Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-08
JOHN p. HALE AND THE MISSOURI
COMPROMISE.

The Northern agitators pretend to be despe.
rately in love with the Missouri compromise,
now that it has been repealed. They threaten
to shake the Union to its foundations, unless
it is again written in the statute book. Even
that will not satisfy them, for they demand
that the South be punished because of the re.
cent repeal. In order to inAict that punish
ment, they threaten to abrogate the Fugitive
Slave law, to prevent the acquisition Of slave
territory, and deny admission to any State
which recognizes slavery. This is the burthen
of their song, and the basis of their action.
One would suppose that where there is so
much heated defamation as there is in the
North at this time, some earnest and honest
if misguided, feeling might be found; but we
are confident that it cannot be found amongst
the declaimers, and must be looked for only
amongst those whom they have duped by
their falsehoods and excited by their inAam-
matory appeals. The leaders-the dema-
gogues- who are straining everynerve to arouse
the antislavery sentiment Of the North and
organize crusade against the South, are act
mated only by motives Of selfshness and ambi-
ton. They never did, and they do not now,
care for the Missouri compromise. 1t might
have been repealed twenty times over, and
these worthless would have remained silent un-
less they could gain something for themselves
by raising an cutlery.
Prominent amongst the Northern agitators
is the notorious John P. Hale, formerly sena-
tor from New Hampshire, and now New York
politician. He may be taken as fair speci-
men of those who pretend to be so much ag
grieyed because the Missouri compromise has
been repealed, and who are SO eager for cru
SADIE against the South to infict punishment
on the slaveholding States. This gentleman
and his associates affirm that the Missouri com
promise is dear to their hearts because it was
great compact rendered sacred by the gen.
eral acquiescence of the country. For these
reasons, they denounce its repeal as a great
iniquity; and, in order to infnriate the Northern
people, they say that a great wrong and injury
has been inflicted on the North, in the mere
wantonness of the slave power. This course
Of conduct is equivalent to declaration that
the North enjoyed great blessings derived from
the Missouri compromise, and that the people
of the North have always been willing to ad.
here to that arrangement. Now, let us see
what Mr.. John P. Hale, for instance, really
thought of the Missouri compromise and OF
Northern acquiescence in it before there was
prospect of manufacturing political capitol
out of its repeal.
Mr.. Hale was a member of the Senate when
the celebrated compromise measures of 1850
were under discussion. On the 9th of March,
Of that year, that gentleman delivered speech
in which he gives the following account OF
Northern acquiescenee in the Missouri COM
promise when it was enacted:
1.-The second matter which has disturbed the
equilibrium, according TO the arguments Of Sena-
tors, Is the Missouri compromise. Sir, can tell
these gentlemen that the Missouri compromise
diHHIbed The e9Hilibrinn Of those Northern repye-
se,fatires 1cho uoted for than anything else
thar euer happened and that is the only equilibrium
ever heard Of as being disturbed by that compro-
mise. Not only did IL disturb their equilibrium
Dut IL tnrtW lncm cntlrely on u, ana win Dut very
rare exceptions those politicians have not yet re-
covered their equilibrium and ,chat IS more, they
asver SciHn
So much for Mr.. Hale's testimony as to
Northern acquiescence in past times. The
following extract from the same speech indi.
Gates the opinion which Mr.. Hale and the re.
representatives. of the North entertained Of the
Missouri compromise in 1850:
well, sir, IL according 10 the argument Of the
Senator from South Carolina, the Missouri CON-
promise was such an odious measure, and has had
singular that we find nearly every Southern man
voting for IL, aud epery Northern man voting
against i, tchSnepeT IS offered! AT the last ses-
sion, when a motion was made 10 insert The Ms
souri, eomp,oniSs a territoyioi 6iH, nearly every
gentlemen representing Southern State on this
floor voted for il, and fhs NorfherH men, "a body
s0ers against M'-GApp. Cong Globe, p 1851
These extracts prove that Mr.. Hale did not
esteem the Missouri compromise in 1850, and
that the bulk Of the representatives Of the
north had the came views with regard to it.
But this is not ALL Sometime after the speech
was delivered, from which the foregoing ex.
tracts are taken, Mr.. Clay questioned the &C.
curacy of the statement with regard to the fate
Of the northern representatives who voted for
the Missouri compromise. In reply Mr. Hale
maintained his position, and in the most exult-
ing manner pointed out the punishment which
had been inflicted on the northern representa-
tives. With savage JOY he speaks of the odium
aehich they encountered, and he points to them as
a ~drning 10 The present generation. Yet that
very man is now striving 10 excite the resent
ment of the north because tie Missouri compro-
mise has been repealed. Those who know bis
present position may think that we misrepre-
sent his past attitude. If there be any such,
we request them to read the following extract
from debate in the Senate, on the 22d Of July,
1850, as reported on pages l4l4 and l4l5 Of
the Appendix to the Congressional Globe:
Dir. HALE. ] do not intend 10 occupy the al
iention Of the Senate but moment. As the SEN
stor from Kentucky has taken issue With me on a
point Of history, want TO give what understand
TO be the truth ofthe case. He says the Missouri
- a.