The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-14


condition of the Territories In this respect Of at
least doubtful validity. It's constitutionay has always
been questioned by many OF the soundet and eminent
statesmen Of the land both North and South That such
restrictions have been virtually imperative shown by the
fact that slavery existed for years In of the
Territories covered by the kindred ordinance of 1884, not
withstandng that enactment in forbade IL forever
BY undertaking to prohibit slavery north of prescribed
line and BY implication TO egaze south of that line i
was made odious 10 both sections IL applied the Wllnot
provso above SO deg 80 min il established slavery below
Its legality disputed by southern who acquiesced
n il but did not approve LIS prosayery feature brought
down upon II and its supporters the bte-est denuncaons
from the North and most Of all from that class OF politicians
who stand forward its most enthusiastic advocates
AS IN the Of other compromises based upon expectancy
rather than upon principle the good it did temporary
the evil lasting II soohed but did not extrpate the mall
ady 1t was applied to 1t erected not breawater OF
peace and safety but inydious monument OF dlscord
and division which revived and exaspeated the differences
Hit designed prevent Mr. Jefferson depored it
measure frau ht with the most disastrous consequences
His prophetic mind oresaw the mschets 1t would be sure
TO generate in the future, In speaking of il he said
os ns soas s5 s ha asd % e he sasl
passions men, win obiterated; and every ir
ritaton will mark it deeper and deeper"
4 And again in his letter to Lafayette:
On the eclipse of federalism with u.s. although its
tincton its leaders got up the Missouri question under the
false front of essenin the of slavery but with the
real view Of producing geographical division OF parties
the North bndold into the snare followed their lead
for while with zeal truly moral and laudabc until
they became sensible that they nurng instead of aid
ing the real interest of the slaves that they had been used
merely as tools for and that trick Of
hypocrisy then fell quick as it had been got up
The resistance it offered sufced only fret and chafe
fury The of sectional interest and
passon by which it increasingly assailed 1t scoched
the snake of raternal strife, but did not kill it, The mon
ser reared its head again. with added strength and
| venom.
conclude then, upon this part of the argument that
the scheme of adjustment in question ladvised in its
conception unsatisfactory to the country and misceyous
in its results see in it OF the elements Of COM
pact which implies competent contracting parties mutual
4 oor aauiy oIepts is
other legislative enactment repealabc by the power that
made it. To say that it was compact, would impute
the grosset bad faith to the of the North by whom it
was so soon and so cmphaticaly repudiated.
And how, sir was it repudated2 The two provisions
which constitute and characterize the act of 1920 appear
in the clause already cited In that part of the Louisiana
purchase not included within the limits of the State Mis-
sonr contemplated by that act slavery to be prohib
tied The State Of Missouri being north of that line
be admitted into the Union when she should form
her constitution, "upon n equal footing with the original
States in all respects whatsoever OF course then she
TO determine the question of slavery for herself all the
other States had done Ths shown by the clause expressly
excluding the Territory Of Missouri from the operation Of the
slavery prohibition IL is manifest from the accompanying
discussion from the testimony of persons cognin of the
facts from the record and from the whole history of the
transaction Missouri having formed her constitution APP
piled again for admission She was again refused by
northern The Senate assented TO her applica-
ton but it rejected in the House, by strictly
i tonal Notwithstanding her constitution conformed
in all respects to the requirements Of the preparatory act the
members from the northern States motion by Mr. Mall
ory OF Vermont voted sXtyone to thrthree 10 refuse
her admission unless she would further provide in and
by her constitution that neither slavery involuntary
servitude should be allowed within her borders
assigned for the refusal admit her was that her
proposed constitution contained clause prohibiting the
immigration of free negroes into the Statea prohibition
she had undoubed right TO put terethe like (which
now exists either by constitutional statutory enactment
in several of the non-slavehoding States The whole
ord shows that the real the slavery feature in
her constitution. All this occurred in less than twelve
months after the alleged compact of 1920 The stipulation
in that act which has been regarded the beneficial
TO the South COMPLIED WITH. missouri
never admitted under it, but she admitted under
the provisions of later and different act
In February 1921, motion Of Mr. Clay, then men,
Der Of the House joint committee Of the two houses
raised to inquire and report upon the disposition to be
made Of the application Of Missouri and the terms upon
which, if at all she should be admitted into the Union.
That committee reported the following:
Resolution providing for the admission of Missouri into the
Union a certain condition.
esorod BY ne Senate and House Of Representative, Of
U"ited States Of america ~ Congress a'sebied That Mis-
with the original States in all respects whatsoever upon the
fundamental condition that the fourth clause Of the twenty
sixth section Of the third article OF the constitution submitted
the part the said State Congress shall be
srued to authorize the passage law and that no law
shall be passed in conformity thereto by which citizen
either Of the States in this onion shall be excluded from the
enjoyment Of any Of the privileges and nmunes to which
States ProUided That the legislature Of the said State by
solemn public act shall declare the OF the said State
the said fundamental condition. and the President
Of the United States before the fourth Monday in No
yembcr next authentic OF the said act the
receipt whereof the President by proclamation shall
nounce the fact whereupon and without any further pro
ccedng on the part Congress- admission the said
State into this Union shall be considered complete.
This resolution insisted a new condition precedent
upon the virtual abrogaon the clause prohibiting fee
negro immigration II adopted by Congress accepted
by Missouri and under its provisions she took her posi-
tion member OF the confederacy.
This then, is the compact Of adnisson-the MIS-
CoMPRousEand not the act of 1920 with which il
is often erroncously confounded II this, and
the Of 800 that finally settled the difficulty and gave
peace to the country This and not the act of 1920
the measure OF which Mr. Clay the author and with
which his name has since been closely and honoaby
identified This Is the compromise that received by
the country with such outburs OF approval and eoic
mgs This settlement the pending bill does not disturb
In view Of these facts Mr. Chairman what becomes Of the
charge strangely persisted in ha the of 1920 had
been sacrcdy observed by the North and that It's suspcn
son as proposed by this BILL would be "brcach o
aithH-a "yiolaton Of q solemn compactY
One other fact ia this connexion is worthy Of passing
remark The delegates from Massachusetts, voted In botl
houses against The admission Of Missouri until the clause
in question stricken out AT the time there
law in force upon her satute-book providing fol.
lows:
That no person. being African negro (oher than
subject of the Emperor Of Morocco, citizen OF
of the United States be evidenced by certificate from
the State Of which he shall citizen) shall
arry within this Commonwealth Tor longer time than two
months and that the said African negro after
ce) shall depart he shall be committed TO the house
correction be kept hard labor until the next sessions
the peace and IT, upon trial, IL shall appear that the SAID
person has thus continued In the Commonwealth he o
e shall be rhppcd stripes and ordered 10 depart ou
the Commonwealth within ten days. and II he or sho shal
depart the process shall be had and punishment
= inflicted, and so 'ote' qnoties,"
What a commentary this upon pharsaica philanthropy
Massachusetts, reject Missouri from the Union un