Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-03-11
THE CROMPROMIsE OF 1850.

The compromise measures OF lo2o were
supported by Mr.. Fillmore and his admin
istration in the expectation that 'hey
would allay irritation between Inc Nor'n
and the South. and tend to a settlement OF
the question of slavery. The plan OF 'his
COMPROMISE was drawn up by Mr.. Clay.
It provided for the admission OF Caiiiof-
mia as free State; fixed the boundaries
of Texas, giving her 0,0oo. 600 for re-
linquishing all claim to jurisdiction out
side those limits; organized the territories
of New Mexico and Utah without a word
upon the question OF slavery; promo'eu
the slave trade in the District OF Columbia;
and provided more eIectual enactments
for the recovery of fugitive slaves. The
committee from which the compromise
was reported had beside Clay for CHAIR
man. such men as Webster. Cass. Bell,
Mason; and Benton and Douglas had
seats in Congress.
Undoubtedly it embodied the best wis
com of the men who brought it forward.
The questions it involved were difficult.
Some measures had to be taken to organ
ize the new territories acquired from Mex
leo. This necessarily brought up the sub
iect of slavery restriction OF expansion,
over which the contest was waged. 1t is
alleged by Mr.. Greeley that the compro-
mise never would have been adopted but
for the $4,000, 900 promised to Texas,
which furnished pecuniary stimulus to
many members of Congress interested in
Texas bonds. Be that as ii may, the
COMPROMISE itself was failure, and sad
disappointment to those who support
ed il. Looking back over the ground
from the point which we now occupy we
can see that it did nothing to settle the
feeling about slavery, but rather served to
aggrayate and intensity it through the
operation of the fugitive slave law, and
led on to the Kansas-Nebraska troubles,
which prepared the way for the division
of the democratic party and the emanclpa-
ton of the slaves. Neither section of the
Union was satisfied with it. Aboltionists
despised and shareholders repudiatcd it.
Il sounded the death-knell of the Wing
party, and placed the wedge that split the
democracy.
Previous to his election rs Vice Presl-
dent Mr.. Fillmore had fair anti-slavery
record but when rs President after the
death OF Taylor he put his hand to the
compromise he was abandoned by the
free soil Wings, and charged with hav-
ing deserted his principles. \ similar
fate also awaited Mr.. Webster. Defending
the compromise and accepting place IN
Mr.. Fillmore cabinet, he lost the conf
dence of the anti-slavery element in his
own party and never regained it. MIR. Fill
more was a man who stood high with his
party until the blight of the compromise
acts of 1850 fell upon him, blasting him
as well as Mr.. Webster beyond the power
of recovery Neither of them compre-
hended the vast power of the moral idea
moving the North to restrict or cxtirpate
slavery. Both lived to realize their mis-
take. Mr.. Fillmore must have felt after
the rebellion and the destruction of slavery
that his own plans were amazingly weak,
and wonderfully ovcr-ruled, for they ac-
complished nothing of what the trainers Of
the compromise antcipated-the allaying
of irritation in regard to slavery-but in
the hand of Providence added new force
to the antislavery agitation, and rolled it
onward towards the victory which it
achieved.