Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-03-10

introduction, and when saw the question Of
repeal come up-ior in fact il was iha, fron
the frst-of ,ho Missouri compromise, I fore
saw the consequences which must necessarily
arise from 1.-THE agitation which must DO re-
newed in this country, and which ], with o'.
cry private man, had deprecated as one Of tho
greatest lnlsfonuncs that could happen TO US.
Sir, ! was not prepared Tor this, and when ],
did tome up IN the shape and form which it
has assumed, ] had no alternative lsl but
either to adhere 10 the principles which had
formerly ayo~ed and acted upon, and upon
which Texas was admitted, or to abandon
them aud vote ior contrary principle, re.
pealiug ,ho acts which hsd forn,srly rceog-
nircd. Sir, II this gives onense TO auy,
regret il in the extreme. ! took my ground
early upon the compromise bill Of 1850.
an not behind any man in my devotion TO il.
Dul previous 10 iis adoption, ] had taken my
position upon thu Missouri compromise, and
stand there established as firmly as ! now
stand upon the compromise Of 1850. lam tho
only Senator upon this floor who Volcd
"siaigh, out, as they say, 6r every meas.
ure of the final compromise, and then ior tho
whole collectively. A Senator then from
Pennsylvania, (Mr Sturgcon,) who voted al.
50 lor every provision contained Ia the bill.
When voted Tor that, Ibid not suppose that
was voting to repeal the Missouri ComPro-
mise.
Well, sir, regarded it as a fnal'iy anil
.cttlemcniof this moo,ei question, this source
Of agitation. thought then that it was
frelity. And When th, Senator from Mis-.
sis,ippi, (Nr, Fsolc.) a, subsequent session,
introduced hi, "6nality resolutions" as they
were c,ll-d, ! opposed thom on the ground
that they wer, useless, and but an aiTrmnnco
Of what had already boon enacted, and there.
for,a work cfsupe'c'ogaiion. know that
some rev gentlemen have questioned IL, have
cavicd a, IL, or doubted iis validity. ] did
not. and I have lived to see it endorsed By the
American people. Important events have
uanspirsd since Il was adopted. Prominent
gentlemen throughout the country have sK-
pressed their opinions. The Whole commit.
nifty, under ils soothing, benign Influence, had
become calm and tranquil. NO'ayoicc ofdis.
content washcard throughout our broad land.
Al was peace, an harmony, or, ifnot harmo'
nv. /, was arguis,osrfe. one dircordant notc
of,girat.on was nothc1rd 80 State lcgis.
la,urc, no political con,cntio1, no County
meeting. no clbal pronounced against it,
Even The extremists had aoluicsced, and the
counlry was reposing IN peace. The last
elections had inuspUicd in the country and
Of the member, of Con gr1sS elected, 5ouh'
whether more than Two seats, in the other end
of thc capito', a,e occupied by those whohad
advocated any change or disturbance Of that
measure. An had either advocated and aP.
proved il, or had acquie,ecd in IL. fnllily
There was no excitement on the subject
Bot what must b, the consequence fan At.
temp, to repeal the Missouri compromise is
urged upon us' VIII it produce no excite.
mca,i Ilas ilproiucel none II my opPo.
,.t.on 10 a measure which conceive Taught
with danger to the whole section from which
come is mseonslracd to be agitation, J am
responsible to my constituents. Can any ono
,oub, ,hl, agi,atoH will be consequent W
on the adoption Of ,hir measure' Has no!
the Missouri compromise been Of great beno-
f, the country Has it no, wrought won.
deriul chl1,si' For mo'a than third Of
4 century i, has given comparative peace and
,ran1uilliy to Ms TO an extent which would
never have been cnIoycd had that compact not
been entered into. ! can we'll recolleci the
scenes which iranspircd a, it' adoption. ]
know whl, fearful apprthensons were cnieri
taIncd by the sagacIous, pairioiici and wise
men In the land Those apprehension. were
entertained lor tic safety and preservation of
thI, Union and when that plcidcIion Vas
completed when the compact was solcmnly
entered into between the North and South, IL
was ratified Ly the national will. 1t was not
resisted by ono Legislature IN tho States, nov
was it opposed by individuals. Al acquies-
crd in /, and what has bsen the result to
our cout,ry Sir, the consequences irs tDO
magnificent to be contemplated, too vile and
expanded 20 be embraced at a glance. Our
territory has extended fcr hundreds Of miles
aloui the Atlantic sca-board; from Georgia
10 ntu uio Gtande. our vast dUmaln has
been spread from the Atlantic to, the Pacific.
embracing thousands Of miles uf s,l-bolrd
there. In numbers wo have outstripPcd oil
former examples by the increise Of our pop
uation. Our rapid strides in wealth, in COM
merce. and IN high rcnown. is uneSampcI 10
the annals Of the world. Has not this grown
out Of the Missouri compromise or is It not
consequent upon ~ You may siy that
these things are not its necessary consequent
crs. bu, at all events they have resulted since
it was adopted, and sine, the country has
been harmonzcd by the influence which haVo
emanaied from IL. Sir, il has beoa of vast
importance To the prosperity and glory OF 'hi'
country from rhl, tine to the present.
Its results arc impressed upon the Ameri'
can mind and heart, and the nations feelings
and pride have united in sanctioning the benz
efts resulting from the adoption Of lha, meas
ure. 1t is a compact, a solemn comPaci'
Shall wo teach disregard Of compromised
What is ,herc which will give sancti,y to the
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