The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-14

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question planted themselves The principle OF restrict
ing Stale, as 10 slavery which JEFFERSON, Madison.
Monroe Adams, aud Harrison pronounced uncons.ilu-
uonal al the time which the settled judgment OF the
country has condemned aud which, had il been incor.
poraed into the 1920 aci would have certainly encoun'
tered an executive veto and that for yielding what they
never could have obtained they wrung IRON the advo-
Gates OF State equality acquescence IN The territorial
restriction line Gen Harrison, subsequently President
lost his reelection TO Congess account of his
against this principle and in letter written to President
Monroe says la relation to the Missouri question:
aud have been Tor many years, much opposed TO
slavery that will live in Ssaie where il exists
But believe that the constitution has given power
the general government 10 interfere in this matter. and
that to have slaves or slaves depends upon the will OF
each people alone" He was one who voted against
State restriction but at length yielded and voted Tor the
The line Of SO 80 was established by the act OF
1890. That was complete law by itself. not condl-
tona act allowed Missouri 10 form State constilu
Won, and the eighth section ID as follows, ID Messrs.
Little Browns edition OF the laws
find further enacted That in all that territory ceded
by France 10 the United States, unde Louisi
north latitude, included within the limits OF
contemplated by this act slavery and involuntary servi-
the party shall have been duly convicted shall be- and
hereby forever prohibited PROVIDED, afeay, That any
Is lawfully clamed in any State Territory the United
States such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed, and
veyed to The claiming his or her labor service
as aforesaid"
The validity Of this law dependant on the ad.
mission of Missoun7-it stood as an independent law
This the restrlconlsis had secured
We resume the narrative, and proceed 10 the
question Did the resrclioniss feel bound by the al
legged sacred compact oil 1S20' According to The act Of
March 9, the people OF Missouri formed (June 10, 1920
their State constitution, establishing as they say in lis
preamble, "a free and Independent, republic 2 they
piled by separate ordinance with the five conditions
to the public lands, &C. required in the act they elected
legislature under this constitution, and chose Alexan
der McNair governor. 81 congratulate YOU" said the
governor September 10, 1920, his inaugural address,
"upon the happy change that has Just taken place in
our political affairs From the dependent condition of
territorial government we have passed into sovereign
and independent State We have formed for ourselves
constitutions" which he further stated, giyes every
reason 10 expect that shall without further difficulty
be admitted into the federal Union" 1t was with such
expectations that the proceedings Of the convention and
copy OF the constitution were transmitted to Congress
at its session commencing October, 1920
These papers were referred TO select committee, and
November 20 Mr. Lowndes as chairman, reported that
the provisions Of the Congress act Of March G. 1920 had
been complied with BY Missouri; and that the commit
tee believed II was not their province 10 decide whether
the provisions OF The constitution wise liberal.
"When people," the report says, ''are authorized
form State, and do SO, the trammes of their territorial
conditions fall off, They have performed the act which
makes them sovereign and independent II they pass
unconstitutional law, and we leave il we should that
Of another State to the decision Of judicial tribunal
a system with which we are familiar" This clear and
admirable report closed by recommending brief resou
ton declaring Missouri sadmed into the Union on an
equal footing with the original States in all respects
whatever"
This resolution was not accepted, and Missouri was
kept out Of the Union until August0 1891 In its
s,ulion there was clause requiring the legislature TO
pass laws prohibiting the emigration OF free people OF
color into the State "There be no doubt" Madison,
November 10. 1890. wrote to the President "hat the
clause il against The constitution of the United States
would be a nullity" STILL this clause was eid hold OF
as an occasion OF renewing the agitation by the resrc
tonsts and they actually seized this as pretext TO
the struggle for the State restriction and in
tended then TO prevent Missouri from coming into the
Union, unless the condition that slavery in it should
be prohibited So much for the early sacredness of this
the fanatca feeling created that many places the
North this alleged Compromise boldly repudi-
ated! Thus Vermont, in resolutions presented in
chad right to inhibit any further introduction or
extension Of slavery, as one OF the conditions upon
which any new State shall be admitted into the
Union = IT viewed with alarm the attempt OF Missouri to
get into the Union "under constitution that lesazes
slavery and it instructed its and requested its
representatives 10 oppose the admission OF Missouri
What regard for the sacred 1920 Compromise is there
herei And New York, too, November 10, 1890, re.
newed it's old Satereslric,ion Instructions opposing the
admission OF any Stale without the indispensable cond
ton Of prohibition OF slavery How does such action
as this agree with the idea that this 1920 act OF
sacred characleri These are iacts. They demon
strale that the resrctonsts did not ee themselves at
all bound by that act They would have disregarded il
al once II they had bad the power In places the
members OF Congress at the North who assened TO this
Missouri line insulied. and the demagogues who
wanted tDelr succeeded defeating their
ton. Among the defeated was William Henry Harrison
II believe he wrote to President Monroe the Mis-
souri, question, aud the OF bis defeat Gin no
other State are such wild and dangerous sentiments en-
teraned this subject as in Ohio and claim the merit
OF being the only serson OF any political standing in the
State who publicly oppose them !" He The only
Ohio politician who ever rose TO the presidency
We have not space 10 trace the fierce legislative slrug
gle that for months once more aga,ed The public. Again
and again Missouri was rejected; committee upon COM
mltlee appointed and the feelings OF the people wers
reused into angry aiiiade. That usrions patriot, An.
drew Jackson wrote TO President Monroe, January Z,
1871:
House OF Representatives, have placed the nation by he
rejecting the Stale of Missouri Should House
reconsder the subjecf, shudder for the consequences
The feelings OF tho South and West are aroused The
eastern northern people have fully unmarked them
selves and II Judge correctly Missouri VIII not ret
rogfade or humble herself ~
All this time the people OF Missouri were counseled 10
act with moderation. What their views were may be
seen from The following extract from ST. Louis journal
OF December, 1920;
people the criminal designs Of the who wish to
pei Missouri from the Union. This andacious undertaking
verging crisis What shall Missouri do, ii
leced Fall back into the territorial grade Ne hope
would be succumb to the Catslnes OF the North the
latter would be promote their views The restrictops
W sh divide the Union and If Missouri would attempt
10 break off, IL would be into their hand their object
would be plished, and the blame tbtown upon
But let Missouri continue her efforts the Union
preserve all her relations with the general government
be calm and dignihed in asserting her rights and eae
ton may be produced which will PROSTATE those Hartford
convention men who FREEDOM in the North. and
give victory the friends the Uuion to the re-
publcans OF the jefferson school Eventually Missouri
must succeed and good may grow out Of evil the men
who have raised this porenous storm may yet PERISH in