Washington sentinel., 1854-03-09

4 iOiH anu SbhtShPi. GlNcst iudt
| fthe sanctity with which it has been regarded
" the people-as the bulwark of their liber
! les, and their defence against power-and ths
anne and the form Of the Union may, 70,
while, indeed, be preserved, but the spirit vii
ave fled, and after a short period Of convul
i've existence will be rent into fragments, OF
Ne converted into a government in which the
'ongress of the United States. like the Parlia,
nent of Great Britain, will be irresponsible
and omnipotent.
Mr.. President, the eighth section of the aci
,f 1920, without any relation to the State oi
Missouri, prohibits slavery forever from all that
art Of the territory acquired by the Louisiana
purchase north Of 36o 30> north latitude.
But the act with which the great name o.
Henry Clay has been identified, has nothing
whatever to do with this restrictive section OF
the act of March. 1920, generally, but errone-
olsly, called the Missouri compromise. But
he art or resolution Of the subsequent year
Introduced by Mr.. Clay, March 2, 1921, may be
regarded as a compact; not so the general act.
'ontaining the restrictive section of 1920.
1t is of the essence Of q compact that there
should be two or more parties to it. Was this
40 of the act Of 1920? Were there two parties
70 it? By no means, sir There certainly was
not. 1t was an act of Congress, and was not
even accepted by Missouri. 1t was not, there.
ore, a compact between Missouri and the Uni
ed States.
But admitting for the argument that it was
compact with Missouri, and that Missouri had
'ccepted and ratified it, l ask gentlemen how
FIR the State of Missouri could rightfully con.
.lude the rights Of the people Of the United
States to vast and unsettled regions outside of
the geographical limits of Missouri and north
# that parallel Of forbidden lat tude?
But. sir, the acceptance of the resolution
nroviding for the admission of Missouri into
he Union on certain condition." offered by
Nr CLAW, and approved on the I'd Of March.
s2l, did, in my judgment, constitute a COM
,act between the United States and the State of
Nissouri-so far as the State Of Missouri is
'oncerned, and no further-and it was this:
Resolution proriding far the admission of Missouri
into hr Union on a certain condition.
Resolved bv the Senate and House of Representa-
'ires Of Me Unitsd Stairs of America IN Congress
assembled, That Missouri shall be admitted into the
'non on an equal footing with the original States.
n all respects whatever upon the fundamental
condition thai the fourth clause Of the twenty-sixth
section of the third article of the Constitution sub
ni'ted on the part OF the said State 10 Congress,
hall never be construed to authorize the passage
,f any law. and that no law shall be passed in con.
the States IN this Union shall be excluded from
he enjoyment Of any Of the privileges and mmu-
iities 10 which such citizen is entitled under the
Constitution offhe United States: Proriaed, That
,he legislature Of the said State, bv solemn public
act shall declare the assent of the said State TO
the said fundamental condition, and transmit to
| The President Of the United States, on or before
he fourth Monday in November next, an anthem
tic copy of the said act: upon the receipt whereof
he President, by proclamation, shall announce
,L.T \ -. r.
ceedings on the part Of Congress. the admission
Of The said State into this Union shall be con.
sdercd as complete.
JOHN w. TAYLOR,
Speaker Of ths Rouse of Representatives.
JOHN GAILLARD,
Speaker of The Senate pro teupore
JAMES MONROE.
And this fourth clause Of the tweuty-sixih
section of the third article Of the Constitution
of the State of Missouri authorized the legis
'ature pass law prohibiting the immigration
of free negroes. This Congress refused to
sanction; and the resolution Of Mr.. Clay was
ohered and adooted in Congress, submitted in
due form to the people Of Missouri, and acceded
to by Them. This, then, was compact be-
tween the United States on the one part, and
the State of Missouri on the other; and for
what? to prohibit slavery forever north Of
360 30 north latitude? No, sir. No such
stimulation or provision can be there found, 1t
provides simplythat the clause to which have
referred in the Constitution Of Missouri "shall
never be construed to authorize the passage of
any law, and that no law shall be passed in
conformity thereto. by which any citizen Of
either of the States of this Union shall be ex-
cluded from the enjoyment of any Of the priv
ileges and immunities TO which such citizen is
entitled under the Constitution of the United
States" And this, Mr.. President, is Mr.. Clay s
compromise. The so-called Missouri Compro-
mise-or solemn compact as it is now called
was on act of general legislation, never ac-
cepted by Missouri, which it concerned, and
therefore could not in law or in common sense
be called a compact.
But, sir, the true object Of the act Of 1920
was to satisfy temporary exigency. 1t was
adopted with direct reference to the presi.
dental contest Of that day. 1t answered its
purpose then. 1t terminated sectional con.
controversy which threatened the peace of the
the country and the stability Of the Union. The
motives which induced that act now justify its
repeal. The repeal will accomplish no,o what
that act vainly attempted. 1t will forever put
an end to all controversy on the subject Of sla-
very. BY that repeal Congress divests itself
ioTeNcT VI al IlSht W Intervene Win reference
to that subject.
And, sir, the repeal of this Objectionable act,
unconstitutional as it is, and conflicting as it
does with the compromise measures Of 1850,
while it will make a uniformity and consisten.
cy in congressional legislation, in every way SO
| desirable while it will relieve portion Of our
fellowcitizens from condition Of inequality
of rights, a sense Of which has chafed and
CALLED them almost into resistance it will have
no practical effect upon the Territories of Kan
sas and Nebraska.
1t has been well and truly said by the distn.
guished senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Ev.
ERETT, that "there was no great material in.
terest in it. 1t is not supposed (says he) that
even the Territory of Kansas is to become a
slaveholding region. The climate, the soil, the
staple productions, are not such as to invite
the planter from the neighboring States who is
disposed to remcve, to turn away from the cot.
ton region of the south, and establish himself
in Kansas or Nebraska. A few domestic ser.
pto he tab tharo G.. IL