Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-08-31
Douglas and the Missouri Compromise

field III. in which he gave utterance to the
1.-The Missouri Compromise had an orr
gin akin to that of the Constitution of the
I. S, conceived in the spirit Of fraternal
affection, and calculated to remove forever
the danger which seemed to threaten, at
some distant day 20 sever the social bonds
Of union, All the evidence of public opin-
ion of that day, seemed to indicate that
this compromise had been canonized in the
hearts of the American people as a sacred
thing, which no ruthless hand could ever
be reckless enough to disturb"
1t does not seem possible that Douglas
should have ever attempted ''to disturb"
the settlement of the Slavery question, as
it stood after the adoption of an instru-
ment which he says had become ''canon-
lied in the hearts of the American people"
Yet so it is. But he adhered manfully to
the views expressed above until the winter
of 1854, when we find him, as Chairman
of the Committee on Territories in the U.
S. Senate, reporting bill for the organi-
zation of the Territory of Nebraska. Ia
that report he said:
'.Your Committee do not feel themselves
called upon to enter into the discussion of
these controverted questions. They in
volve the same grave issues which produc-
ed the agitation, the sectional strife and
the fearful struggle of 1850. As Congress
deemed it wise and prudent to refrain from
deciding the matters in controversy then,
either by affirming or repeating the Mex
lean laws, or by an act declaratory of the
true intent of the Constitution and the ex-
tent Of the protection afforded by it to
slave property in the Territories, so your
Committee are not prepared now to recon-
mend a departure from the course pursued
on that memorable occasion, either by af-
frming or repeating the eighth section of
the Missouri Act, or by any Act declarato-
ry of the meaning of the Constitution in
respect to the legal points of dispute. -
Douglas Report as Chairman of the Com
mittee on Territories, in Senate, January
4th, 1851. .-..
Senator Dixon, of Kentucky, subse-
quently introduced an amendment to
the bill, in which he proposed repeal of
the Missouri Compromise. Southern Sem
ators sided with Dixon and insisted on the
passage Of the bill as amended. Douglas
was inexorable and refused to comply with
their demands, at first, but was finally
compelled, or by some means induced, to
yield, which he did on the 23rd of Jan. by
bringing in another bill. favoring the re-
peal of the Missouri Restriction in the
following terms -.
"That the Constitution and all the laws
of the United States which are not locally
inapplicable, shall have the same force and
effect within the said Territory of Nebras-
ka (and Kansas as elsewhere within the
! United States. except the eighth section
of the act preparatory to the admission of
| Missouri into the Union, approved March
sixth, eighteen hundred and twenty, which
being Inconsistent with the principle of Non
Intervention by Congress with Slavery in
the States and Territories, as recognized
| by the legislation of 1850 commonly call
ed the Missouri Compromise Measures, is
hereby declared imperative and void
The only clue we have to the means en-
ployed in bringing Douglas over is furnish
ed in speech made at Atchison, in Kan
sas, in Sept. 1854 by Senator .Atchison Of
Missouri. He said ...: .....
'For myself I am entirely devoted to
the interests of the South, and would sac
riice everything but my hope of Heaven
to advance her welfare. He thought the
Missouri Compromise ought to be repealed
he had pledged himself in his public adj
dresses to vote for no Territorial organiza-
ton that would not virtually annul it; and
with this feeling in his heart, he desired te
be Chairman of the Senate Committee or
Territories, when bill was introduced.
With this objectin view, he had a pri
vate interview with Mr.. Douglas, and in
formed him of what he desired-the intro.
duction of bill for Nebraska like that he
had promised to vote for, and that he
would like to be Chairman of the Commit.
tee on Territories, in order to introduce
such measure and if he could get that
position he would Immediately resign as
President of the Senate Judge Douglas
requested twenty-four hours to consider the
matter, and if, at the expiration of that
time, he could not introduce such bill as
he { Mr.. Atchison) proposed, which would
at the same time accord with his own sense
of justice to the South, he would resign as
Chairman of the Territorial COMMITTEE in the
Democratic caucus, and exert his influence
to get him (Atchison) appointed. At the
expiration of the given time Senator Doug
les signifed his intention to introduce sucf
"a bill as had been spoken of. -
Of course, people viii form their owl
conclusions as to what wrought such {
change in Douglas mind in the short space
of nineteen days. We only give the fact
of history and leave our readers to max,
any deductions from them they choose.
Many of them no doubt will think thai
the RUTHLESS hand" which was so instru
mental in disturbing ''the sacred thing
that was extolled SO highly in 1854, ma,
have thought it could grasp the Presidenc,
IN $50 or 1860. They may be deemed
| ho blo