, 1860-07-21


given to that subject at the time, caused it to
oveEshadow much important contemporancous
Legislation. Among other subjects coming
within this category, WAS the attempt iii Con.
gresa, in February 1919, to exclude slavery
from tho then Territory Of Arkansas. This
measure gave rise 10 tue first debate ever held
in Congress On the subject Of prohibiting sla'
very in a Territory and it was in the course
Of TIL. debate that the first suggestion Of Tue
policy which led to the adoption Of the Mis-
souri Compromise was made by III. NcIane,
Of Delaware.
The Territory Of Missouri had included The
Arkansas couttEy, and in erecting State
government for the former it was necessary
to organize separate territorial government
for the latter. For this purpose the Arkansas
bill WIS brought IN at the same time with the
Missouri State bill. After the latter Ind been
lost il the Senate, on account Of the proposed
restriction Of slavery, the Arkansas bill came
up in the House for discussion in Committee
Of ths Whole. Z. Mr.. Taylor, Of New York,
moved to amend the bill by Inserting clause
toprohibit slavery in the new, Territory. The
motion gave rise to a long-continued debate,
covering PIT Of the ground previously occu-
pied in the Missouri discussion, but cifrtring
inpa1t, as The proposition was to impose con.
dision on Territorial government, instead Of
epjolning the adoption Of q principle in the
Constitution ola State.
It would be interesting To the student Of
history, as veil as illustrative Of the change
Of sentiment which has gradually taken place
in the Southern States within the last fifty
years on the subject Of slavery, to contrast the
doctrines advanced in this debate with those
commended for. in the more recent discussions
Of the same principle. We look through tho
whole Of it in vain for any defence of slavery
as system, or for any ,pretance as to the un-
constitutionality Of prohibition. At the same
time the ablcst men Of the South freely con-
ceded the evils of Slavery, dep1ored its e1is'
tence, and manifested the greatest desire that
some means might be devised for its removal.
Mr.. AcIane, Of Delaware, said, "1f we were
"now de1iberating upon the expediency Of
increasing slaves from abroad; or it We
"were deciding whether there should or
" "should not be Slavery among us, there is no
"gcntleman on this floor, iron the North or
"South, who would hesitate in his opinion,
He belived there was no quarter Of the couu-
"t1y in which Slavery is more seriously de-
"plored than in the South. But, it was an
"evl which existed had been unfortunate
"ly entailed upon us, and itrequired the united
sand dispa=sionate wisdom Of the nation to nit
"igate lis horrors aud soften its <alamities."
And again the came speaker: in still strong.
er and more tervid language, e1claims: Ut
"was never without pain that be found him
"self compelled to assume even the appear
"ance ofopposition to the most enthusiastic
motion for the abolition Of slavery. He
"would yield to no gentleman in the House
I" in his love Of freedom, or in his abhorrence
"of slavery even in its mildest form" Olher
Representatives Of alaveholdng States, gave
expression. to similar sentiments; while not
even 'he most ultra said word in defence Of
LUG lnsu1otaon, OF once appealed to the Bible
rs sanctionipg it.
Ihe proposition to prohibit slavery in the
letf'tofy' was defeated in Committee: When
toe olu came neIoro the House, Mr. Taylor Of:
tered the same amendment which he had
urged IN COMMITTEE viz:
=, ;1!a; an1t tns 1artne1 introduction Of S1arery.
for the punishment Of crimes whereof The nariv
shali hare been fully convicted. And that all
tory shall be- free hns nav he he'd S4!a m aela
until the age Of twenty. FIVE years"
Tho proposition being divided, the question
was first taken on agreeing to the first clause
and decided in the negative-yeas 10, nays
II. It is worth remembering TINT one Of the
negative votes was given By John Mclean, the
Representative frcm Illinois. Had he voted
on the other side, in accordance with the IN.
doubted sentiment Of majority Of his coustit-
ents, the first clause Of the amendment would
hive been carried by one majority. The re-
naming G ,use Of the amendment was adopt-
ed-veoe ~ ,ora ~ -u,roan ~ 1n:.a:o
-, ~, Aa'S A4eiea1' VI A'11nols'
still voting IN the negative An effort was
tl1en made ,o reconai5e, +ba 1oet .,o.o hut ~.
~@'0 4.9' WV WV 'u47
mo'lon was deteated-yeas II, nays 10. On
the mart dav tha hill was roGarrad r. , Gala ~
~ So'o'
e'""'t@e' oy tne castng vote OF the speak
er, who reported it back with The amendment
=. s.r;,,,o,, o.,.. ,d -. .,
So, nays 81.
sara-., ,,ho, s+.o,,n.. ,.,.o ,ao .nna
@A o'ae' "'ss"pto "e4e t1aao W o'neno
the bill, but they all failed. Among them WAS
a nroriao DECLARING that uNe;ther Slavery
-
nor involuntary serF1tuoe ehau hereafter oe
" introduced north Of 36 degrees and 30 min.
,-,.,-, ;.
o*s' "n'ca "ou1o na'e e1eluoeo II lro1n
the entire State Of Missouri and another cx-
+an,a;ncr 4ha o-7;na,ca oe 1907 o,-o~ II, +,,a ,o
49," o'e' 'A4' soo 4e1
rltoFles OF the United States lying norlh Of q
lima r,,nn;nu due xreet f,nr 4ha mn,t, oe n.
=. - wv
Des Aolnes. In bis AbridgeInent Of the de-
lowing note with reference tn th;s hit Of 1ec;a.
1atiye history.
"This vas the first debate in Congress on The
subject Of prohibiting slavery IN territory,
~at feel;no sn9 To nrorots 1ne s,1onrest a,T,a.
sitann The Misknuri Etsfa hill !. ID fnat h1ar