Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-02-28
THE LANDMARK OF FREEDOM.
SPEECH OF HON. CHAs. SUMNER,
OF MASSACHUSETTS,
II SENATE, February q, 1854,
Agai,,st the Repeal of the Prohibition of Slave
VI w Norih Of 36o 30

North, by tne preValnng voice OF Its repreSen-
tatives, claimed all for Freedom; the South,
by its potential command of the Senate, claim
cd all for Slavery.
The report of this debate aroused the coun-
try. For the first time in our history, Free
dom, after an animated struggle, hand to
hand, had been kept in check by Slavery
The original policy of our Fathers in the re-
striction OF Slavery, was suspended, and this
giant wrong threatened to stalk into all the
broard national domain. Men at the North
We're BUNDLED and amazed. The imperious
demands of Slavery seemed incredible. Mean
while, the whole subject was adjourned from
Congress to the people. Through the press,
and at public meetings, an earnest voice was
raised against the admission of Missouri into
the Union without the restriction of Slavery
Judges left the BENCH and clergymen the pull
pit, to swell the indignant protest which
went up from good men, without distinction
of party or of pursuit.
The movement was not confined to few
! persons, nor to few States. A public meet
ing, at Trenton, III New Jersey, was followed
| by others in New York and Philadelphia, and
| finally at Worcester, Salem, and Boston,
where committees were organized to rally the
country. The citizens of Baltimore convened
| at the courthouse, with the Mayor in the
| chair, resolved that the future admission of
| slaves into the States hereafter formed west of
the Mississippi, ought to be prohibited by
| Congress. Villages, towns, and cities, by
memorial, petition, and prayer, called upon
| Congress to maintain the great principle of
the prohibition of Slavery. The same princi-
| pie was also commended by the resolutions
! of State Legislatures and Pennsylvania, in
splred by the teachings Of Franklin and the
convictions OF the respectable denomination of
Friends, unanimously asserted at once the
right and the duty of Congress to prohibit
| Slavery west Of the Mississippi, and solemnly
appealed to her sister States g to refuse to
covenant with crime" New Jersey and Del
aware followed, both also unanimously. Ohio
asserted the same principle; SO did also In
diana. The latter State, not content with
! providing for the future, severely censured one
of its Senator's for his vote to organize Ark an
sas without the prohibition of Slavery. The
resolutions of New York We're reinforced by
the recommendations of De WITT CLINTON.
Amidst these excitements, Congress came
together i'll December, 1919, taking possession
of these Halls of the Capitol for the first time
since their desolation by the British. On the
day after the receipt of the Presidents mes
sage, two several committees of the House
were constituted, one to consider the applica-
ton of Maine, and the other of Missouri to
enter the Union as separate and independent
States. With only the delay of single dav,
the bill for the admission of Missouri was re-
ported to the House without the restriction of
Slavery; but, as if shrinking from the imme-
date discussion of the great question it in
volyed, afterwards, motion of Mr.. MER-
GER, of Virginia, its consideration was post
poned for several weeks; all which, be it OBJ
served, is IN open contrast with the manner in
| which the present discussion has been precipi-
tated upon Congress. Meanwhile, the Maine
bill, when reported to the House, was prompt
ly acted upon, and sent to the Senate.
In the interval between the report of the
Missouri bill and its consideration by the
House, committee was constituted, on mo-
ton of Mr.. TAYLOR, of New York, to inquire
into the expediency of prohibiting the intro
duetion of Slavery into the Territories west of
the Mississippi. This committee, at the end
of a fortnight, was discharged from further
consideration of the subject, which, it was
understood would enter into the postponed
debate the Missouri bill. This early effort
to inderdiet Slavery in the Territories by
special law is worthy of notice, on account of
some of the expressions of opinion which it
drew forth. In the course of his remarks,
Mr.. Taylor declared, that 60 he presumed there
were no members-he knew of none-who
doubted the constitutional power of Congress
to impose such a restriction ON the Terrific
RES"
A generous voice from Virginia recognized
at once the right and duty of Congress. This
was from Charles Fenton Mercer, who declar-
ed that "When the question proposed should
come fairly before the House, he should sup
port the proposition. He should record his
vote against suffering the dark cloud of inhu-
mainly, which now darkened his country,
from rolling on beyond the peaceful shores Of
the Mississippi"
AT length, on the 26th of January, 1920,
the House resolved itself into Committee of
the Whole on the Missouri Bill, and proceed
ed with its discussion, day by day, till the
2oth OF February, when it was reported back
with amendments. But meanwhile the same
question was presented to the Senate, where
conclusion was reached earlier than in the
House. A clause for the admission of Mis-
souri, was moved by way Of tack to the Maine
bill. To this an amendment was moved bv
Mr.. Roberts, of Pennsylvania, prohibiting the
further introduction of Slavery into the State.
which, after fortnights debate was defeated
| by n nays to l6 yeas.
The debate in the Senate was of unusual
interest and splendor. 1t was especially illus
trated by an effort of transcendent power from
that great lawyer and orator, William Pink
ney. Recently returned from succession of
missions to foreign courts, and at this time the
ticularly skilled in questions of constitutional
| law, his course as Senator from Maryland
was calculated to produce profound impress
sion. In a speech which drew to this Cham
/ Der an admiring throng for two days, and
which at the time was fondly compared with
the best examples of Greece and Rome, he
first authoratively proposed and developed the
Missouri Compromise His mastery effort
was mainly directed against the restriction up
on Missouri, but it began and ended with the
idea of compromise. Notwithstanding, he
say, occasional appearances of rather an I'M
/ favorable description, ] have long since per-
suaded myself that the Missouri question, as it
is called, might be laid to rest, with inno-
cence and safety, by some co'sciltatoyy Com
! promise at least, by which, as is our duty, we
might reconcile the extremes of conflicting
views and feelings, without any sacrifice Of
constitutional principles" And he closed
| with the hope that the restriction on Missouri
would not be pressed, but that the whole
question ''might be disposed of in manner
satisfactory to all byG positive prohibition Of
Il