Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-03-19

the eleven free States in the U. S Senate. The
: slave States unanimously insisted on an un-
) qualified admission of Missouri. The FREQ
States, with less ttnanianity, demanded that
The rev State should renounce slavery. The
controversy seemed to shake the Union to it's
: foundations. and it was terminated by COM
promise. Missouri was admitted MS slaeo
; State. Arkansas, rather by implication than
by express agreement, was 10 he admitted,
and it was afterwards admitted, as a slave
State. On the other hand, slavery 1was for
ever prohibited in al that part Of the old
province of Louisiana yet remaining unoc-
cupied, which lay north of tho parallel of
&C. 80 north latitude. The reservation for
free labor included the immense region now
known as the Territories Ct Kansas and Ne
b7aska and seemed ample fir eight, ten or
more free States. The se.arity of the strue-
Gle and the cond. tiona Of the compromise in
~..icated very .'ainly, however. that the vigor
of national Intervention IN favor OF free Ia
Dor and free ''..ates vas seEhausted: Still, the
existing statutes Sere adequate to secure an
a!timate. .asaandency of the free States.
Tie policy Of Intervention for slave
labor cnd slave States began with tho
further removal of the borders of the
Republic. l cheerfully admit that this
policy has not been persistent or exclu-
sive, and claim only that it has beer and
yet is predominant. am not now to
deplore the annexation Of Texas. l re-
mark simply thatit was bold measure
of doubtful. onstitutionllity, distinctly
adopted as an act of Intervention in ia
vor OF slave labor, and made or intended
to Ge made most effective by the stipula:
ton that the new State Of Texas may
hereafter be divided and 30 organized a.
to constitute five slave States. This
great act cast long shadow before it
shadow which perplexed the people Of
the free States. 1t was then that feeble
social movement, which aimed by moral
persuasion at the manumission Of slaves
gave place to political Organizations,
which have ever since gone on increasing
in energy and extent, directed against
further extension Of Slavery in the
United States. The war between the
United States and Mexico, and the ac-
QUESTION of the Mexican provinces of
New Mexico ard Upper California, the
fruits of that war, were so Immediately
and directly consequences Of the annexa-
ton of Texas, that all OF those event. III
fact may be regarded as constituting one
act OF intervention in favor Of slave la.
Dor and slave States. The field of the
strife between the two systems had be.
come widely enlarged. Indeed, it was
now continental. The amazing mineral
wealth Of California stimulated settle.
mont there into a rapidity like that OF
vegetation, The Mexican laws which
prevailed in the newl yacquired Terrific
res dedicated them 70 free tabor. and
thus the astounding question arose for
tho first time, whether the United Stated
of America, whose Constitution was
based { Il the principle Of the political
equality of all men, would blight and
curse with Slavery conquered land
which enjoyed universal Freedom. The
slave States denied the obligation of
these laws, and insisted on their abroga-
ton The free States maintained them,
and demanded their confirmation through
the enactment of the Wilmot Provision.
The slave States and the free States were
vet in equilibrium. The controversy
continued here two years. The settlers
of the new Territories became impatient,
and precipitated solution of the qucs-
ton They organized new fee States in
California and New Mexico. The Nor.
mons also framed Government in Utah.
Congress. aftera bewildering excitement
determined the matter by another COM
promise. It admitted California FREQ
State, disnerhbercd New Mexico, trans
ferring large district free from Slavery
to Texas, whose laws carried Slavery
over it. and subjected the residue to a
Territorial Government, as it also SUBJ
iected Utah, and stipulated that the fu-
ture States to be organized in those Tet-
ritories should be admitted either as free
States or as slave States, as they shepa&
elect. pass over the portions of this
arrangement which did not bear directly
on the point in conflict The Federal
Government presented this compror.$e
to the people, as a com prehensivs.
final. and perpetual adjustment of al
then existing AMI all future qes.ions
having any relation to the subject OF
Slavery WITHIN the Territories. or else
where. The country accepted it with
that proverbial facility which free States
practice. wien time brings on stern
conflict which popular passions provoke :
. and at distance defy. This halcyon
peace, however, had not ceased to BE-
celebrated. when the newborn nccessi.
ties Of trade, travel, and labor, required
an opening of the region in the old Prov
incc OF Louisi ina north 36 81, which
had been reserve in 1920, and dedicated
to free labor and free States. The old
. question was revived in regard to that
Territory, and took the narrow name Of
: the Kansa. question, just as the stream
: which Lake Superior discharges, now
contracting itself into rivers and precip-
ita,ins Itself down rapids and cataracts.
, and now spreading out its waters into
broad seas, assumes new name with
every change Of form, but continues
t nevertheless the same majestic and rresis-
e tible food under. every change, increas.
u ing in depth and in volume until it loses
n itself in the AHA bsorbing ocean.
: No one had ever said or even thought
: that the law of Freedom ir this regioy
rs could be repealed; impaired or cvaded
y Its constitutionality had indeed been