The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-09-08
The Missouri, compromise.

We have had an interview with Mr..
Starr, late Missionary of the American
Home Missionary Society, IN Missouri.
Mr. Starr calls himself a colonizationist,
and is far from being an Abolitionist, in
the ordinary acceptation of the word
He says he was Obliged to leave Missouri,
not because he had agitated the slavery
question, which he had no desire to
do, but because, being northerner,
he had failed to espouse, warmly, the
pro-slavery propogandism of Stringfel-
| low and his associates.
On one point of great importance,
the testimony of Mr.. Starr is note
worthy, and should be pondered. He
says, the repeal of the Missouri Com
| promise is already working mischief to
| the interests of the slavery party in the
south west; and that it is great mis-
take in the opponents of slavery, in the
middle and eastern States, to seek or de-
sire its restoration. The opponents OF
slavery in the southwest view the mat
ter in very different light. They per-
eeive that the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise opens the door for the in
PRODUCTION of freedom into Missouri,
Texas, and indeed, all the southwestern
States. A large influx of German EN-
igrants is shaking the foundations OF
slavery in Texas. There are strong ten
denotes to emancipation in some parts OF
Tennessee, and the whole system trem-
bles in equipoise in Missouri. All this,
Mr. Starr says, was understood by
Messrs. Bell, of Tennessee, Houston. of
Texas, and Benton of Missouri. And
this, he adds, is the we'll known reason
of the opposition of those gentlemen to
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise.
They were more sharp-sighted and pru-
dent than the majority of the slavehold-
ers, though they were sustained by re-
spectacle miRorities of them. In Mis-
souri, the blunder of Toombs and Doug
las is coming TO be understood and de-
plored. 1t is seen, too, that the error
cannot be retrieved. And now. in fit
of desperation, the Missourians follow
such reckless leaders as Stringfellow, be-
lieying that there is no way of main
tanning slavery in Missouri, but by fore
ing it upon Kansas. And on the other
side, it is beginning to be seen that the
defense of freedom in Kansas is sus-
pended upon the liberation of Missouri !;
so that the contest is, in a manner, de-
fensive one on both sides; and the
friends of freedom, in Kansas, should
make it aggressive on both sides, in
some way. A Yankee emigration in
Missouri would, perhaps. be quite as eff
fective as one into Kansas. During the
Missouri Compromise, the thought of
introducing free culture, South of the
stipulated line, was not dreamed of, but
now it arrests general attention.
! Such, in substance, are the facts and
impressions communicated to US by Mr..
Starr, without the lead of any question
ing on our part, and altogether in ad-
vance of any particular information re-
ceived by us We had, indeed, on prin-
ciple, opposed the restoration of the
Missouri Compromise. And we knew
that the principles which control the
moral world, lie at the bottom of all po-
| Ii ical causes and effects. But here we
have a justification of our political advice
from one who has observed only the
passing facts, but without any compre-
hension of our philosophy, or any SYM
pathy with our principles. 1t is always
in accordance with fixed principles that
events take place. Why will not men
study and confde in them ?-Rddiral
1Lo[nionist.