Washington sentinel., 1854-02-26
masbingtor1 gsntinel.
NEBRASKA AND KANSAS.
Speech OF HON. PRESLEY EWING


SPEECH OF HON. PRESLEY EWING,
OF KENTUCKY,
In the House of Representatives, FEB, II, 1854.
The House being in the Committee of the
Whole on the state Of the Union,
Mr.. EWING said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: had not designed to ad-
dress the committee on this question, as am
aware that the subject has been and will be
thoroughly discussed by older and abler mem
bers than myself in both branches of Congress.
have, however, listened 10 the advice of 9TH
ers, in whose opinions l have more confidence
than in my own. There is, besides an especial
reason with me for desiring to address the com
mittee upon this subject
The name of Mr. Clay has here and else
where been invoked in support Of the antiquated
principle of the so-called Missouri compromise;
indeed, he has been referred to as the author
of it. It is my purpose to show, as briefly as
possible, from the public records-for, although
do not altogether depend upon them for my
private knowledge Of his opinions upon the sub
ject, prefer, for obvious reasons, to quote from
them. I shall show from them that, so far from
being the author of the Missouri line, he had
no connexion with it. The journals of the
House do not even show whether he voted for
it or not, as he was Speaker at the time. But,
fortunately for himself and for US, he lived to
repudiate its paternity, and to pronounce it un-
Just to the south. Allow me to read from his
own words.
Sir" said he, in his great speech in support
of his resolutions which constitute the basis of
the compromise measures Of 1850, which were
the last great debates in which he participated: !:
" Sir, while was engaged in anxious consider
alton upon this subject, the idea ofthe Missouri
compromise as il has been termed, came under
my review, was considered by me, and finally re-
jected, as in my judgment less worthy of the com
mon acceptance of both parties of this Union than
the project which offer to your consideration.
Mr. President, before enter into particular
examination, however, of that Missouri compro-
mise, beg TO be allowed to correct great error,
not merely in the Senate, but throughout the whole
country in respect to my agency in regard 10 the
Missouri compromise, or rather tho Inc Of 800 30.
established by the agency of Congress. do not
know whether anything has excited more surprise
in my mind to the rapidly with which impor-
tant historical transactions are obliterated and
pass out Of memory, than has the knowledge Of
the fact that was everywhere considered the au-
thor Of the line of $50 30', which was established
upon the occasion of the admission of Missouri
into the Union"
He goes on to say, that so far from being the
author of that projet, it did not even originate
in the House Of whic- he was member; that
he could not certainly tell whether he voted for
it, as he was Speaker at the time that it origi-
mated with Senator Thomas, of Illinois, in the
other branch Of Congress that it failed TO ac-
complish its purpose, the north obstinately op-
posing the admission of Missouri the next
year that he came here in January and found
the members from all quarters of the Union in
q tempest of excitement, and he found it neces-
sary to offer the Missouri compromise one,
and the only one of which he.was the author,
and which accomplished the admission of Mis-
souri, into the Union.
The resolution to which he REFERS and of
which he was the author, was this
"Resolution providing for the admission Of the
State of Missouri into the Union certain
condition.
Resolved by The Senate and House Of Representatives Of
the United Sa,es Of Aerica in Congress assembled That
footing with the original States in all respects whatever
upon the condition that the fourth clause Of
ton submitted the part Of said State Congress- shall
be construed to authorize the passage Of any law
which any citizen Of either the States in this Union shall
be excluded from the Of any Of the privileges
Constitution Of the United States Popid That the legis
lssurs Of the said state by solemn public act shall de-
condition. and shall transmit to the President Of the Uni
ted States before the fourth Monday in November
NEXT an % sutpsn sSpy Of the .d s the 1ess
the ct whereupon, and without further proceeding
OF admission said State
this Union shall be considered complete"
But, further than this, he not only felt that
it was SO inconsistent in him to advocate the
principles Of the compromise of 1850, and to
have been the author Of another compromise
utterly inconsistent with it, tn t he believed it
necessary, in his own vindication, to repudiate
the paternity of the first compromise, but he
went on, in contrasting the two, to show the
manifest injustice to the south accomplished
by the establishment of the Missouri line He
said
wish TO contrast the plan of accommo odation
which is proposed by me with that which is offer
ed by the Missouri line to be extended to the Pa
cifc ocean, and to ask gentlemen from the south,
aud from the north too, which is most proper,
which most just, 10 which is there the least cause
of objection? What was done, sir, by the Mis-
souri, line 2"
Mark you, he says, "what ,cas done;" not
what would be DONE
Slavery was positively interdicted north Of
that line. The question of the admission ex-
clusion Of slavery south Of that line not set
tied. There was no provision that slavery should
be admitted south of that line. In point of fact, it
existed there. In all the territory south of3Go 30'
embraced in Arkansas and Louisiana, slavery was
then existing. II was not necessary, il is true, TO
insert clause admitting slavery at that time. But
if there is power TO interdct, there is powerto
admit and put it 10 gentlemen from the south,
are they prepared to be satisfied with the line of
800 30', interdictng slavery north Of that line, and
giving them no security for the admission of sla-
very south Of that line
He prououuces the establishment Of such a
line as "illusory to the south" and he adds fur
ther, carrying out the contrast between the
principles of the two plans, and showing not
only their inconsistency, but the manifest in
justice Of the one, and the propriety of the
other:
insist that If there be legislation interdicting
slavery north of the line, then the principles Of
equallty would require that there should be legs-
iation admitting slavery south OF the line."
Then, turning to the plan he was then offer
ing to the country, and showing the manifest
advantage OF the principle which it embodied,
he says:
"Non-action by Congress is best for the south
and best for all the views which the south have
ing to their wishes" ~
This then sir. was the position of Mr. Clo =