Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-21
!. DAILY NATIONAL ERA.

once had, the Compromise was rejected,
and the bill left III its original condition.
This was done by large votes. Even the
prohibition of Slavery was thrown out by
159 yeas to Is nays. both the North and
the South uniting against it. The Senate,
on receiving the bill back from the House,
insisted ON their amendments. The House
in turn insisted on their disagreement.
According to parliamentary usage, a Com
mittee Of Conference between the two
Houses was appointed. Mr.. THOMAS, Of
Illinois, Mr.. PlNKNEY. of Maryland, and
Mr.. JAMES BARBOUR, Of Virginia, com
posed this important committee on the
part of the Senate and Mr.. Holmes, Of
Maine, Mr.. TAYLOR, Of New York, Mr..
LowNDEs, of South Carolina, Mr.. Parker,
Of Massachusetts, and Mr.. KINsEY, Of
New Jersey, on the part of the House. Y
Meanwhile, the House had voted on
the original Missouri bill. An amend
ment, peremptorily interdicting all Slavery
in the new State, was adopted by "a
yeas TO SO nays; and thus the bill passed
the House, and was sent to the Senate,
March LIST. Thus, after an exasperated
and protracted discussion, the two Houses
were at deadlock. The double-headed
Missouri Compromise, was the utimatum
OF the Senate. The restriction of Slavery
in Missouri, involving, of course, its pro-
hibition in the unorganized Territories, was
the ultimatum of the House.
AT this stage, on the I'd of March, the
Committee Of Conference made their re-
port, which was urged at once upon the
4 House by Mr.. LoWNDEs, the distin-
guished Representative from South Caro-
lima, and one of her most precious sons
who objected to motion to print, on the
ground ssthat it would imply determine
ton in the House to delay decision of
the subject to-day, which he had hoped
the House was fully prepared for The
question then came, on striking out the
restriction in the Missouri bill. The re-
! port in the National lntelRgencer says:
/ "Mr. LowEDEs spoke briefly in support of
the Compromise recommended by the Com
mittee OF Conference, and urged with great
earnestness the propriety Of a decision which
would restore tranquility to the country, which
was demanded by every consideration OF dis
i cretion, Of moderation, of wisdom, and Of vir-
tue.
"Mr. MERCER, Of Virginia, followed on the
same side with great earnestness, and had
4 spoken about half an hour, when he was com
PEELED by indisposition to resume his seatD
In conformity with this report, this dis
turbing question was at once put at rest.
Maine and Missouri were each admitted
into the Union as independent States.
The restriction Of Slavery in Missouri was
abandoned by vote in the House of 80
yeas to 81 nays; and the prohibition of
Slavery in all Territories north Of SO deg.
30 min., exclusive of Missouri, was sub
stituted by vote of 1874 yeas to 40 nays.
Among the distinguished Southern names
in the affirmative, are Louis McLane, of
Delaware, Samuel Smith, of Maryland,
William Lowndes, of South Carolina,
and Charles Fenton Mercer, of Virginia.
The title of the Missouri bill was amend
ed in conformity with this prohibition,
by adding the words, and to prohibit
Slavery in certain Territories" The bills
then passed both Houses without d.
vision and, on the morning Of the Sd
March, 1920, the National Intelkgencer
contained an exulting article. entitled:
"The Question Settled
Another paper, published in Baltimore,
Immediately after the passage of the Com
promise, vindicated it as perpetual CON-
pact, which could not be disturbed. The
language is so clear and strong that will
read it, although il has been already quoted
by my friend from Ohio, Mr.. CHAsE:l
Il
IN Is true the Compromise is supported only
by the letter Of the ar, repeaable by the authority
,chich enacted It bat the circumstances of the
case gree this lao a MORAL FORCE equal to that
ga positive provision Of the Constitution; and
zoe do not hazard anything By sayiug that The
Constitution EXISTS IN It's observance Both par
ties have sacrificed much to cancellation. We
'cis'i to see the COMPACT kept ia good faith, and
we trust that kind Providence will open the
way to relieve US of an evil which every good
citizen deprecates as the supreme curse OF the
country. "-.Niles's Register.
The distinguished leaders in this settle
ment were all from the South. As early as
February, 1919, LOUIS McLANE, of Della
ware, had urged it upon Congress, "by
some compact binding upon all subsequent
legislatures" 1t was in 1920 brought for
ward and upheld in the Senate by WILLIAM
PINKNEY, of Maryland, and passed in that
body by the vote of every Southern SEN
ator except two, against the vote Of every
Northern Senator except four. The Com
mittee of Conference, through which il
finally prevailed, was filled, on the part of
the Senate, with infexible partisans of the
South, such as might fifty represent the
sentiments Of its President pro tenn, John
Gaillard, Senator from South Carolina
on the part Of the House, il was nomi-
mated by HENRY CLAY, the Speak
er, and Representative from Kentucky.
This committee, thus constituted, drawing
its double life from the South, was unani-
nous in favor Of the Compromise. A
private letter from Mr.. PINKNEY, written
at the time, and preserved by his distin-
guished biographer, shows that the report
| made by the committee came from him!