The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-03-31

ana purchased, rs we are told, by the com.
mon treasure of The United States And
on The principle now assumed, that what is
purchased by the common blood or the
common treasure belongs 10 all, and must
be fairly divided, was there not some rea,
son why The North should inquire whether
this thing was 10 so OIL, from one State 10
another, contrary 10 the original intention
and understanding when The Constitution
was formed, until we should be at las, over.
borne by the Territory thus purchasedi Was
there anything remarkable about il-any.
thing that should occasion what have un-
dersiood 10 be the tremendous exciiemen,
Jf that day, when the same cry which has
since been heard in regard 10 The dissolution
Of the Union was lond all over this country,
especially in the slave States, and we were
threatened with disunion il The matter was
persisted in? There was such an excite.
meni, and il resulted, as these contests have
elernally resulted since the foundation oi
this Government, in the North giving way.
Senators may talk here about this matter
being settled about the North having the
balance Of power in its hands, which il may
retain, in despite OF every effort or wish to
control it. But what is The fact! The fact,
as shown by history, is, that there has been
no conflict between The free States and the
slave States, since the foundation of the
Government, in relation 10 this imporian,
question, where The free States have moi
BEEN obliged 10 yield in the end and they
have been obliged 10 yield because they
were TOO much afflicted with that class oil
men described BY the honorable Senator
from Massachusetts, (Mr. Sumner,) in his
speech The other day, and for The want,
moreover, o. that unity of interest and
purpose OF which I have spoken hereto
lore.
That contest continued for time. Wha,
was the resul, Of il! II is not pretended
that at that period there was single indi
vidual citizen, ou, Of Missouri, living and
established North of The line finally agreed
upon, with slaves, or otherwise. II was q
wilderness, and there were certainly nc
slaves there. Therefore, there were nc
rights Of slavery there. The result was an
agreement, or compact, or whatever you
choose TO call it; for gentlemen now, in
this branch Of Congress, do not seem ic
deny lha, it was compact. By that agree
mcnt line was TO be drawn on certain
parallel, and in all territory above that line
from that day henceforih, slavery was ic
be prohibited, leaving the implication ,ha,
slavery nigh, be permitted below that line
Under that agreement and stipulation, not
in The form OF contract, signed, sealed,
and the consideration expressed, in order ia
suit The legal views Of the Senator from Con
neciicu,, (Mr. Toucey,) not drawn up nc.
cording 10 The law books; but sufficient 10
be an understanding between honorable
men, acting for analion, acting upon great
national question, that line was established,
aad Missouri came into the Union. What
was the result! What is the bargain =
Gentlemen have spoken of bargain. Il
was nothing more nor less than this /: thai
above certain line slavery should never
20. That was the consideration. For that
Missouri should come into the Union as q
State, unrestricted with reference 10 slavery.
Tha, is all. In the course of This debate il
has been said that the free States broke the
compac, - that they objected 10 the admis
sion Of Arkansas. The fallacy Of !ha,
statement has been proved in public print
No man will now repea, il, There was no
opposition founded on the fact that slavery
existed there. Mr.. Adams was at The time
the leading Northern man in The House q
Representatives, and he expressly said there
was no such objection. No one made il ar
objection. So, then, with reference 10 The
admission OF Missouri itself, and with refer
ence 10 the admission OF The State ofArkansa'
afterwards, Senators cannot make out any
breach of compact, il compact it was, on the
par, OF the free States. See what was done
Look little at what was given and what
was received. On one side were three power
full States, destined to DO powerful, each a,
tho very moment Of their admission entitled
10 two Senators in this body, thus vastly in
creasing the political power Of the slave
States-I speak upon this question now, no,
as sentimentalist, but us politician, il
reference TO its political aspects and effects
coming in at once, or within very short
space Of time. They gave to Congress al
the power Of those States, both by theil
Senators and their Representatives. Wha,
was given on the other side A chance that
ut some future day, day which at that pc.
riod was understood to be remote, far
remote, above that Compromise line
might DO formed free States. At that
time the country was inhabited by Indian
tribes. The title to large portion oft was
not acquired, and could only be acquired by
treaty, which treaty would require the sane
ton Of two.thirds of this Senate, with all tho
power of the slave States in full exercise, to
carry it into effect, before the lands could be
occupied. And what has this Government
been doing sincel The honorable Senator
from Tennessee mir. Bell has informed us
and we all understand tina, large portion
of tha, territory has been set aside as Indian
territory and that, in addition to the three
or four tribes of Indians-l do not pretend
To know the exact number-inhabiting that
region of country ut the time Of its cession,
some fifteen or twenty more have been re-
moved and located upon 1t. This, sir, was
the consideration received, and it is all the
consideration. On the one side, three States
were admitted within tho course Of few
years, with all the power they could bring
into this body. On tho other side, was the
remote possibility and contingency that, at
some future day, when large portion ofthe
country, no, yet settled, could be populated,
free States should be carved out OF Il. Am
right, us matter Of fact ! believe my
self to be historically correct.
What has happened sinecl Florida was
admitted rs slave Stale into the Union,
without one word Of objection on the part of
the free States; thus making another slave
State, coming in hy purchase, above or be.
yond what was originally contemplated in
The Constitution. A little further on, and
Texas became annexed to this country and
the same liac, by another compact or agree.
mept me- was to be run through that Territory |;
but what wns the effect OF i! Tho immedi-
ale admission Of large and rich, and pow
eriul State. with two other Senators, giving
additional political strength to the slave