Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-03-16

he pronounced to be bad faith; and he made ap-
Deals about dishonor. The senator from Con-
necticut Mr. SMIrHl did the same thing, and so
did the senator from Massachusetts,, MIR. sum,
SER, and the senator from Ohio, MIR. CHASE
That is the great point to which the whole aboli-
ton party are directing all tssir artillery in
this battle. Now, propose TO bring them to the
point. If this was a compact, and if what they
have said is fair, or just or true, who was it that
the compact
MIR. SUMNER. Mr. President, the senator
from Illinois, know, does not intend to misstate
my position. That position, as announced in the
language of the speech which addressed TO the
Senate, and which ! now hold in my hand, is,
ssthis is an nfraction of solemn obligations, as
sumed beyond recall by the south, on the admis-
sion of Missouri into the Union as slave State;"
which was one year after the act Of 1920.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Mr.. President, shall como
10 that: and | wish to see whether this was an
obligation which was assumed "beyond recall.
If it was compact between the two parties, and
ono party has been faithful, il is beyond recall by
the other. If, however, one party has been .aith-
less, what shall we think Of them, II, whsle nth
less, they ask performance!
Mr.. SEWARD. Show it.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. That is what | am coming
to. have already stated that, at the next SEES
sion of Congress, Missouri presented constltu-
ton in conformity with the act Of 1920; that the
Senate passed a joint resolution to admit hor;
and that the House refused to admit Missouri IN
conformity with the alleged compact, and,
think, on three distinct votes, rejected her.
Mr.. SEWARD. beg my honorable friend,
for desire to call him SO, to answer me frankly
whether he would rather should say what lhaye
to say in this desultory way, or whether he would
prefer that should answer him afterwards; be-
cause it is with me rule in the Senate never TO
interrupt gentleman, EXCEPT to help him IN ms
argument.
9f rNn 7 -. hoa
ator now.
Mr.. SEWARD. What ] have to say now,
and acknowledge the magnanimity ofthe senator
from Illinois in allowing me to say it, is, that the
north stood by that compact until Missouri came
in with constitution, one article of which denied
to colored citizens of other States the equality OF
privileges which were allowed to all other clti-
zens Of the United States, and then the north in
sisted on the right of colored men to be regarded
as citizens, and entitled to the privileges and inn
munites Of citizens: Upon that new compro-
mise was necessary. / hope am candid.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. The senator is candid,
have no doubt, as he understands the facts; but
undertake to maintain that the north objected to
Missouri because she allowed slavery, and not be-
cause of the tree-negro clause alone.
Mr.. SEWARD. No, sir.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Now will proceed to prove
that north did not object, solely on account
Of the free-negro clause; but that in the House OF
Representatives at that time, the north objected
as we'll because of slavery as in regard to free ne
groes. Here is the evidence. In the House Of
Representatives, on the 10Th Of February, 1921,
Mr. Mallory, OF Vermont, moved to amend the
Senate joint resolution for the admission of Mis-
souri,, as follows
To amend the said amendment, by striking oui
all thereof after the word respects, and inserting the
following Whenever the people ofthe said State,
by convention, appointed according 10 the man
ner provided by the act 10 authorize the people OF
Missouri TO form a constitution and State govern
ment and for the admission Of such State into the
Union equal footing with the original States
and 10 prohibit slavery in certain territories, APP
proved March 6, 1920, adopt constitution con-
formally TO the provisions of said act and SHALL IN
ADDITION to said provision, further proviae an aud
by said consultation, that neither sA:veyy nor fnroi
untary SefUitnde shall be aRo,ce1 an said State
of Missouri, unless inflicted as punishment for
crimes committed against the laws OF said State
whereof the party accused shall be duly convict
ed Pyopielrd, That the civil condition of those
persons who now are held TO service in Missouri
shall not be affected by this last provision.
Here | show, then, that the proposition was
made that Missouri should not come in unless, in
addition to complying with the Missouri compro
mise, so called, she would go further, and prohibit
slavery within the limits of the State.
Mr.. SEWARD. Now, then, for tho vote.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. The vote was taken by yeas
and nays. | hold it in my hand. Sixty-one
northern men voted for that amendment, and
thirty three against it. Thus the north, by
vote of nearly two to one, expressly repudiated q
solemn compact upon the very matter in contro-
versy, to wit: that slavery should not be prohib-
tied in the State of Missouri.
Mr.. WELLER. Let the senator from New
York answer that.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. should like to hear his
answer.
Mr.. SEWARD. desire, if shall be obtru-
sivc by speaking in this way, that senators will
w
that am obtrusive. But make these explana-
tons in this way, for the reason that desire to
give the honorable senator from Illinois the priv
ilege of hearing my answer to him as he goes
along 1t is simply this That this doctrine Of
compromises is, as it has been held, that if so
many northern men shall go with so many south
ern men to fix the law, then it binds the north
and south alike. therefore have but one answer
to make that the vote for the restriction was less
than the northern vote which was given against
tho whole compromise.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. We'll, now, we come to this
point: We have been told during this debate,
that you must not Judge of the north by the mi.
nority, but by her majority. You have been told
that the minority, who stood by the Constitution
and the rights Of the south, were dough-faces.
Mr.. SEWARD. / have not said SO. will
not say so.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. You have all said so in your
speeches, and you have asked us to take the ma
iority of the north
Mr.. SEWARD. spoke Of the practical fact.
never said anything about dough-faces.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. You have asked US to take
the majority instead Of the minority.
Mr.. SEWARD. The majority Of the country.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. | am talking of the ma
jority Of the northern vote.
Mr.. SEWARD. No, sir.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. hope the senator will hear
me. ] wish to recall him to the issue. stated
that the north in the House of Representatives
voted against admitting Missouri into the Union
under the act of 1920, and caused the defeat of
that measure; and he said that they voted against
it on the ground of the free-negro clause in her
constitution, and not upon the ground of slavery.
Now, have shown by the evidence that it was
upon the ground of slavery, as well upon the
other ground and that majority of the north
required not only that Missouri should comply
with the compact Of 1920, SO called, but that she
should go further, and give up the whole consider.
alton which the senator says the south received
from the north for the Missouri compromise.