Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-09-30


AMIR attempt upon Missouri. tic North i* .s,t :" ,,E''
Rgr.rd Ia aud compromised Oh the me " ~
For that amendment the vote stood lJi ~ ~ anu
| Benton and his followers point to that as ne NoP
upon WHIT they are pleased 20 call the 1oiNE:o'''se
How inlsc this is, tie record shows. Inc ii'aSo Wv,
rs | have before shown you the Seilatc dii-l 'n."n
Of course the Northern members oi cacii boay,-.,.ney
voted not to compromise n right Or to settle a dlilicu''
~, but to impose a resrrictiOn-and hence III VI ~
voted for the line of 81 80. AS conclusive Vi Ills
fnct, Taylor OF New York, who was the Only one y.
the conference committee who disagreed WIN 'h"t
committee and WIS opposed to all c"tiprDIhtse, ""i
voted from first TO last Tor rcstrirtiOn, Vo'el hit"I ne
was beaten fnr the line ofj6, 50. On me "'hcr hini
out OF the IL votes against the restriction along me
line of 81 80, thirty eight were from the Svuth'
eighteen Of these being from Virginia.
This. gentlemen, Is the history taken from tla y
cord OF the mlscalled Missouri Compromise. lhI+
was the last and decisive vote upon the question "i
slavery in Missouri and the Louisiana territory. lie
line Of 80 so was adopted after the defeat OF the
Missouri restriction-not us a compromise, because
it compromised nOthlnG-not by the South, because
81 OF lis members voted against it-but it was a re-
striction enforced by the Nurih-a restriction which
they could have enforced and would have enforced
against the South, under any circumstances. DO not
understand me rs saying that the South have not been
willing To stand by that line, and to give up liz con-
virtions that it violated the Constitution and Tho
treaty of lS3. No-inasInuch rs Il bare majority oil
the South voted for it, the rest We're content Ia sub
init, and have fairly submitted ever since. 1t has
been said aud greatly relied upon, that this line Wa
not designed 10 cIrla!ize the common territory Of th.
Union, and that the spirit which dictated the line Of
81 BY was not intended to be IN admission that such
n geographical line should br preserved III The future,
bur that it was to be confined III us operation to Lnul
siuna territory alone. This IL clearly an error. 1t Is
obvious that tlIuse who adopted that i'm" in,rht In
extend il in tho future To the PGcjtlc. The debates
show that many vi the statesmen Of that dhy colItrIn
plated an extension of our lonhln across the c''iI'i-
nent lar below our then Pacific possessions III o;e'
rNn IA rLnAr - tl. v,tI,a.y sIINVs fhnt fhp
legislation was not designed for Louisiana alone, but
that a line for all time was To be tXrd 10 !nark the H.
ml,s of the two sections because, having then me
absolute power, the lower House OF Congress fore
bore 10 apply the restriction to the remainder at the
Louisiana territory below that line, although the sub
Ject was frequently before 1t.
You well rcInelnber, gentlemen, TINT Mr.. Thomas
first bill embraced all the Louisiana territory Outside
of Missouri, and that he afterwards changed his pro-
position To the straight line Of 30 80, saying nothing
of the rest OF the territory.
Trlmble in the Senate, after the Missouri restriction
VII. defeated, made the same effort without Success.
Ana IN the House, after the same: Geieaf' Taylor "l
New ! nrk, the aiNest champion ri aud tn" mover III
the restriction upon Missouri, submitted Il m"ii"n 10
amend the line of 81. 3D, by Inserting in lieu OF 1t,
"all the territory West of the Mississippi, cXcrp.
Louisiana. Missouri and Arkunsas;' but 50 lille favor
did his motion meet, that il was cut OIL by the pre-
rious question, ana the geographical line "i j" 81
adhered 10. Ii seems clear, then. that the under
standing of those who adopted the line ot 30 80 WAS.
ti'at II was To fix a permanent geographical b"IiiHn
ry between the sections. That portion III the louisa
nG Purchase which WIS left Ia the South, below thu
line OF 80 ~, wa { STRIP or couutry lying hri"'rI'
the Western border Of ArNGmaas end i"l- West lon.
gi.u'ir, aud bounded SoutI by the Red RIVER, ami
Moth by ia" lin" ut - 80, aud was ~ larG" ~ all
the New Bingham! States put t""ri!rar, !",."inG "wl
Name, although Il sac hardly "n,.twr!ilh part "i The
remaining territory. And II u fac, al Doubt iAnt M
less The prln"ip!" 81 fAuiS an umcl'a"Snt!" ";ld r'-
m-'akHh'e boundary had restrained The ll"u"c, i:i"t"
C.l To. ij tur-JInblt. uplibi hut that his territory
woull have b"un restricted likewise.
lh;a, gentlemen. c!"Ecs that session vi II ~: III
which what Is called the Compounds: wn- a"ntt"!.-
Mr.. Clayts authority nri influence have been INVOKED
Ia -anciiiy antshaIluw Il. lie hn- been styled III"
Great Paciicntnr; aud although he lnudrstiy rei'cIir'i
the Inscription o! the merit implied IN the term, y"i lie
WIS ~ often called 50, that te almost begun 10 be-
iIcvr Il himself, AMI has shown, on many occnH'"li7'
u great turge;iuiners U. III order nl events. re-
peal, that no vote wds ever aiIer iLi- session. taken
upon the subject 0i slavery, eiillur III the LOUISIANA
territory or upon Missouri = admission. and pf"t"S;
! that / hevc been unable Ia find, during thus s"-
sion, at which liz. line 0i 80 30 WA adopted, that
Mr.. Clay ever spoke NJ all upn. the Missouri re-iric-
ton, ur upon the question: o! compromise, or adv"'
Gated The lin. oi 81 30. Nor WA he on The confer
crce committee. Indeed, upon the very day "I
whIrh the BIZ calar irDlp tha senate containing that
line, i; passed the House, 50 that no opportunity Tor
discussion! WAC Afforded. Nr. Clay Batteries hHi
been l-v.i-i hi tie restriction upon Missouri winch
mad been the subject before The liogse, and which, IN
I Tf'a' wa i' ''HiAI' lhH'h'+' . ~ "''f# 'T'-
that Mr.. Clay proposed n modification III IT, tcsirc-
ton, 81 rs 10 leave it optional with the pr'ri" al Mis-
sc"rI 10 accept ar reject it, at their p'rHsurr, and tbs
wi4 1G 81, l@" before the line "i 81 ~ was adopted.
This cigHr!v SLOWS ia. 80 Ia TINT day. nothing i!kn
II c"npt"nI,e lsi uncn .GGsr-,G.., md 1t wa" voted
,!nwU -! to ~. But iIr did 10! .i."C-'= IN"
iue al 81 30, nor was TINT line llrat Suggested Ia
the House by III" conference c''inatit"" spii"ntrt
by hiii To- consider the Disagreement -! ii!c House in
a; the Sculi,'" am"nInrIts L. The Maine bii!. b"riii~r
Tie. rc;J,l. ~ .l... L,i..rIttD. was never hCi'u upon
either in Iig Sraai. =. -. In il"r~". !"r Thomas
an"uiinrnt u: tir SrDa;c ~ t;c aiIvsH~iI h,!! rom
Tia" ii"usr-by which tiv arrai" stfiiE '.t a. re-
-Iri"tlrl, aud inserted IN" line ui '' ~ n.rit ~"
report ri the committee. upon the Main" hlii H''h'N.
and il was quietly lald upon the tio!" III me ii"u't.
/: = T !""t worth rtn"mb"rn.-an serves rs /"
farther Iest--t;,t, Ter yer" hut I'VE member 81 'i'
House from til. NORTH Ht:. GIh,g-ri sc" 'ti"S : -
10 ,!-.-at the Missouri restriction, HH: Ibis Is asccr.
iuin"d by examining tbs vote given OF The !1:li oi
February in favor of the restriction, moved by lay
! lGr T. the llpu.r bill, aud the vote asalns! restriction
on the 81 Ui =. arch, when the same oil came back
from the Senate. Gn,unaeu .rs. lv striking "it the re
SirIciI"n, md next by inserting 'Eo i!mL Gt " Ill
Those who had voted on the 18th OF Fcbi ua.y Tor
r".iT'ciion' and cl:n:ei their votes on the ~ Of
March, AID 5GiiI against 1t, wcr" Eddy of Rhode
lSlnId. Hill Of .NUh,. h.rGa" al New Jersey. Smith
of New Jersey. nj! Stoyrhm ~ LGI.o",'crt. These,
then, were the five coInpruinIS".S, G,'ih"r; i,t, :.:c
! the only ones who changed their votes upun it- iliS
sour! .c. ..::ction. and why they changed. at this III.
+ tarce n: tiLe, IL 10 aiLaGs: Impossible To know. But
; that some Of Their. were forced to sco.::: by the storm
-..::: was begottcu It home, ] vii! show you ii. the
sequel. a,., Of oou,.o
mise there was upon the Missouri. question; and the
South, as usual, had surrendered its uni."si.pi!abIc
rights ~ preserve the peace and harmony ui the coun.
try. Nor should il he forgotten, that ~ TINS very
| time. Mr. Molf0-, as L." him>clG intinatcd, To appea'"
! the North, was engaged liz making u further territorial
surrender oi the southern part oI Louisiana /" SPAN
which y-rra Afterwards it cost u 4 hundred iiiiinnS
of dollars aud thousands 0f lives To reIci'!irc. Mr'
Jefferson had obtained Louisiana. embracing I"&a':
ana he snid tn. only opposition his sch"Inr nir; va,
from the Northern Frdcrail.ts, VII" were opposed To
! the extension Of Southern territory. Mr.. Monroe
urred BY the threatening aspect nj affairs upon 'l!s
. MisSt.r. s.h'e"t. and in order 10 Iui@t the clamor oi
the North. in his ,a;..u-. E!rr;dn treaty, gave vp al
our claim to TrHas-a pfGcS"ihi1 iti-h W. "'''c',
son strongly iisappr"vcd, aud Mr.. Ciay GGh"L'."a"
IN terms at the most violent inTrct1vr. ;" thh' Wh"'
We were s::rrenG"ring in Congress ~! me H"ri!'r''
mari al . ul i-is;g, tie Federal Government was sur
rendering MI the Southern. Jri bot: Srrr"liierS "rr"
prompted by the saElc PATRIOTS "I;.i"-p"'.''iW
but unwise nn,i Utterly vain. as wen 'nl-Al Ie ~
tempt 10 quiet the imp"r,"i!sis felaaiidS "i iI""hu-h'
tiers of the horse l. ecll rs Ia hope Ia stay iIr N"I'i"rh
harpi.s by surrcuiors. Steel, | tear, not @"fi "i"h''
vii ransom Us. For one OF the infamous hh"i'i"'
fGGtiuu il. Ike !iGuse-adIing insult to lr.Iury-sa"" 81
lfo .lhsiiiSuts III Ie..s. 49, srr'>ndeItl l" oP"u
THAT they might not only crjhy lGa l.o ,.,".t!"Es "i
slavery, hut the comforts OF The holy lh':u''''"h
aion. with them"
! Gi.e- this review, gentlemen, having seen '''"' ~
! North itn sL,.i.."d hv our surrenders nj iras' hte
sixi!s ~: III. original L"".s..::a purchase 'hht Il"
South had consented to- VOCATION o. h aL's:'n treat!
and an abandonment of It's Constitutional rights, ic'
G-iving in return the poor boon contained i'll the per-
! m..s,cn yiysu 10 Missouri to frame It's constitution
without auy r~ssiriatior upon slavery, will you not ray
with mG. iIat tie n.riL gas konnt, II you VIII sun
cail tLis u conyruinisc, 10 aiEerc With :s utmost
fidelity Ia their pledge for the unrestricted Ga"+I.s'"l
Of Missouri But how was it! Dad III" Aor!i, re-
cosniza It's nbIis aiinn. or consider itself piedGeI!-
Did it esteem the proceedings OF that session Il com
: promise? u
viii undertake. IL show you, gentlemen. that II re.
;,,.I ,L,. .,.. ..u -, Iyg,.r If Ml-sui!rI, unl rrpu.