The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-10-28

The Courier and Enquirer, Ia accounting LOT Us anna
ton with Garrison Co. in support OF the party miseaed
republicans does great injustice TO Henry Clay BY
representing him the originator Of the Missouri Com
promise meaning Compr omise Of 1920, which esiab
shed the line Of SO 80 the limit between slavery and
freedom in the Territories Says the Courier;
We desire to show the Clay wings of this city what
the Hon Archibald Dixon the wing successor OF Henry
Ciav In the senate OF the United States, considers it bis
duty to DO under the circumstances lie ADMITS The de-
mise the wing party in Kentucky where as N every
southern State even has ceased to be aud there
fore being un,yine TO act with the know-noihng hs
goes al once 10 the democracy This honest and above
board and we advise the Clay wings OF ina city wht
approve OF the repeal Of the Missouri COMPROMISE con-
promise Of .ohich Mr. Clay fact tho originator and
which he honored the hour OF his death--~e ADVISE all
those who ere his fends living but who now thai he
dead have abandoned his principles, to 90 manuy over
10 the democracy While the contrary, we claim for
those who continue true TO Mr.. Cays memory ana who
regard the Missouri Compromise as he du 10 sustain the
fusion ticket the only meaus OF securing s fSoauoh
To The statn,e-book."
The Couriers advice are inclined to think, VIII be
extensively followed. We knoW that some Of the most
distinguished Clay wings of this city are in asor OF the
Nebraska BILL and beiiere that great many more will
utterly dcountenance the efforts OF the Courier anah
abolition associates favor Of repeal or, in other words
for the restoration of the Missouri Compromise But as
to this we shall know better after the election What
now have 10 do is show that the Couriers statement
charging the authorship of the compromise line Of $3.50
upon Henry Clay is without any foundation IN Truth
And we do it better than in Mr. Gays own
words as uttered in the United States Senate, Feb
$780, and published in the Appendix 70 the Congressional
Globe for that year, part l., p l2i.
81 do not know whether any thing has excited more
surprise in my mind to the rapdity with which I'M
porant historical transactions are obliterated and pass
out of memory than has the knowledge OF ne act that
was everywhere considered the author OF the line Of
80 which established upon the occasion OF the
admission of Missouri into the Union. SO
far from having presented as proposition tne line Of
/ a II Tho IF
souri, ought to be admitted into the Union or moi, it
did originate in the house OF which was member
/ The compromise which Mr.. Clay Originated related
to another matter entirely The constitution framed by
Missouri agreeably to the act Of 1920 (which act esh
shed the slavery line of &c. 0 contained provision for
bidding the immigration of free people of color into that
| State. This raised tremendous hue and cry at the
North which finally allaycd not quoted, by com.
promise resolution introduced by Mr. Clay and adopted
after heated discussion of several days. to the effect that
if there be any provision in the constitution OF Missouri
incompatible with the constitution of the United States
State OF Missouri shall orbear to enforce that repug
provision in that constitution, and she SHALL by some
solemn and authentic act declare that she will enforce
any provision in her constitution incompatible with the
constitution of the United States" This the sub
stance of Mr.. Cays compromise, rs stated IN his own
words 1t brought forward until 1921, and ap-
piled only the State Of Missouri whereas the $3.50 pro-
vision adoped the year previous, (ls2o) and related
i
line or not he declared himself in 1850 not able to tell
with certainty the journal does not show which way
the Speaker votes but he he had no
earthly ioubt-that be voted in common with his other
southern friends (meaning majority Of them,) "or the
adoption of the line Of $780, The northern members
almost unanimously voted against the admission Of Mis-
souri, outstanding Mr.. Cays compromise
Enough has oeen said to show that he not the orig
aator of the Compromise line, nor probably is
in Ms q
common with majority of the southern members, VINO
chose the least of two evils there being apparently no
other way securing the admission Of Missouri into The
Union with such provisions in respect to slavery as her
/ people approved.
We are further prepared to show that in 1850, when r
Clay represented by the Courier to have declared the
Missouri Compromise (meaning the Compromise of 1885,
which established the slavery line OF 36sO) to be one Of
the wses and most sacred compacts conceived BY
the patriots of the period which demanded its enactment
do give us the quotation in Mr. Clays words i've saw
prepared show that in that very year. 1850 he de-
nounced the principle of that dividing line and opposed
extension the Pacific decidedly preerrag non-acton BY
Congress- and of course leaving the decision Of the quca
ton of slavery the people of each Territory subject
only to the constitution Of the United States This pre-
esely the principle of the Nebraska law. In the same
speech from which have quoted few sentences above
delivered in the Senate February G. 1885, see r. 2 APP
pendx Cong. Globe, part lst) Mr.. Clay says:
II tneD, 10 keep tDc Wuole vi tuesc
touched by any legislation of Congress upon the subject
of slavery leaving open and undecided Non-acon by
Congress best for the South and best for all the views
which the South have disclosed to from time to time as
corresponding to their wishes. know it has been said
with regard the Territories, and especially has 1t been
said with regard to California that n0n-egislaon upon
the part of Congress implies the thing the exc
sion of slavery That cannot help. That Congress
responsible for II Nature has pronounced the doom
slavery in these Territoricsf she has declared by her
mmutable laws that slavery and shall not be in.
Natures God? Congress you cannot Congress abstain
Congress is passive Congress 10 non-acting south and
north of the ne or rather if Congress agrees to the plan
which propose extending line 1t leaves the entire
theatre OF the whole cesson Of these territories untouched
by legislative enactmens either to exclude admit sla
very. Well ask again. If you will listen 70 the voice Of
calm and dispassonate reason, ask of any man OF e
South to rise and tell if 1t is better for that section
of the Union that Congress should remain passive upon
terct slavery upon the side of that line and be pas
sive upon the other side of that liner
If such the views of Henry Clay, it is clear that
were he earth (oh that he were J he would sup
port any party rather than that which miscas itself "re
publican
But look at another point One of the fundamental ar
ticles of the republican platform is No slave States
II State applies for admission the Union with
stituton olerating slavery reject her. These not the
words Of the platform, but express the sentiment
truly Such not the doctrine of Henry Clay In the
United States House of Representatives February 1890
he spoke directly to this point We copy from st Louis
paper OF March l. 1920 (snce merged into the Missouri
Republican, as quoted by the Illinois National Flag
~ f. tu.s