Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-02-28

lima, including in the honorable list the famil-
lar names of William PInkney, James Brown,
and William Rufus King.
This bill, as thus amended, is the first legis-
lative embodiment of the Missouri Compact or
Compromise, the essential conditions of which
were the admission of Missouri as State,
without any restriction of Slavery; and the
prohibition of slavery in all the remaining Ter
ntory Of Louisiana north of SOD. som. This
bill, thus composed, containing these two
propositions-this double measure = finally
passed the Senate by test vote of "a yeas to
20 nays. The yeas embraced every southern
Senator, except Nathaniel Macon of North
Carolina, and William Smith, of South Caro-
lima.
Mr.. BUTLER, (interrupting) Mr.. Gailliard,
of South Carolina, voted with Mr.. Smith
Mr.. SUMNER. No, sir. The Journal,
which now hold in my hand, shows that he
voted for the Compromise. I repeat that the
yeas, on this vital question embraced every
southern Senator, except Mr.. Macon and Mr..
Smith. The nays embraced every northern
Senator, except the two Senators from Illinois,
and one Senator from Rhode Island, and one
from New Hampshire. And this, sir, is the
record of the first stage in the adoption of the
Missouri Compromise. First openly amour
ced and indicated on the floor Of the Senate
forced on the North by an almost unanimous
Southern vote.
While things had thus eliminated in the
Senate, discussion was still proceeding in the
other House ON the original Missouri BILL
This was for moment arrested by the reception
from the Senate of the Maine bill, embodying
the Missouri Compromise. Upon this, action
was at once had the Compromise was
rejected, and the bill left in its original cond-
ton. This was done by large votes. Even
the prohibition Of Slavery was thrown out by
159 yeas to Is nays, both the North and 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 Parliament
tary usage, Committee of Conference between
the two Houses was appointed. Mr.. Thomas
of Illinois, Mr.. Pinkney of Maryland, and Mr..
James Barbour of Virginia, composed this i'm
portant committee on the part of the Senate
and Mr.. Holmes of Maine; Mr.. Taylor of New
York, Lowndes of South Carolina, Mr.. Par
ker of Massachusetts, and Mr.. Kinsey of New
Jersey, on the part of the House.
Meanwhile the House had voted on the
original Missouri bill. An amendment per-
emptorily interdicting all Slavery in the new
State, was adopted by "a yeas to Sc nays and
thus the bill passed the House, and was sent
to the Senate March l. Thus, after an exas-
perated and protracted discussion the two
Houses were at a deadlock The double
headed Missouri Compromise was the ultima
tuln of the Senate. The restriction of Slavery
in Missouri, involving, of course, its prohibi-
ton in the unorzanized Territories, was the
ultimatum Of the House.
At this stage, on the ID of March, the Com
mittee of Conference made their report, which
was urged at once upon the House by Mr..
LowNDEs, the distinguished Representative
from South Carolina, andsone of her most pre-
cious sons, who even objected to a motion to
print, on the ground ''that it would imply
determination in the House to DELAY a 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 report in the National
Intelligencer says;
''Mr. LowNDEs spoke briefly in support of the Com
promise recommended by the Committee of Conference
and urged with great earnesness the proprey of decs-
ion which would restore tranquility to the country which
was demanded by every consideration discretion of mod
Grafton, of wisdom, and of virtue.
s'Mr. MERCER, of Yrnnia followed on the same side
with great earnestnes and had spoken abon half an hour
when he was compelled by indisposton to resume his
| seat"
In conformity with this report, this disturb
| 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. 80 nin., exclusive Of Missouri, was
| substituted by vote Of 1874 yeas to 40 nays.-
! Among the distinguished Southern names in
the atiarmtive, are Louis McLane, of Della
ware; Samuel Smith, of Maryland; William
| Low IF C,1-
| Fenton Mercer, of Virginia. The title of the
Missouri bill was amended, in conformity with
this prohibition, by adding the words, ''and
to prohibit slavery in certain Territories. -
The bills then passed both Houses without a
division; and on the morning of the Sd March
1920, the National Intelligencer contained an
exulting article, entitled 'Ihe Question Set
tied"
Another paper published in Baltimore,
Immediately after the passage Of the Compro-
mise, indicated it as a perpetual compact
which could not be disturbed The language
is as clear and strong that l will read it, al
though it has been already quoted by my able
and most excellent friend from Ohio, [Mr.
| CHASE:
at true the Compromise is supported onlv the
letter Of the Lac, repeaiGble by the atthority Which
enacted but the circumstances 0fthe case iue mis-
talo MORAL FORCE equal to that ofa positive PROVISION
saying that the Constitution EXISTS in its observance
Both parties have sacrificed much to Cancellation NE
tuish TO see The COMPACT kept in good faith and we trust
that kind Providence will open the way to relieve us of an
evil which every good citizen deprecaes as the
curse of the counry"-NHe's Register.
! Sir, the distinguished leaders in this settle
ment were all from the South As early as
| February, 1919, LOUIS McLANE, of delaware.
had urged it upon Congress, "by some com
| pact binding upon all subsequent legislatures. !"
1t was in 1920 brought forward and upheld in
the Senate by WILLIAM P1NKNEY, Of Mary
land, and passed in that body by the vote of
every Southern Senator except two, against
the vote of every Northern Senator except
four. The Committee of Conference, through
which it finally prevailed was filed, on the
| part of the Senate, with inhexiblc partisans
Of the South, such as might fifty represent the
sentiments of its President Pro ten,pore, John
| Gaillard, Senator from South Carolina; on
the part of the House, it was nominated bv
HENRY CLAY, the Speaker, and Representa-
tive from Kentucky. This committee, thus
constituted, drawing its double life from the
South, was unanimous in favor of the Com
promise. A private letter from Mr.. P1NkNEY,
written at the time, and preserved by his dis
tinpuished hiooranhpr ahowc tbat tho ,a,,r,,.t