The Grand Haven news., 1860-09-26

Jefferson, regarded it rs the death kuell
of the Union. The restrictionists were
defeated in their attempt upon Missouri,
the excitement was calmed, and the con-
troversy ended, by the passage of an act
agreeing to admit Missouri without res
friction, and prohibiting slavery in the re-
mainder of the Territory of Louisiana
north of 36 deg. 80 min. This line, ex-
tending to our western boundary, diyid-
ing the Territory fairly between the North
and South was regarded as final settle
ment Of the question of slavery to be re-
garded in all future time.
| This principle of division, this estab-
lishmcnt of geographical line between the
different sections of the Republic, was,
however, regarded as fatal step by the
fathers of the country, then living. JEFF
ferson and Madison declared it to be in
violation of the constitution, and so strong
ly impressed was Mr.. Monroe with
the soundness of their opinions, that he
prepared veto of the bill, draft of
which is now on file in the department at
Washington, giving in full the reasons
which induced him to take such step.
Afterward satisfied, that in the then en-
bttered state of public feeling no better
adjustment Of the difficulty could be Of
fected, and fearing for the fate of the u
MON if the strife continued, he yielded his
convictions to the pressure of the times,
and approved the bill. This settlement
was extremely distasteful TO many in the
North. The representatives who voted
for il, were driven from their positions
and were pursued in their retirement with
all the blind fury and savage malignity
of abolitionism.
Northern States instructed their repre-
} sentatives to disregard and trample upon
its provisions now SO sacred, which they
did eflectually, rs we shall have occasion
to show. Missouri formed her constitu-
tion and applied for admission according
! TO the terms of agreement. A resolution
TO admit her passed the Senate and was
sent to the House, where northern and
) anti-slavery men. defeated it, refused tC
! admit her, and voted her out Of the Union
in defiance of thShow irreparable compact
Did those antl-slavery men deem thai
compromise binding on conscience anC
honor, and the faith of the nation p
Were they burned in effigy because they
repudatcd and trampled upon It's sacred
provisions
AT this crisis Henry Clay, then in tho
! height of youthful popularity and power
: 'itstepped into tho breach and proposed hi,
g alcompromise for the admission Of Missouri
Mhis act which became law, and under
(which Missouri was received into the
Union, makes no reference TO the question
: of slavery.
The act stands upon tho statute bool
of the country to-day, unrepealed and ir
rcpealabe.
i In 1886 Missouri asked an enlarge
ment of her limits by the addition of {
large strip of Territory on the north
: which had been made free by prohibition
of 1920. This conld not be effected with
|, out violation of that sacred compact
: yet in the face of that act, Congress made
Q that addition.
: During the same year Arkansas, form
a ed out Of the Territory acquired Of France
e and where slavery was allowed to 90 by
S the compromise of 1920, asked to be ad
= mitled into the Union. Northern men
G in violation of that compromise, opposed
n her admission because of her slavery con
D stitution, and when accused of unfaithful
c ness in that line, they boldly answere,
: that they did not regard its obligations
b Again in 1854, when it was proposed &
c insert in the resolution for the admission
: of Texas, a clause extending the line Q
{ SO degrees and thirty minutes througl
} that Territory, and prohibiting SLAYER
i north of said line, we find eighty-tw
= votes recorded against the proposition i
e the House of Representatives, from til
y north, among which are Hamlin, HalC
d Collamer and Giddings, all Of them shin
5, ing lights in the temple of black republ
canism; men who daily implore hig
j heaven to ayenge the repeal OF that So
If cred compact.
IS During the session of lS4S, commit
l. tee was appointed in the Senate, compos
o ed of four Northern and four Souther
If Senators, to consider the measures pre-
r posed for the organization of Oregon
i California and New Mexico. A southern
{, member of the committee proposed T.
]. extend the Missouri Compromise line t.
" the Pacific, forever excluding slavery iron
l. one million six hundred thousand squar
h miles of Territory north of that line
J. while in the Territory south of that line
r amounting to only two hundred and sev
1t enty thousand square miles, the pcopl
Z were to be left to dispose Of the qucstio
e rs they saw fit. That proposition receiv
, ed the vote of every southern member 9
? the committee, and was opposed by eve
e ry northern member, and was defeated
= During the same session, on substantial
1t the same proposition, we find recorded j
n the negative, the names of Corwin, Ham
Il lin and Hale.
d When the Oregon bill was before th
10 House, n southern representative propos
N ed to amend the prohibition of slavery b