The weekly Minnesotian., 1854-02-25

from the Chicaso Democratic Press.
The Missouri Compromise shall It be Re.
Dealed?


peaied7
The eighth section of an act. entitled "An
Act TO authorize the people Of Missouri Terrific
Ey 10 form constitution and State govern
ment, and Tor the admission Of said State into
the Cnlon on equal footing with the original
States, and to prohibit slavery in certain Terri.
tories, approved March the 18th, 1920" con-
tains the following clause:
provided, That in all that Territory ceded
oy france to the United States. under the name
OF Louisiana, which lies north of thirty.six de-
grees and thirty minutes north latitude not in.
eiuded within the limits of the State conte1n-
p!ated ty this act, slavery and Involuntary ser
Vltuoe, otherwise than in the punishment Of
crime, whereof the parties shall have been duly
convicted. shall be. and is hereby forever bro
hlblted Provided always, that any person es-
Gaping into the same from whom labor or ser
vice Is lawfully claimed in any State OF Terri
tory OF the United States, such fugitive may be
lawfully reclaimed, and conveyed to the Der
sons claiming his or her labor or service, as
aforesaid"
The third article OF the second rection Of the
joint resolution for tie annexation of Texas
approved March the lst 1915, provides anon =
other things:
That new States of convenient size. not ex.
ceeding four in number. in addition to said
State OF Texas, and having sufficient popula-
t'on. may hereafter, by the consent of said State
DC formed out Ofthe territory thereof which shall
be entitled to admission under the provisions of
the federal constitution. And such States AZ
may be formed out of that portion of said Ter
ritory lying south ofthirty-six degrees and .hir-
ty minutes north latitude, commonly known as
th2 Missouri Compromise line, shall De admit
ted into the Union with or without slavery as
the people of each State may desire And in
such State or States as shall be formed out OF
said Territory, north of said Missouri Compro-
mise Line, slavery or involuntary servitude.
except for crimes) shall be prohibited''
The fifth proposition of an act to establish .
Territorial Government for New Mexico, ap-
proved September 9th, 1850, Zone Of tb. COM
promise mcasures,) contains the following pro-
yiso:
"Provided. That nothing herein contained
shall be construed to impair or rqualfy anything
contained in the third article of section second
OF JOINT resolutions for annexinS Texas to the
United States. approved March lst, A. D..
1915"
We have here presented in the bricfrst pos-
stble compass, the various legislative enact
mcnts having direct or indirect bearing upon
the subject known as the Missouri COMPROMISE.
II is within the recollection of most Of our cti-
zens that the admission of Missouri into the
Union in 1870, the annexation of Texas in 1916.
our Mexican acquisitions in 1850, were each at
tended with more or less exciting discussion
upon the subject of slavery. and there were not
waiting those who thought the integrity of our
Federal Unlon greatly endangered by the feel
ing winch these discussions cngeudpreG. Ne
vertheless, on each occasion u basis o. compro-
mise was agreed upon, and which was regarded
as hnal settlement of the matters in contro-
versy in each particular case. Thus the Com
promise of 1920 prohibited forever slavery and
involuntary servtudc in all that TERRITORY ccd-
cd by France to the United States which lies
north of thirty six degrees and thirty minutes
north latitude. Likewise the joint resolutions
OF 1878, providing for the annexation of Texas.
not only recognized the compromise of 1920,
but actually extended its principles to terrific.
ry not originally embraced within its proyi-
sions. So also in that one of the compromise
measures of 1850, which provides for q Terrific
rial government over New Mexico and which
contained certain propositions to Texas, rela.
tive to her western and northcrn boundaries,
and the REIMBURSEMENT Of certain territory
claimed by her, guarantees the faithful per
formancc Of the stipulat;ons contained in the
third article OF section second of joint resolu-
tions for the annexation Of Texas-which stip-
uations, among other things, contained an ex-
press prohibition Of slavery, in SO much of her
territory as lies north of thirty six degrees. ,hr
ty minutes north latitude
1t is also worthy of remark tina: on each of
the three occasions above alluded to, the inca
sure OF pacication was brought forward by the
South. The compromise oflS20 was introduced
by Mr.. Clay. and it was mainly through his able
and eloquent advocacy that it was passed. The
joint resolutions for the annexation of Texas
in which the principle Of the Missouri Compro-
mise was recognized and ertended, came from
the South-Andrcw johnson, of Tennessee, we
believe, was the original mover. And SO like
wise the amendment to the New Mexico bill
by which the extension of the Missouri Compro-
mise line, as provided for in the Texas resolu-
tions, was guaranteed, was offered by Mr.. Ma
son, of Virginia.
Let it be borne in mind, ALSO in this connec-
tlon. that there was in each case large party
in the Northern States, opposed to the basis Of
settlement, but that regard for their Southern
brethren, patriotic devotion to the integrity
OF the Union, and spirit of concession, which
we trust will always be found to exist when the
interests Of different sections of our confcdera-
cy come in conflict. prompted large majority
of Northern people to rally around the mea
snres Of pacifcation presented by the South
There the great body of the people of the North
crn States still stand. The sanctity the Com
promises is part of their political creed from
which they will. under no circumstances, de-
part without some show Of reason establishing
the necessity beyond the possibility of doubt.
Bills have been introduced in both Houses OF
Congress, for the erection Of two new Terrific
ries-Nebraska and kanses-whch in effect re-
peals the Missouri Compromise. The question
comes up-ougEt the bill with this provision in
it to become q law? We can conceive of no
reason for it. The South-that same South
which through her most eloquent and one of her
most devoted sons-Ileury Clay-prcsented it
as an olive branch to the North, has not asked
it ut the hands of the country. The North as
suredly have not Wherefore. then, should the
question be agitated at all? 1t has been said
that the compromise of lS50-a compromise,
by the way, which the people Of the North stand
ready to maintain at every hazard-supersedc
that Of 20. If so, then the question is already
settled. and there is no need of supereeding''
a second time. 1t has also been said that the
compromise of 1920 is unconstitutional. II
this be so, the Intervention of our Supreme
Court would seem to be more appropriate than
that OF Congress. 1t has been further contend
ed that the Compromise measures OF 1850 con-
templated the repeal of that of 1920, il it did
not formally do go in 80 many words. If this
he so how comes il that the retrOspcctive action