Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-03-15

compromise was matt. Specific enact
mems admitted California as a labor State,
and remsnded New Mexico and Utah to re-
man Territories, with the right TO choose
Freedom or Slavery when ripened into States
while they gave new remedies for the re.
csption Of iugitives from service, and abol-
ished the open slave market In the District
Of Columbia. These new ensctments, COL
lated with the existing statues, namely, the
Ordinsnce Of 1857, the Missouri PSohibi.ory
Law Of 1870, and the articles Of Texas an.
nexation, disposed by law OF the subject OF
Slavery. In all the Territories Of the United
States.
And so the Compromise OF 1850 was pro.
nounced full, final, absolute and compre.
hensive settlement Of all existing and all
possible disputes concerning Slavery under
the Federal authority. The two grea, par
ties, fearful ior the Union, struck hands in
making and presenting this as an ADJUST
ment. never sfterwsrd TO be opened, dis
'turbed, or even questioned, and the people
accepted it by msjorities unknown before.
The new President, chosen over an illus
trious rival. unequivocally on the ground o!
greater ability, even II not more reliable
purpose to maintain the new treaty invio-
ls.e, made haste to justify this expectation
when Congress assembled. He said: 81.
a"When the grave shall have closed over
all who are now endenvoring to meet the
obligations Of duty, the year 1850 will be
REQUIRED 20 as a. period filled with anxiety
and apprehension. A successful war was
just termin mated; peace brought with it a
great augmentation Of territory. Disturbing
questions arose bearing upon the domestic
institutions of portion Of the cohfederacy,
and involving the constitutional rights Of
the States. But not Sithstanding the DIFF
ferences Of opinion and sentiment in rela-
tion to details and specific provisions, the
acquscence Of Distinguished citizens. whose
devotion to the Union can never be doubted,
has given renewed vgor to our institutions,
and restord sense Of security and repose
10 the public mind throughout the confed-
eracy. That this repose is to snffer no
shock during my official term, If ! have the
power to avert il, those who placed me here
may be assured" Hardly, however, had
these inspiring sounds died away, Throughout
q reassured and delighted land, before the
national repose was shocked again-shock-
ell, indeed, as it never had be fore been, and
smtten this time by Il blow from the very
hand that had just released the chords OF
the national harp from their utterance oil
that excited symphony of peace.
Kansas and Nebraska, the long devoted
reservation of labor and Freedom, saved in
the agony of na.onal lear in 1890 and saved
ngsin in the panic of 1850, were now to be
opened By Congress, that the never ending
course " see'ivsime 80 d. bs rasst pightA Ahegin
The slave capitalists of Missouri, from theil
own well assured homes on the Eastern
banks of their noble river, looked down up
on and coveted the fertile prairies Of Kansas
while sudden terror ran through all the
capital State, when they saw seeming
certainty that at last new Labo: State
would be built on their Western border, in
evitably fraught, as they said, with neal
or rem tie abolition of Slavery. What could
be donei Congress conld hardly be expect
ed to intervene directly for their safety sc
soon after The Compromise of 1850. The
labor hive of the Free States was distant
the way new. unknown, and not wilhou
periIs. Missouri was uear and watchful,an'
held the keys of the gates of Kansas. Sh'
might seize the new and smiling Territory
by surprise, if only Congress would remov
the barrier established in 1920. The con
juncture was favorable. Clay and Webste
the distinguished citizens whose unquestion
ed devotion to the Union was manifested b
their asquiescence in the compromise Q
1850, had gone down already into ibei
honored graves. The Labor States had dis
missed many of their representatives her
for too great fidelity to Freedom, and to
great distrust of the efficacy Of that nev
bond of peace, and had replaced them wit
partisans who were enly timid, but not un
willing. The Democratic President an
Congress hesitated, but not long. .,..
They revised the last great Compromise
and found, with delighted surprise, that
WAS so far from confirming the lav of free
dom Of 800, that, on the other hand, it ex
sc,ly provided for ,he abrogation Of that ven
Grated statute; nay, that the compromise It
: self actually killed the Missouri law. and dc
volyed on Congress the duty of removlh
, the lifeless letter from the national code
, The deed was done. The now enactmer
, not only repealed the Missouri prohbi,o
: of Slavery, hut it pronounced the people {
: Kansas and Nebraska perfectly free to e'
/, tablish Freedom or Slavery and pledge
/. Congress to admit them in due time 4
: States, either of capital or labor, into til
t Union. The Wing representatives. of Il
t capital States, in an hour OF strange bewi
e derment, concurred; and the Wing part
!, instantly went down, never to rise agail
D Democrats sece ded. and stood aloof, II
d country was confounded; and. amid the pc
'. plexities OF the hour. a Republican Par
a was seen gathering itself together will
!, much earne stness, but with little show
e organization. to rescue, if it were not no
e too to, the cpuse OF freedom and Labo
e SO unexpectedly and grievously imPeriled
e the Territories Of the Unued States.
y will n,t linger over the seqdel. II
$, popular sovereignty Of Kansas proved to
D. the State sovereignty of Missouri, not on
D. in the persons Of the rulers, but even 10 q
er letter of an orbi,rary and cruel code. II