The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-03
general 1pteiEseqee.
The Missouri Compromise.

belefal 1l1eMgelee.
The Missouri Compromise. /
Gov. MYRoN H. CLARK, of New York,
in his inaugural of the ed ult., thus dis
courses concerning the compromise meas
ures Of 1920, and the repeal Of the 9th
section of the same last summer:
Congress, as its last session, passed an
act establishing governments for that por-
ton Of the territory acquired from France
in 1903, which remained unorganized ;;
and in that act was embodied a repeal of
the law, generally known as the Missouri
compromise, by which slavery was pro-
mbited from that territory forever. This
prohibition grew out of the agitation in
reference to the admission of Missouri as
slave State, and was supposed to involve
concessions from both parties to the con-
troversy. By the terms of the compact
then entered into-for such it was, In
fact, whatever it might have been in form
Missouri came into the Union with her
slavery, and all territory south of the
parallel of 36 deg. 80 min. was left with
out any restriction as to the character of
its institutions; while on the other hand
it was solemnly covenanted that all north
of that parallel should be forever exempt
ed from the curse of slavery. The act
of Congress embodying this compact,
though doubtless subject to the control of
the Legislative power, carried with it, both
in Northumberland inthe circumstances un
der whichit wasadopted, a solemn pledge
of permaneney. Itwas the resultof con-
iict between antagonistic interests and
principles; and though, in my judgment,
the North conceded far too much, / can
not doubt that both sections were inhu-
enced by patriotic desire to preserve the
integrity of the Union and the peace of
the country The compromise was, at
the time, eminently satisfactory to the
South-as well it might be, for the bene-
fits she was to derive from it were posi-
tive and immediate, while those which
were to result to the North, were remote
and contingent. Still, because it taverted
seeming dangers, and involved a princi
pie of Cancellation that promised to
strengthen the bands of the confederacy,
it was acquiesced in by the North; and
for more than thirty years had command
ed the respect and obedience of all sec
tions and of all parties. Its repeal, there
fore, has been very generally, and not
unjustly, regarded as violation of good
faith on the part of the South, and proof
that our generous confidence in its chiv-
alrous honor had been misplaced. The
gross injustice of the transaction is ag-
gravated by the fact, that the concession
to freedom was not Withdrawn, until the
consideration for which it had been grant
ed had been fully enjoyed. Beside Mis-
souri,, Arkansas had been organized out
of the territory, and admitted as slave
State into the Union, and slavery had
taken possession of the whole of the ter
ritory south of the dividing parallel, be-
fore the compact was repudiated and the
law repealed.
By this act, all the territory of the
United States, with the exception of Ore
gon, is opened to the extension of slavery.
Against that extension, the State of New
York has always protested. In 1920,
and in 1850, and wherever tie subject
has been presented for Legislative action,
she has asserted the right and the duty
of that body which is charged by the
Constitution with the responsibility OF
making {. all needful rules and regula-
tons" for the territory Of the United
Safes, to prohibit the extension of slavery
and the increase of its political power
The Missouri compromise, which allowed
It's introduction into the territory south
of thirtysix degrees thirty minutes, was
passed against her convictions of justice
and sound policy; but she has ever re-
manned faithful to its provisions and hos
tile to its infringement and repeal. She
had right, therefore, to expect from
other States equal fidelity 20 the compact
which it involved and she has right,
and it is her duty, to demand restora-
ton of the Missouri line, as one beyond
which slavery shall not be permitted TO
pass; or rather-as required both by
the principle which called our nation into
being and by the law upon which is con-
ditioned its highest development-the
total exclusion of that anomalous institu-
ton from all territory under the jurisdic-
ton of the General Government. We
have no wish, nor do we claim the right,
20 interfere with slavery in the States /;
but in no wise do we transcend our pre-
rogative, as member of the confederacy,
when we insist that the Federal Govern
ment shall diyest itself of all connections
with, and all responsibility for, an insti-
tuition SO repugnant to the general sense
of justice, ana so hostile to Che harmony
and ultimate prosperity of the country.
1t cannot have escaped the notice of the
attentive observer of our governmental
policy. that it has, for many years, de-
parted widely from that indica1ed by the
feunders-ef the Republic, viz the rec
ognition of slavery as an anomalous in
stitution, repugn;int to all their cherished
ideas of the rights of men, and conse
quently to be localized, restricted to th'
narrowest possible limits, and graduall..
extirpated by the growth of those prin
cipies which form the basis of our poiit
ical ediice. ~
It was an evil day for both North ant
South when this policy was departed from
and the powers of the General Govern
ment were perverted to the extending ana
Matchmaking of slavery: to the upbuild
Il ing of an Institution purely local In it
character. at the expense of the interest
of freedom, which should be regarded a
dominant and universal It is jus
cause of complaint, on the part of Ney
|, York, that Determinations should be mad
, IN our national legislations which tend t
embarrass our industrial enterprises, ana
5 to deprive us of that relative political II.
5 fiuence that of right belongs to us, b,
concessions TO the slave States which nei
thef comfy nor sound craftsmanship, no