Demoine courier., 1854-07-06
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acquired by the treaty Of peace which
closed the war with Mexico. The peo-
pie of California formed constitution
inhibiting slavery, and applied for ad,
mission into the Union. Violent opPo.
silion was made by the slaveholdlng
States in and out of Congress threaten
ing the dissolution of the Union il Cali
fornia should be admitted. Proceeding
on the ground of these alarms, Congress
adopted another compromise, the terms
of which were that ten million dollars
of the peoples money should be given
10 Texas, TO induce her to relinquish
very doubtful claim on very inconsd.
cradle part of New Mexico. that New
Mexico and Utah should be organized
tina. they should afterwards be admitted
as slave or free States as The people,
when forming constitutions, should de-
termine; that the public slave trade in
The District of Columbia should be abol-
ished, without affecting the existence of
slavery in this District and that new and
rigorous provisions for the recaPture OF
fugitive slaves Of disputed constitution
atty shonld be adopted, and tia, on
those conditions California should be add
ml,ed as free State. Repugnant as
this compromise was TO the people Of
the free States, acquiescence was never
,heless practically obtained by means of
solemn assurance, made in behalf of the
slaveholding States. that the compromise
was, and should be, forever regarded as
a final adjustment of the slavery ques.
ton, and Of all the issues which could
probably arise out of it.. A new Con.
gress convened in December, ISL
Representatives from The slave States
demanded renewed pledge of fidelity
TO this adjustment. and it was granted by
the House of Representatives in the
following terms:-
"ResOiued, That we recognize the
binding efficacy of the compromises of
the constitution. and believe il TO be the
intention of the people generally, as we
hereby declare it TO be ours Individually,
to abide by sdch compromises. and sus.
tain the laws necessary to carry them
out, the provisions for the delivery of
fugitive slaves, and the act of the last
Congress known as the compromise, and
of questions generally, connected with
The institutions of slavery, as dnneces-
sary, useless and dangerous"
A few months subsequently, the Dem
ocra,ic Nationa! Convention met at Bal.
iimore, and assuming to speak the sen,l
ments Of the democratic party Sc, forth
in its plaliorm-,hst the democratic
party will resist all attempts al renewing
in Congress or out of il, the agitation OF
the slavery question, under whatever
shape or color the attempt may be made.
Soon afterwards another National Con
ven,ion assembled in the same city, and
assuming the right to declare the senti
ments of the Wing party, said: We
deprecate all further agitation of the
questions thus settled, as dangerous to
the peace, and will discontinue all efforts
TO continue or renew such agitation,
wherever, whenever, or however made.
The present administration was elected
on the principle of adherence to this
compromise; and the President referring
10 it in his inaugural speech declared
that The harmony which had been secur-
ed by it should not be disturbed during
his term of office. The President, Sc.
curing &c the same subject, renewed his
pledge>in his message to Congress at the
beginning of the present session, in the
following language:
'.But Notwithstanding the differences
of opinions and sentiments which there
existed in relation to details and specific
provisions, the acqulescence OF distin-
guished citizens whose devotion 10 The
Union can never be doubted, has given
rene ed vigor to our institutions and re-
stored sense OF repose and security TO
the public mind throughout the confede-
racy. That this repose is to suffer no
shock during my official term, if | have
the power to avert it, those who placed
me here may be assured"
! Under these circumstances the propo.
silion to repeal the Missouri Compro-
mise was suddenly and unex rectedly
made by the same committee on terrific
ries which only ten days before had al
firmed the sanctity of the Missouri Com.
promise, and declared the end Of agi.a
ton, in the following explicit. and un-
mislakable language.
'vour commit,ee do not feel them.
selves called upon TO enter into a discus.
sion of those coniroverted questions
they involve the great issues which pro
duced the agitation, the sectional strife,
and the fearful struggle of 1850. AS
Congress deemed it wise and prudent to
refrain from deciding the matters in con
troversy then either by affirming or re-
pealing the Mexican laws, or by an act
decIaratory by j, TO slave property in the
territory, SO your committee are not pre-
pared now 10 recommend departure
from the course pursued upon that me.
morable occasion, either by affirming or
repeating the eighth section of TIE Mis-
souri, act, or by an act, declaratory OF The
meanlng of the constitution in respect 10
The legal points in dispute"
The abrogatlon has been effected in
pursuance OF The demands of the admin.
islra,ion itself, and by means of influence