, 1860-03-07

,ress; the claims of the States, ana Of their |
:itizeus; the naturs Of tho Federal Union, |
whether it is compact between the Stascs, or
Ill independent government; the springs OF It's
powers, aul the iisatures upon their c1crcito.
i Il these were discussed with zeal and ability |
Il i.icl! has never been surpassed. History tells
Us, know not how truly, that the Union reeled
under the yehcmence Of TINT great debate.
Patriotism took counsel from prudence, md en-.
forced q settlement which has proved to be not
q final one; and which, as is now seen, Hractl-
caly left open aIl the great political Issues
which were involved. Missouri and Arkansas
were admitted as capital Sta.es. willie labor OBJ
taincd, as reservation. the abridged but Jet
field Of Kansas aud Nebraska.
Now, when the present conditions Of the "a.
rious parts Of the Louisiana Territory ae OBJ
served, and wc see that capital retains undis-
labor is conyulsing the country with 80 hard
and so prolonged a struggle 10 regain the lost
equivalent which was then guaranteed to it m
der circumstances of 30 great solemnlty, Wc
mar well desire not 10 be undeceived if the Mis-
souri Compromise was indeed unnecessarily ac-
cepted by The Free States, influenced h7 exag-
gcration Of the dangers Of Disunion. The Mis-
Souri, debate disclosed truths Of great moment
for ulterior use:
Firet. That it is easy to combine the capital
States in defense Of external interests, while it
is hard to unite the labor States in common
policy.
Sttoad. That the labor States "havc natural
loyalty to the Union, while tile capital States
hare natural facility for a1arming that loyalty
by threatening Disunion.
1hird. That the capital States do not practl-
cally distinguish between Legitimate ard cousti-
tutional resistance to the extension Of Slavery
in the common Territories Of the Union, and
unconstitutional aggression against Slavery es-
tabl1shed by local laws in the capital States.
lie III 1a4
without reference to Slavery. But since 1920,
European questions have left Us practically un-
concerned. There has been great increase Of
Invention, mining, manufacture, and cultis alton.
Steam on land and On water has quIckened
commerce. The press and the telegraph have
attained prodigious activity, aud the social in
tc7coursc between the States and their citizens
quen.ly, their mutual relations affecting Slavery
hare been, for many years, subjects Of earnest
md often excited discussion. It is in my way
only to slow low such disputes hare operated
on the course Of political eyents-not to reopen
them for argument here. There was Slave
lucky debated, md, to the great sorrow of the
Free Statcs. rejected the system Of voluntary
labor. The Colonization Society was established
with much favor in the capital States. Eulnnci-
patton societies nrcse in tho FrceStates. South
Carolina instituted proceedings to nullify OBJ
noxious Federal revenue laws. The capital
States complained Of Courts aud Legislatures in
the labor States for interpreting tic constitu.
tional provision for The surrender Of fugitives
from service so as TO treat them as persons, aud
not property, and they Disseminated against
colorcd persons of the labor Suites when they
came to the capital States. They denied, il
Congress, the right Of petition, and embarrassed
or denied frecdon-of debate on the subject Of
Slavery. Presses, which undertook the defence
Of the labor system, in the capital States, were
suppressed by violence, and evcn in tue labor
States, public assemblies, convened to consider
Slavery questions, were dispersed by mobs
sympathizins with the capital States.
The Wing party, being generally IN opp:-
sitiou purity, practiced some forbearance towa d
the interest Of labor. The Democratic party,
not without demonstrations Of dissent, was gem
orally found sustaining the policy Of capital. A
disposition toward the removal Of Slavery from
tue presence Of The National Capital appeared
in the District Of Columbia. Mr. Faa Eurcu, n
Democratic President, launched 4 prospective
gress brought Texas into the Union, stipulating
practically for its future organization into
four Slave States. Mexico was inccrscd. War
ensucd. The labor States askea that the Mcxi-
can law Of liberty which covered the Territories
brought in bv the treaty Of peace, might remain
and be confirmed. Tie Democratic party re-.
fused. Tic Missouri debate Of 1890 required
n,cnt, in relation to these couquests. The de.
tenders of labor took ala1m lest the Eumber oI
new capital States mig + become so great as to
enable TINT class Of States to dictate the whole
policy Of the Government; and, in case Of con,
stitutional resistance, then to form new slave
holding eonfcaeracy around the Gulf Of Mexico
By this time the capital States seemed to have
become fixed in a determination that the Fed
eral Government, and even the labor States
should recognize their Slaves, though outside o
the Slave States and within the Territories oi
the United States, MS property Of which the
master could not be in any way, or by any au'
tAority, diyested and the labor States having
ever before, by the great Development Of free
labor, more firmly than eyer insisted on the
constitutional doctrine that slaves voluntarily
carried by thcir masters into tf1o common Ter
rtores, or into labor States. are persons, men
Under the suspicious influences of Whie
success, California and Now Mexico appearcf
before Congress as labor States. The capita
States refused to consent to their admission int
the Union; and again threats of Disurion car
ricd terror and Consideration throughout tht
land. Another compromise was made. Spc
citic enactmcnts admitted California as labor
State, and remanded New Mexico and Utah K
remain Territoriea viii, the right 10 choose
| Freedom or Slavery when ripsued into States
| while they gaze new remedies for the reception
Of fu.itiyes from service, md abolished the ope1
slave market in the District of Columbia. Thes,
new cnactments. collated with the existing
statutes, namely, the Ordinance Of 1857, ths
Missouri Prohbitory law Of 1920, and the arti
cles Of Texas annexation, dispo:ed by law o
| the subject OF Slavery in nj: the Territo-ic3 o
tile United States. And so the Compromise o
1850 was pronounced full, final, absolute ant
comprehensive settlement Of asl existing and nj
| possible disputes concerning Slavery under til,
Federal authority. The two great parties, fear
| fnl for the Union, struck hands in making ane
presenting this rs an adjustment, never after
| ward to be opened, disturbed, or even qucs
| toned, aud the people accepted it y majorltie:
unknown before. The new President, chose1
ovcr an i1lustrious rival, unequiyocalfy on til,
ground Of greaer ability, even If not more rcli
able purpose to maintain the new tEeaty inrio
late, made haste to justify this expectation whel
| Congress assembled. lie said:
Wheu the grave sha have closed over Ill who are rou
+: ,.ss ,ae ot S.ty The ysaI ls
hc:slon. successful waz has Just :e.!naseI: pcac
brorst with ii great ugmcnta'!ouc # 1err..u. Disturb
= esarx upon G III, aomc;1,c astnnn
tiai rEld. Of tLc St1es. hit mt VT nlng tEc d
M ,S T. aen = :"
vosc devotion to lie Cnion nevsr 6e dnulted, Ia
j. T.; y us @
~ cnulsdsas Thai II. sspcse T. 10 susE s|oel
who pared me here inay be asMred.''
Hardly, however, had these Inspiring sound
| died away, throughout q zeassured aud delight
| ed land, before the national 1epose was shocked
| again--sllocked, indeed, as il had never before
been, and s1nitten this time by blow from tl1t
very hand that had just releRsed the chords o
| the nutional harp from their utterance Of tha
| exalted symphony ospcace.
Kansas and Nebraska, the long.devoted res
| cryation of labor and Freedom sayed iu tue ago
| ny Of national fear in 1870, aud saved AGAIN il
! the panic o! lS3u, were nov to he opened Ly Con
Cress, that the never ending course Of sced-tin,
aud harvest might begin The slave capitalist.
| Of Missouri, from their own well.assured home
on the eastern banks Of their noble river, ookes
down upon aud coveted the fertile prairies .
| Kansas; while q sudden terror ran through n
the capital States, when they saw 4 seeming
certainty that ut last they saw new labol
! State would bc built on their western hordc
| incritahly fraught as they said With near ol
| remote abolition Of Slavery. What could bt
| done? Congress could hardly bc expected t,
intervene directly for their safety so soon afte
| the Compromise of 1850. The labor hive of th
| Free Stntcs was distant, the why new, unknown
and not without ncrits. Missouri was near IN,
watchlul, and held the keys Of the gates of Kan
| sas. She might seize tue new and smiling Ter
riiory by surprise, it only Congress would re
move the barrier established in 1S40. The con
| iuncture was favorable. Clay nrd Webster, til
distinguished citizens whose unquestionable dc
roiion to the Union Was manifested by their ac
| quiesceuc2 in the compromise Of 1s5U, bud Eon
down already into their honosed graves. Til
labor States had dismissed many Of their rep
rcscntatives here for too great fidelity 10 Free
dom, and too great distrust Of the efficacy Q
41,o& roxp hon1 NJ raac4 and hnd rnnlarcJ ii, nr