The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-23

II upon this consideration that the close of your
last session, sanction TO the principle Of the Mis-
souri, Compromise by approving and signing the bill to eab
h the territorial government Of Oregon. From sincere
to the harmony Of the Union and in Difference
the acts of my predecessors felt yield my
acquescence the extent which they had gone
missing this delicate and dangerous question B Congress
shau the decision BY hich the Nssoai Compro
mise as Elected, aud shall propose rad the
the 9Aoe Territory. south wsR north Of parallel of 36
deg. 80 min c a aud must Do y.
yarded as an original question:"
The North having by its course in ls2o-yes sir say
by its conrsehaving forced this geographical line upon
the country and the South having manifested the most I'M
equisoca purpose by her subsequent conduct acquece
in and abide by il in all future acquisitions of territory
lwhy is it that it extended to the Pacific? By
whom was it repudiated In 1850?
Sir will not consume the time Of this committee by a
reference TO the journals of Congress establish
denied and which in every yarey of form have already
been fully laid before the country but this may assert
that from The period of the acquisition of these large terri
tories which the fruits Of the Mexican war; down
the na disposition OF the question in 1850 the South
ever ready and willing to have adjusted this sectional
Toyersy by extension of the line to the Pacific but
every proposition submitted by it to that effect repeat
edy voted down by the North.
| The propositions submitted in the Senate BY Mr. Douc-
on the 10th of january, is4s by DAVIS Of Mississippi
by KING OF Alabama and by FooTr OF Mississippi in 1850
and in the House of Representatives by Mr. Burr of South
Carolina have all BEEN in minute detail laid before the
country Mr. CLAYTON OF Delaware has recently furnished
us with another important item of evidence on this subject
which, il has not been before adverted in this body
and is very conclusive the point will quote Ad-
dressing Mr. ArculsoS President Of the Senate who
\
CLAYTON was chairman, he says:
Now, sir, compelled in justice both sections Of
the Union to relate in your having been
member Of tho committee and knowing the truth OF the
facts which am about to statewha that com
nittee. As soon as assembled, proposition was made
by member from the South to extend the Missouri Com
promise line to the Pacific. You, sir, remember it wen
The vote upon it stood four northern members against it,
and four southern members for it, The proposition was
renewed in form in which could would
be proper but our northern friends rejected often
adopt it. We did pretend that it was constitutional
but had been held by compact between
existing had been justified by the people measure Of
argued the question to show northern friends
to the Pacific remember well that obtaineda statement
from the Land Office which showed the effect Of
appeared that fhc line we're extended to the Pac
c the free labor of the North would have
the Territories outside Of the States and the south but
two hundred and sixty two thousand in which, observe
there should allow it,"
These appeals for the extension Of this line to the Pacific
were in vain have before me- also extracts from the
speeches Of Calhoun, Butler, Davis OF Mississippi and
Soue and others known and distinguished champions of
the South expressing their readiness compromise the
difficulty in the mode above indicated But 10 no pur-
pose-the North stood ineYorabe against all their ap
peals.
The fact then may be regarded az unreasonable that
whilst the extension of the Missouri line presented by
the South in every possible form the basis Of se.e
men from Si1 10 1850 il was as invariably rejected by
the North thus in the admonory language of Mr. Polk
leaving IL an open and original question between those two
great divisions of the conederacy.
Sir, viii waste time In conroyerng the idea of
supposed compact resting upon honor and good iih al
legged to have been made in 1920 There was nothing in
the then sabjecmaer Of legislation, nothing in the cir
cnmstances history Of the transaction upon which the
idea of compact can for instant be prcdicaed II
simply parliamentary movement in which the opponents
ola measure having failed to defeat it. place upon il an
amendment which, however Objectionable In itself was not
so fatally 10 drive lis friends altogether from It's sup
port Missouri had right TO come into the Union
State All opposition 10 her admission factous and
unconstitutional Ex ,aasfcso coardctus The
idea OF basing compact upon the admit State
into the Union, which had the right demand admission
free from all degrading conditions upon her sovereignty
is position which public jurist maintain Upon
this point Of right need quote higher authority at
the North than the opinion Of John Quincy Adams ex
pressed in debate In the House of Representatives upon the
admission Of Arkansas StaeSce Register Of Debates
rol H. p. 1851
"Mr. Chairman cannot consistently with my sense of
my obligations citizen Of the United States and bound
admission Of Arkansas into ne Union a sare State
propose agree make IL condition of her adm..ion
Isr eon.trioa She is entitled 10 admission 4. slave state
as Louisiana, and Mississippi, and Alabama, and Missouri
have been admitted by virtue OF that article in the
the acquisition Of Louisiana which the inhabitants
Of the ceded Territories all the rights privileges and mmn
laes for their admission coniomably principle into
the Union Louisiana was purchased country wherein
have power time OF peace abolish slavery in the
inal States OF the Union they equally destitute Of the
power N those parts OF the territory ceded by France To the
United States by the OF louisiana where slavery
istcd at the time Of the acquisition slavery in hi. Union
the subject c internal Legislation in the States and peace
cognizable BY Congress. only II is tacv tolerated
protected where exists by the constitution Of the United
States, and as IL mngles in their intercourse with other
into the Union with her slaves and her laws IL il
written in the bond and, however may lament that IL
written, must faithfully perform its oblga-
tions."
4 in 1850 Mr. Clay said in the Senate;
do not know whether any thing has excited
prise mind the rspdity with which important
political transactions obternted and pass memory
than has the knowledge OF tho fact that everywhere
considered the author Of the line Of &c deg 80 which
established upon the occasion OF the admission OF Mis-
sour into the Union"
i That the compromise Of 1921 OF which Mr. Clay was the
chief agent should have been oonfounded with the pro-
oeedings OF 1920 is not striking illustration Of his
orica naccracy than s the idea that Of
| considered at the time Of its adoption compact
at all No such character then attached TO H. III
4 why the agitation Of 1921 Why the necessity for
la second compact for The admission Of Missouri in
i 1921 Lot ask those gentlemen upon this floor
who profess 10 be the peculiar guardians Of Mr. Clay fame
they not by their positions robbng him W OF
the brightest jewels In bis immortal and proving that
the act which first established his reputation great
national pac6caior gross imposture upon the public
creduy2 What merit could accrue 10 him from his
promise Of this ycxcd question in 1921 IT. you allege
the admission OF Missouri was settled by compact the
4 eth Of March, 1927
# Sir am prepared admit that the Missouri line had
acquired a least in the southern public mind something
Of the character and saney Of compac-not any
of the incidents OF 1890 Of 1921 but from slow
and gradual acqucscence in IT, adoption under the
belief that would make and acceptable line
pf tho nd