The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-03-06

them upon this subject. Large Terrific
rles have been acquired since the Adoption
OF the Constitution-somc 10y purchase an,
some by conquest, and the exciting qucs
ton which has agita,cd the country during
the last session Of Congress is in reference
to Slavery in these Teriitorics--the com
mon property Of the States Of this Union.
In order to have Il clear view OF the priu
ciplcs involved in this controversy, it will
be necessary to 60 back a little. About tn,
beginning Of the present century, perhaps in
1903, Mr.. Jefferson acquired Ly purchase
from France the State of Louisiana, and alonn
with that State acquired such TERRITORY as was
attached TO it. Louisiana at the time of nc.
QUESTION, WAS Slave State, and consequent.
ly the territory attached was also slave ter
ritory. In this purchase was included the
territory which we now call Kansas. This
territory, which WIS so necessary to give the
Northwestern Free States an outlet to the
Gull OF Mexico, was paid for out of the
comm on Trcasuary Of the Union, and the
South paid her full share, at least, if not
more than her full share Of the 1,,rchaSr-
money. Matters stood in this condition un.
til the year 1920, when the then Territory
of Missouri asked to hc admitted into tn.
Union as State. The uon.>avc.ollin~
States, with great heat and passion, resisted
the admission Of Missouri hccauSc her con
stitution tolerated African Slavery. This
led to the famous Missouri controversy
The country was as nu ch excited as it has.
ever been since. The Union WAS on the
very verge Of dissolution. and, in order to
allay the troubled waters, Mr.. Clay, then Il
distinguished member of Congress, and
Speaker OF the House Of Representatives. pro-
cured the passage OF a compromise meas
ure. Missouri was admitted, with her con-
stitution toierating Slavery. bu; i, WAS also
enacted that "SIavery should be- forever PRO-
hibted in all the territory which was ac.
qu'cd from France north of SO 80, North
latitude, and not included in the limits of
the State Of Missouri This is what was
called the Missouri Compromise, aud Judging
from subsequent developments, we think it
was the great error OF the South upon the
subject OF Slavery. This act WIS misnalr.r,
a compromise. 1t was gross and llagran,
wrong. First. it was without col,>;,l.r,-
ton Missouri had Il right to be admitted
without qualification or restriction uf any
kind and second, it WAS without mutual
compensation. 1t to"k oil Slave territory
all that portion of the Louisiana purch:,s,.
lying north Of SO 80, and in it forever pro-
hibited Slavery, but did not establish Sla-
very, or give assurance that the oriwiual
Slave condition of the tcrri,oiy should re-
main undi>turbcd south Of that line. The
arrangement II arrangement 1t might b.
called-w"s not mutual, i'ut c"r>i'c'l,
unequal, unjust and unconstitutional
They took Il large part OF our Slave terri
tory, out u'u not secure 10 lis the rcma:n-
der.
Thinos stood in this condition until 1874
when tie Stat, nf T.v,s ~. .,l,m;,,.I -,
Joint resolutions of ann"xa,;on. 4 norton
of the Territory Of Y.ya, .x,.ud,l .l,v,.
the line of SO 80, and. h.iu.. S,uy. Tcrri,n.
~, that line Was extended also throurI, his
Territory.
InlS48 we acquired by the treaty of
GuadalouI~ IIilaIco the immense Tcrr;;o.
ries Of California, Utah and New Mexico.
These Territorie, wcr. acn,,ir.l from M,.x.
leo 10y war, in which the South bor.. mor,
than her equal share, and Sou,i, Carolina.
it is not invilious to say, di>tin~uisI,,,l
part, as her own Palmetto banl;vr. all
tattercd and torn." and still preserved in
the State capital at Columbia, will a!,nn.
dainty testify. GApplauscI Snu,h Car H.
mia contributed to that war som. Of her hes,
blood and the bones of many of her Gallant
sons still lie bleaching upon ib. distant fail.
lands of scmi-Larbarous pcor!e. Her
young mcn-aud among them orr honor.
ed guest to.day-rallied around the ban.
ncr Of the Union at the first tap of ;ue hos.
tile drum.
"From winding GLEN and upland brown
They poured each hardy warrior down
PROMPT at the 81 gn"l of alarms,
~, i"e' son Oh A'p'ne rushed t" arms
Inc territory acquired 10y this war was
immediately claimed to be Free territory,
under the galvanized operation Of the old
MeN'cah ed'cts ana even before the rem
nant OF the gallant army winch conquered
IL i. i'ao returned home' the North made an
E Ghort 70 Apply TO TINS territory the W'lmo'
Lrov'so-'he % 90, co)ect OF winch was to "x-
Giude G T:; H:avcry from tue whole OF 1t forever
H. a,;n ,;ao' 'os'.o ,,:'" 'he same purpose
as the Missouri roStrlttIon nnI fba n