we little thought
We should live to witness its DEATH still less to
it strangled in the place of its birth And all for
what? Can any man tell Do not those-many
Of them at least-who have given their voices for
its repeal deny that it is demanded by any essential
or practical object? Were its repeal justified by
one high consideration of State or Of public good or
had it been demanded by any single section, public
meeting, association, county, town. or hamlet IN the
whole country the sacrifice might be at least extenu
ated On the contrary, it is admitted to have been
alike unnecessary and uncalled for. Nothing then
is gained by it nothing, at least, that should weigh
L. e 1aJ... Ioxr a1o
lost Who penetrate the future to tell the dis
tant consequences Of this weeks work in Congress
We speak now to those who love the Union of the
States To the Of passion to sectional PATRIOTS
to those who calculating the value of the
Union" who reason by imputations, and whose
highest fight of argument reaches only the level
of impeachment of motives-to such we should
deem it waste Of time and of courtesy to address
word on this occasion. But to the gentlemen of the
South who think that there Is something to respect
and esteem beyond Mason and Dixon's line; who
have some veneration for the gories of Lexington
and Saratoga as well as those of Kings Mountain
and Eutaw; who look at the Stars and Stripes with
affection, and think there is something in this Union
to be proud of and to stand by-to SUCH we say, a
monstrous mistake has been committed not a fatal,
we hope and trust, buta fearful one. All had you,
when this decetful boon rendered you, only said
Ono; the compromise may have been unsanctioned
by the Constitution; it may have been unjust to
the South, but it was the only mode of accommo-
dating most threatening difficulty; it was adopt
ed by the joint counsels of the North and South
it was compact Of mutual concession; it was
agreed to by as wise, as firm, and patriotic
ourselves; it has stood long it has performed its
benign Office; and, although it might have been
unjust to US, we will not dshonor those who framed
and ratified it.; there is nothing now to be gained
or lost by it; bargain is a bargain; let it
stand" Gentlemen, had you answered thus, in
stead Of breaking the seal of that old compact,
you would have riyeted the North to you, not with
hooks of STEEL but links of iron cable, and the hide
GUS forms Of Abolitionism and Freesoilism would
never more have reared their heads high enough to
disturb for moment the public councils or the
country. It would have been the death-knell of both
You would have made one country and one people,
indissolubly and forever. But you have won a
victory and one hundred cannon were fred in the
dead of the night in honor of it, Hands might
doubtless have been found quite as ready to apply
the match to celebrate the defeat of the BILL had
it been given out that the Administration was OPP
posed to it instead Of being in its favor. THE
kings name is tower Of strength" Gentle
men, you have won victory; it was the pride of
victory probably which hurried many of you for
ward in the fight and, instead of recounting the
blessed fruits which it will bring to the victors, it
will be fortunate for those who are to come after us
if history shall give innocent an account of it
is found in the story Of the poet which follows:
1t summers evening,
n Old Gaspers work was done,
And he before his cottage door
Was sitting in the sun
And by him sported on the green
His little grandchild Wihelmine.
She saw her brother Peterkin
Roll something large and round,
That he beside the rvulet
In playing there had found;
She came to know what he had found
That was SO light, and large. and round
Old Casper took it from the boy,
Who stood expectant by,
~ And then Tho old shook hiS head,
And with q raj sigh,
n'Tis some poor fellows skull" said he,
who fell in the great victory.
81 find them in the garden, for
There's many hereabout
And often when 60 to plough,
The ploughshare turns them out .F
For many thousand men, Y said he
- s-Xt