Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1858-07-01

other must gi i've way entirely, or both must
surrender up somewhat, and thus effect a
compromise; or there can be no action what
ever. Demonstration cannot 90 further
than this. No proposition Euclid is more
certain. Well, suppose neither surrenders
a particle. SupposiDg that each is a repre-
sentative, both go home and report to their
constituents. Suppose the latter to act
upon the same principle, another dead lock
appears, this time with the masses arrayed
on the respective sides. War follows, and
is continued till one side or other is crushed.
annihilated, or compromise is effected at
last.
The history Of almost every war end
compromise. Each party surrenders some
what, and peace is in consequence restored.
Each is frequently glad enough TO compro-.
mise after exhausting nearly all its ener-
gies and wearing itself out, when before
the war the same terms would have reject
ed with scorn. Such is however human
folly. There is sometimes an exception TO
this result when one party surrenders eve
rything con,ended for and the other nothing,
because one was clearly right and the other
clearly wrong. The American revolution
is an example Of it.
Our government was built upon compro-
mise and has been maintained ever since
by similar means. Perhaps the most i'm
portant compromise ever formed in the
history Of this country took place in the
formation of the present Constitution of the
United States, because, but for such COM
promise, no Constitution ever would or
could have been formed, and consequently
the United States as q nation never would
have had an existence. What an everlast-
ing debt Of gratitude we owe 10 those great
comPrOmisers-thrOugh whose wisdom, for.
bearance and Cancellation a nation leaped
from chaos into being and order, and which
has continued 20 revolye in beautiful and
sublime harmony ever since. This very
cry Of mo more compromise" was uttered
in that Convention Of sages and heroes, in
spirit and almos, in tee very wcrds Of the
clap-trap TOW so flippantIy and senselessly
used. Every political student knows thai
the great rock on which that convention
came SO near being dashed 10 atoms was
the difficulty Of settling the basis of repre-
sentatlOn among the small and large States
then existing, On the one side it was conten-
ded that the basis Of representation should
be the same in both houses of Congress
and each State should send Senator and
Representative according 10 fixed ratio,
SO that the large States would have more
Senators and Representative. than the small
ones. The small States, OH the other hand,
took Numerically opposite ground, and con-
tended that each State, large or small,
should have the same number of Repre-
sentatves and Senators. The convention
therefore came TO stand, dead halt
The excitement rose 10 great pitch, though
the knowledge Of this fact was kept as mich
secret as possible from the people lest
the excitement should be communicated tc
them, and their minds should become biased
so that they would not ratify the instru-
ment that might be framed in case one
should be finally agreed TO. The iargc
States then were Massachusetts, Virginia,
South Carolina, Pennsylvania and New
York. The first three were unanimous in
favor Of representation according to popuia-
ton in both houses Of Congress. New
! York was divided. Both parties remained
infexible, and that august body was on the
point of dissolulion; the members were a.
bout to 60 home-and America was not 10
be-! Wha. crisis! And upon j. what
mighty results hung! But that assemblage
of patriots such perhaps as the world never
before saw was equal 10 the terrible ordeal.
At that time but eleven States were repre-
sented. The vote was taken and it stood
five TO five and one was divided. What
now was 10 be done? Gen. Pinckney, Of
South Carolina moved that Committee be
raised TO eff no agreement could be come
TO. Gen. Washington rose and supported
the motion. II was agreed TO. The CON-
mittee met, and, after exhausting every
means Of harmony, finally agreed to recon-
mend COMPROMISE, giving the smaller
States an equal representation in the Sen
ate and an unequal representation in the
Senate and an unequal one in the House.
The convention again met; the report was
read. "No compromise" shouted Yates
and Lansing Of New York, and mo com.
promise" responded Luther Martin Of
Maryland. But Washington was there
and the other great spirits caEe 70 the res
ous the report was adopted, the Censtiiu