The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-11-30
SLAVE STATES
And THE FREE.
Instructive Address Before R.
|. Historical Society
BY WILLIAM A. MOWRY, PHI. D.
How the B,Iarca Of Power Was Maintained
in The United States Senate.
EFFECT Of MISSOURI COMPROMISE.
Il Prohibited SIaVsy kcdh Of The Southern Bound
sT Of Tho Sisia--The Annexation Of Texas
and Purchase Of California.
How the B,larca Of Power Was Maintained
in the United States Senate.
EFFECT OF MISSOURI COMPROMISE.

Al the regular monthly meeting Of the
Rhode Island Historical Society, held
in the cabinet on Waterman street. last
evening, President Stlness was ~ The
cnl n ere was quite ~ large at
tendance. The speaker OF the evening
who was introduced by the presldent,
was William A. Mowry Pm b., OF Bos-
ton, but for many years resident OF
this city, and wen known as ormer
principal of the English and classical
school, who took for his subject The
slave Power and the Free States,
using for purposes OF illustration alarge
map of the United States, especially
prepared for his lecture
DE- Mowry commenced by expressing
his apprec--tion Of the opportunity ar
forded him 60 address the Rhode ISL
and Historical Society, and then spoke
OF his long residence in Rhode Island
before returning 60 his native state OF
Massachusetts,. We are making his
tory in this country and elsewhere as
il was never made before In the his
tory of the country one cannot resisg
the absolute certainty of an overruling
Providence that has shaped our destiny
In its early days the whole OF this
country was east Of the Mississippi
river, and the several states held slaves,
but then New Hampshire, Massachu-
selts. Rhode Island, Connecticut. New
York and Now Jersey abolished sIavGTy,
and then the odds between the original
states became pretty close. There were
two senators from every one OF these
states In the senate and with the CEN
tury we started with 10 states. eight OF
them being slave states, and eight free
states. In 1903 Ohio, and in 1872 Louisi-
ana came in. and thus the balance OF
power was maintained.
Dr. Mowry then spoke OF the fixing OF
the first boundary between the United
States and Spanish possessions by Ell
licot who was appointed commissioners
for the purpose I'm 1899, al the time OF
the war with France. I'm 1920 the ques-
tion of admitting Missouri as state
came up in Congress, bat IL was a
slave section and the free state OF Him
ois objected. In 1921 came about the
Missouri Compromise" which prOvid- l
ed that north OF its southern boundary
there should be no more slave states. I'm |
1887 Arkansas came In, and 1887 Michi- |
gan, and once more the balance of |
power was maintained.
The South, however was determined |
TO overcome the great territory OF the |
Northwest, and then i'm 1894 came the |
great question OF the annexation of |
Texas, which was followed by the Mex |
lean war. Then later California was
purchased from Mexico, and mainly /
for the purpose of balancing the north |
ern territory Then we had the entire
from the Atlantic TO the Pa
chc. and the southern people boasted |
that they could keep the balance of
power in the senate forever
The war Of the rebellion was not
war OF the North against the South. but
he rebellion OF certain states as such.
against the regular government. DR..
Nowry talked unon the question of |
he right OF secession. aud emphasized
his remarks by quoting several histori-
al facts in support Of his contentious.
Many of the Confederate veterans
lold even today that they had the right
" secession. ~
Or Mowry then spoke OF what the
Anglo Saxon race had accomplished
against Mexican and .SpRniard. and
.nncluded by saving, $50 in the present
lay ! think that we need not hesitate
Il anything the Anglo Saxon race un-
lertakes 10 do thgt is' right and proper.
What is needed IN the United States
oday 20 build up The country? Wemust |
lave a larger market