Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-02-10

negative ana they were joined by fre
from the Free States. That bad pre-eminence
was acquired by one from N. Hampshire, one
from Vermont, one from Indiana and two from
Illinois. lfany apology might be found for the
united effort of the Senator's from the Slave
states to keep Missouri thus fastened to
Maine, rreposterous az the action was, if
looked at in the light of a straight forward
and fair way of doing business, it was difficult
to find even Il shadow of one for the five Free
States Senators who helped them to accom-
plish their purpose. No interest of their
own States,-no sympathies of their own con-
stituents called fori and even if they judged
On any grounds that Missouri ought to be ad-
mitted without any prohibition of Slavery,
that for than could furnish no reason for help
ing to embarrass the question of the admis-
sion of Maine, as they most effectually did, to
say nothing Of the greater mischief which
probably would and did come from that
act. Thirty-threc years have gone by, and to
this day, no apology for that rote has been
'ound, and none erer can be.
On the 18th of January 1920, Mr.. Thomas
Of Illinois, Zone who voted against the pro-
posal to restore the Maine bill to the eondi-
zion in which it cam to the S%enotc) intro
,lueod Il bill - to prohibit the introduction of
SLAYER into the Territories ofthe United States
north and westof the contemplated State of
Missouri" 1t was referred on the 2lst to a
committee Of five, one from a Slave State and
four from Free States but Of those four,
three were Senators who had voted in the ne
gative on the question before mentioned
Thus, with u shotp Of liberality towards the
Free States, the subject WA kept scrupulous-
ly under the control of those who were
thought to be reliable on the side Of admit
ting Missouri as a Slave State. Only one Of
the five was sure for the other side. The bill
Of Mr.. Thomas went substantially to establish
the compromise line which in the end was
adopted. On the day Of its introduction, Jan.
18th, the Maine bill, with the Missouri
amendment az reported to the Senate, being
under consideration, Mr.. Roberts of Pa,
moved to add to the Missouri amendment this
p~roviso Provided that the further intro
ductlon into said State of persons to DO held
to Slavery or involuntary servitude within
the same, shall be absolutely and invariably
prohibited" This amendment, could it pre-
vail, would place the question about the adj
mission Of Missouri where the House Of Re-
representatives. insisted it should stand the
session before. 1t was debated till the LIST
February, when it was negatived by 4 ma o-
rity of II. On this question too, all the
Senators from the Slave States voted one way,
IN favor of allowing Missouri to become a
Free States voted also one way against allow
ing it, the majority in favor of the restriction
would have been three. As before, Vermont
and New Hampshire furnished each one vote,
in effect, for the extension Of Slavery. Iii
noIs again gave her two. Connecticut and
Rhode Island joined them, each with one
vote, and Delaware did the same. One Sena-
tor from Delaware was not present, and both
of the Indiana votes were on the side for the
restriction.
The question became complicated more and
more, but Oh the 18th February, it was or
dercd to be cngrosscd and read the third time,
containing the amendment for allowing Mis-
souri, to form a constitution unrestricted as to
Slavery, and also Mr.. Thomas amendment
for prohibiting Slavery in all the territory
west of the Mississippi north Of go 30, s1-
cepnng pithin the limits Of the proposed State
of Missouri. On this vote the ayes were "a,
the noes 90. Of the ayes, Is were from the
Slave States and 4 from the F"ee States, viz,
one from New Hampshire, one froa Shode
Island. two from Delaware and two from Hi
nois. Of tho noes, Is were from Free States
and two from Slave S,atos. viz, one from
North Carolina and one from South Carolina,
these two most likely being determined that
WAY because Slavery extension was Interdictcd
at all. 1t was easy for them to indulge such
Il crotchett when it wae u sure thing that the
bill would be carried without them. Az
before, the controlling votes were given by
the Free State Senators.
It is Of no consequence here to inquire into
the reasons which those seven Senators pro-
fesscd to act upon, or to scrutinize their mo-
tivcs. The act itself fell under the severe
censure Of that bar Of public opinion TO WHICH
they would he considered amcnable, nor to
this day has that judgement been reversed,
This may be said, that had they voted as it
would eecm to have been most natural for
them to do, considering all the associations
which, as members Of communities abhor-
ring Slavery to the utmost, they had been
always surrounded with, an ~e!tectuai bar
might have been set up against any fur
ther extension Of an evil 40 disastrous TO the
human race, and 80 disgraceful and injurious
to our common country. True tho contest
was not ended by these decisions, but the
outpost Was won which exposed the cita-
del. lite Lesicgers had found out that they
had reliable friends within the walls. by
perseverance they would gain the possession.
4 disposition in some to retrace their steps,
appeared, on occasional votes which were
afterwards taken on the various moves which
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