Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-05-12
The Sentinel and the Missouri Compromise.

The Sentinel April 20th) takes the ground
that the North (and especially Vermont) has
never stood by the Compromise of 1920; but
has violated it and nullifed it in all sorts Of
ways.-that for Nermontcrs to talk about the
binding obligation of the Missouri Compro-
mise, is to show themselves destitute of all
shame and more particularly, that the con-
duct of the Wings of Chittenden County,
Vermont, has been such in the matter. that
no degree of unblushing effrontery" which
the Sentinel conceives of could 60 beyond it,
such indeed as Z" in private life would brand
one as hypocritical scoundrel." "What it
is in the present case" it very graciously
leaves those who are guilty of it to deter
mine" The language, if more civil would
be more worthy of notice.
The basis of all the Sentnels argument is
the following
"Now what is the principle Of the Com
promise of 1920 We understand it to be
this. Missouri was to be admitted as a Slave
State though north of 30 30. All terri
tory north of go 80 WAS to be free and all
people thereof might elect 1t is also clear
that this dividing line of go 30, was to be
applied to all territory afterwards to be added
to the United States, and that when any
State South of that line presented itself for
admission into the Union with a Slave con-
sttution, such State was to be at once admit
ted without opposition. This was the Com
promise OF 1870
There is faint streak or two of truth in
that paragraph, but as a whole it contains
more wrong statements than are often found
within the same compass,
The " Act to authorize the people of ms
SCUM territory to form constitution and
/, State government and for the admission Of
such State into the Union on an equal foot
ing with the original States, and to prohibit
Slavery in certain territories, passed March
/ 1920. did not say nor imply that " Missouri
was to be admitted as Slave state But
the prohibition to its becoming SO, was left
out of the act The members from free States,
with few exceptions, for great reasons of State
and Of humanity (the soundness Of which
every day since has confrmed) said 1T ought
to be put in, and voted accordingly Tie
Compromise consisted IN leaving the PROM
bnion out and in the perpetual prohibnIon Of
Slavery in all that Territory coded by
France to the United States under the name
Of Louisiana which lies north of thirty 81,
degrees and thirty minutes not included
within the limits contemplated in this act,
with prOr,SO that the clause in the United
States constitution about delivering up fug
tves held to service (more guardedly ex
pressed however than in the constitution
should have force there, There are many
other conditions and proyisos in the act, bu
they have nothing 60 do with the Compro
mise. The Compromise was what we have
stated and no more"
The positions of the Sentinel, that all soutl
of SO : 80 was to be free or Slave territory
as the people thereof might elect-that thu
dividing line of SO : so was to be applied t.
all territory afterwards to be added to the L
States-that when any State South Of tina
line presented itself for admission into thu
Union with a Slave constitution, such Stat