The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-09-12
Can the South Condemn the Democratic
Party for Repeating tie Missouri
Compromise

/ Odu LILO 6Vut0 VOuuc1AAu tAo DG0UC1dk4t
Party for Repeating tie Missouri
Compromise :
| The Belleverett speakers ana writer's are
making furious charges upon the Democratic
party on account of its repeal ofan unconsti.
tutional statute-the Missouri restriction.
1t is charged that the party unnecessarily re-
pealed that compromise for partizan purposes
In the repeal of that restriction, the party
showed itself to be upon the side Of the Con-
stitution and the rights of the States Seeing
the North not only enjoying the whole loaf it
had received, but snatching alter the crumbs
granted the South under that compromise, the
Democratic party, true to itspast history,
came forward and rescued all those rights
which had been violated in the passage of that
restriction.
Let us-briefy explain theI1shOrY Of that
matter, in order to sustain our position. The
South consented reluctantly to the passage Of
the compromise Of 1920, for the sake ofpeace
and in order to secure the admission Of Mis-
souri, into the Union as slave State. In the
U. S. Senate there were ten votes against its
passage from the South and seventeenth favor
of it. In the House, however, a body eompos-
ed Of representatives direct from the people,
there were from slaveholdiug States, thirty
seven votes against it and thirty two IN its favor
while the whole North pressed the bill
through Congress, voting forit almost unani-
mously. The South, in the same spirit OF
compromise, and with the hope that we might
rest quietly South CT that line, (while doubt.
ing, in fact denying, its constitutiomlity,) on
several occasions agreed to the extension of
that restriction even to the Pacific. In 184S,
when the California and New Mexico bill was
before Congress. the South agreed to run the
line Of $500, to the Pacific. which would have
made, according to published statement by
Mr.. Clayton, taken from the land Office in
Washington,) one million six hundred thou.
sand square miles Of territory free from slavery
forever, and left for African slavery South of
that line, only two hundred and seventy thou
sand square miles, the poorest parts of Califor-
MIA and New Mexico. Or in other words, the
Southern States were willing, for the sake of
peace and fraternal feeling, to take one-sixth
of that vast territory, gained by the common
yalor and treasure of the people of all the
States. A bill for that purpose passed the
Senate, receiving. however, but tour Northern
votes and those Democrats. It failed in the
House, receiving only five votes from the
whole North = and in the Senate, on the ques-
tion of receding from its position, not single |
Northern man voted with the South in favor |
,f the extension of the line. The bill was |
Lhus lost and why +? That fell spirit of North
,rn aggression demanded our exclusion from
III that extensive territory. They succeeded
out too we'll The deed was indirectly con-
by the admission of California into
he Union with an illegally formed Constitu-
ion. Freesoil crossed over on the Southern |
'ide Of the line Of $3.50, disregarded their
,wn Compromise, and violated that compact
Without the shadow of law or justice The
South submitted to this, in consideration of
;ome beneficial features, and enunciation of
in the compE0mise measures OF
1850.
In 1854 it was thought expedient for Con-
,ress to pass law authorizing the territories
# Kansas and Nebraska to establish terrific
ial governments. The South knowing that
he North would not consent to the extension
# the Missouri restriction TO the Pacific, but
would disregard the obligations Of the Compro-
Mise whenever it was to her interest so to do,
determined, with the assistance Of those
Northern men whose returning sense Of JUS
ice enabled them to deal fairly by the South,
o secure the principle declared by the Com
romise of 1850, and repeal the institutional
estriction of 1920. The Black Republicans
rrayed themselves against the measure, while
he South and the conservative men of the
1orth supported it. The Legislatures Of the
Aboltion States protested against the pas
age Of the bill even the pulpit was invoked,
nd Mr.. Ei,Oard Euerea, presented a man.
10th memorial, signed by $3.50 clergynen of
lew England praying Congress not to pass
ne bill. On the other hand every honorable
leans were employed by the South to secure
S passage. Il was demanded BY the whole
outh as sheer act of justice. The Demo-
ratio party took the part of the South and in
lpport of the great principles OF equal
ghts. 1t had but two opposers from the
outh in the Senate, {JoHN BELL and Sam.
[ouston, and very few in the House. The
leasure was favored by the truest spirits OF
le South; in fact it was measure which the
hole Southern people asked at the hands OF
ongress. The Legislatures Of all the South
IN States in session, while the bill was pend
,g, with unanimity scarcely paralleled,
their Senators and Representatives
o vote for the Kansas bill, viii h effectually
,pealed the Missouri Compromise.
Let as quote some Of those Instructions
We can lay our hands on several. Both
ranches Of the Tennessee Legislature passed
esolutions on the subject. The following IS
he Senate resolution which passed with but
ne dissenting vote:
Resolved by the General assembly Of the
Vote of Tennessee, That the bill now pending |
efore Congress. called the Nebraska bill, the
sading principle of which is that Congress has
% right to legislate on the subject of slavery,
mt that the same is an institution over which
he people alone, in forming their organic law,
ave full power and control, meets our cordial
pproyal, and is sanctioned clearly BY the prin-
iiples OF the bills creating Territorial Govern.
nents for New Mexico and Utah, and we
request our Senators and Represen-
atiyes to give it their hearty support"
The Georgia Legislature unanimously pass
ID the following:
Resolved, That the opposition to the princi-
,les Of the Nebraska bill, in relation to the
subject Of slavery, is regarded by the people
f Georgia as hostility to the rights Of the
south. and that all persons. who partake in
s,,cb % onposition are unfit to be recognized as
COMPONENT parts Of any organization not hos
tile to the South.