New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-17

DEAR SIR: / have d-.y .ete:vcL your favor of Ia,
9Th inst aud feed greatly Obliged - Ibe friendly sen
fcrcd toward me- regret extremely that con sup
Nv yun with no copy of any speech that ever ada
on he Missouri question. The debate was bong. ardu-
GUS and during the last agitation Of the QUO stion.
spoke almost every day for two three weeks the
main or collateral questions. The set or prepared
speech which made Of three or four hours duration
was never published. Ofmy share in the debate there
is, therefore, only meagcr account to be CLEANED from
the papers of the day. ,,,o .oo
The question first arosc in the session of 1890.
When the bill for admitting Missouri into the Union
was on ne passage Mr.. Taylor Of New York proposed
10 insert in il, condition on which the state was 10
become member of the Confederacy, that 1t should
never tolerate Slavery involuntary seryItudc. The
argument by which that proposition was maintained
by himself and others was that Slavery contrary to
the Divine law and to the acknowledged rights OF man
that il ought not to exist; that 1t " an admitted cvii
that the General Government cannot extirpate 1t III
the old States II can prevent its extension to the new
that being contracted within limited sphere, it will
be less pernicious and controlable; that Con-
gress having the power to admit new States may pre-
scribe the conditions Of their admission; and hat IN an
preceding instances OF the admission OF new States
some conditions were annexed.
To oil this we replied that the General Government
rad nothing to do with the subject Of Slavery, which
belonged exclusively to the several States that they
alone were TO Judge of the evil and the remedy that
every State had such entire control over the matter
that those which tolerated Slavery might abolish IT,
and those which never had or had abolished II might
now admit it without any interference from the General
Government that although Congress had tie power to
admit rev States when admitted by the express terms
Of the Constitution they the same footing in
every respect whatever with the senior States ana con-
soquently had right to judge for themselves on the
question Of Slavery that if Congress could exercise
e power Of annexng a condition respecting Slavery
they might annex any other condition, and thus 1t
might come pass that instead of confederacy OF
States Of equal power we should exhibit mongre as
f1af fl,a of 9TH
were not conditions upon their sovereignty but youn-
tary compacs relating chiefly to the public lands and
mutually benefical that the extension of Slavery was
favorable TO the comfort of the slave and to the security
Of the white race, DC.
The proposition by Mr.. Taylor (which, / think had
en- made at the previous SESSION. defeated by
small majority and the bill passed without the obnox-
ions condition.
Missouri assembled her convention, formed consti-
futon and transmitted it to Congress. In that consti
tuition she unfortunately inserted clause against free
proposed to admit her into the Union, the party
who had supported the condition, taking advantage of
that exceptiOnable clause opposed her admission
i did not reach Washington until in January, and
when got there found the members from the Slave
States and some from Others in despair. All efforts
had been tried and failed to reconcile the parties Mr.
LOwndes had exhausted all his great in vain
Both parties appealed to me- and after surveying their
condition, / went to work. saw that each was 80
committed and 30 welded to its opinion that nothing
coud be effected without compromise; and the point
with me was to propose some compromise which
should involve no sacrifice of principle. got com
mittee Of thirteen appointed by the House, and furnsi-
ed TO the Speaker Mr. Taylor list of such members
wished embracing enough of the rerrctionSts to
carry any measure, if they would agree with In
that Committee proposed, and, with Its assent, re-
ported to the House clause, by way OF condition,
to be annexed to the act admitting her, substantially
like that which was finally adopted 1t was defeated
in the House BY Mr.. Randolph and Messrs. Edwards
and Burton Of North Carolina voting against it.
My next movement was to get a JOINT committee OF
twenty.four appointed by the two Houses. That on
the part of the House chosen by ballot, and list
which made out were appointed, with few excep-
TONS They reported the resolution, now to be found
on the statute book which finally passed I'd March,
1921, and settled the question.
Never did party put 30 much at hazard as the re-
did small question as that was winch
arose on the second Occasion growing ont OF the Con-
st;tutiop of Missouri. Never have seen the Union In
such danger Mr.. King of New-York was understood
TO concur in all the OF tho rcstrctOnlss lie
member of the Senate spoke largely ON the sub
iect, and was most triumphany refuted in one Of the
abest speeches OF Mr. Plnkney Of Maryland that ever
heard.
Beside the topics employed in the first instance, on
the second occasion the main effort of our opponents was
procrasnstiOn they urging that the matter should be
pu of until the new Congress. We believed that their
real purpose was 10 consolidate their party and to n-
tuence the Presidential election then approaching.
never was in better health and spirits and never wor-
red my opponents more coaxsa, sootnea, seo1ned,
to be produced. Toward those, of whom there were
many from the Free States saxioua for the settlement
Of the controversy, employed al the percussion and
Cancellation in my power.
Al the conclusion of the business was exhausted;
and nm perfectly satisfied that could not have borne
three weeks more of sue. excitement and excrtion
This account of that memorable question is written
for your own satisfaction and not for publication. 1t
il the first draught, and retain no copy.
Your letter has brought ON you great infection in
fhis long epstle You must ascrbe it to the friendly
feelings excited by yours. rarely commit this sort Of
offeDse.
WIN. s. WOODS esq