The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-10-28
DEFENCE or THE MISSOURI COM
PROMISE.


The National Intelligencer of Saturday con-
tanned the first of four numbers, In defence Of
the constitutionality and sound policy Of the Mis-
souri, Compromises, and also embracing some col
lateral and german subjects, written BY the Hon
GEoRoE RoBERrsos, late Chief Justice of the
State of Kentucky who was member Of Com
gress when that measure passed, and voted for it.
JuDsH RoBERrsoS has few superiors in the
United States as jurist, statesman, scholar,
and writer. Being, as he says, the youngest
member Of that Congress, and almost the only
surviving one, he comes forward at the call OF
duty to vndicate the memories of his departed
associates, and his own conduct, for having
passed a MEASURE now fippantly denounced as
both impolitic and unconstitutional, thereby i'm
plying that its authors were either pitiaby ignor-
ant or strangely unprincipled. We hope these
numbers will be generally republished throughout
the Union, and be issued in pamphlet form, so
that they may be generally read.
Speaking Of the policy and constitudonality Of
the Compromise, Judge Robertson says: Tin
all the best and most conservative elements OF
wise and patriotic American statesml nship, the
councils which concurred in that saving compro-
mise President, Cabinet, Congress, and alI---
were certainly equal, and, I viii presume to say,
vastly superior, to those who destroyed it. Mon
ROE, and ADAMS, and Smith THOMPSON, and
CRAwToRD, and CALHOUN, and WIRT, and CLAY.
and LowNDEs, and WILLIAM PINKNEY, and LOUIS
McLANE, and a host Of other eminent patriots and
jurists, illustrated by their able and jealous Co
operation that great and necessary treaty Of
peace" $3.50 eNor ought
there to be any doubt that, while it was wise
national measure, just to North and South, it was
more Southern than Northern. When adopted II
was considered Southern enough for the South
and too Southern by the North. A very large
majority Of the Southern members Of the House
Of Representatives and quite few Of the Northern
members voted for 1t. Only seven Northern Sen
ators voted for it, and all the Southern Senators
supported it. The Compro-
mise, when adopted, was hailed in the South as a
Southern triumph. - $1,000" That com
prehensive compromise, the Compromise Of
1850, intended and proclaimed as a final and
nviolable adjustment of the question Of slavery in
all the territory then owned or ever to be owned
by the United States, left Kansas and Ne6raska
under the operation Of the Nissouri Compromise
as valid and binding. And leading Democrats,
as well as the South generally, had voted for the
extension of the Missouri Compromise line to the
Pacific. As the Compromise of 1850 was intended
as final disposition of the subject Of slavery in
all the territory of the United States, and left
Kansas and Nebraska subject to the Missouri
Compromise, that they should remain subject to
it was necessarily an implied stipulation in the
compact, and without which IL never, as believe,
would have been contaminated The repeal of
the Missouri Compromise was, therefore, clear
breach of the great Compromise of 1850"
In this view we entirely concur with Judge
Robertson.
Speaking of slavery, the Judge says: Gan
interference with it by foreign tongues or alien
pens only prolongs its existence and aggravates
its evils, as we in Kentucky have long seen and
felt and but too well know. Extraneous agitation
of it operates nuriously to slaves and upjusty to
their owners; disturbs the peace of the Union
and weakens its moral ties; is inconsistent with
the national spirit which alone breathed the breath
of life into the heart Of that Union; generates
sectional strife, organizes geographical parties,
and nourishss demagogues, Withosa any hope of
national good or prospect Of benefit to either the
black or the phits race"
There are few, save the ultraiss and agitators
on both sides, North and South, who win not
assent to these sentiments. But for the agitation
of the subject Of slavery, as commenced about
twenty-five years ago, there can be no reasonable
doubt that the work of gradual emancipation
would have long since commenced, and would
now be in rapid progress in Kentucky, in Della
ware, in Virginia, in Maryland and probably in
Tennessee and Missouri. But agitation has p st-
poned emancipation more than hall, perhaps
more than a full century, If not indefinitely.