Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-08
HUM PHI r EYS'.


ton Of slavery q condition. The House
was equally divided. and Mr.. Clay, as
Speaker. cast the controlling vote against
the proposal.
The admission Of Maine as n free State
was now before Congress. ana the fate
Of Missouri was linked with IT. After a
long and bitter struggle a bin was passed
prohibiting slavery in the territory west
Of the Mississippi and north OF $500 lati-
tude, except in Missouri (which was au-
thoriZed 10 form a constitution and State
government under which she should be
admitted into the Union on an equal
footing with the original States. This
was. after much consideration. approved
by President Monroe on March 6. 1870 and
is known as the Missouri compromise.
Mrs. Dixon shows from the recorded
votes that restriction Of slavery I'm the
Territories was persistently opposed by
the southern members. and that IL was
only TO preserve the Union, so seriously
threatened by the passions Of the hour
that enough Of them united with the
northern members 10 carry the measure
When. however Missouri came at the
next session with her Constitution adopt
ed. her admission was met by violent
opposition. This opposition which was
really TO her admission as a slave State,
seized upon an article requiring her Legs
lature TO prohibit the immigration Of free
negroes into the State. This. ii was
urged. was contrary to the clause in the
United States Constitution. which de-
clares that citizens Of each state SHAH
be entitled to all the privileges and i'm
munities of citizens I'm the several States"
in vain was IL urged that free negroes
were not regarded as citizens in other
States: and the further and conclusive
/ ground taken. that If this provision was
/ contrary TO the United States Constitu-
! ton it would be so declared by the court.
The northern majority was not willing TO
admit Missouri as slave State. and after
many votes demonstrating this, II at last
yielded through fear that the part or the
act prohibiting slavery in the other terri
tory north Of $3.50 latitude would be
repealed it having been agreed TO on
the condition Of the admission of Mis-
souri, as a slave State. This repeal was
moved by Mr.. Brown. Of Kentucky, who.
| in a clear and able speech, demonstrated
| the iniquity Of enforcing one part OF the
act. while disregarding another part
which was the consideration of the first.
! But TO keep up appearance, the act ad-
hitting Missouri was coupled with 2 SO
| called fundamental condition, tnat no
laws should Toe passed excluding citizens
of other States from the privileges and
| immunities TO which they are entitled
| under the Constitution Of the United
States. and that the Legislature should
declare the assent Of the State 10 SAID
condition. This was a device Of Mr.. Clay.
and as the Constitution Of the United
| States controlled the whole question, was
a himsy veil to cover the TRANSACTION ana
! satisfy northern clamor, which was
! urging northern congressman to create
obstacles to the admission of Missouri
with it's slave Constitution.
If was hoped that the admission Of Mis-
souri, and the continuance Of the line es-
tablishod by the compromise, would quiet
the agitation which so seriously threat
ened the Union. but this proved to be
vain hope. The North became the home
Of violent abolition societies, which IN
sisted on the abolition of slavery In the
states. and urged that runaway slaves
should not be returned TO their masters.
The annexation Of Texas in I'D was re-
sisted by the North also, because II was
a slave state. The territory acquired by
the war with Mexico. which followed the
annexation Of Texas. gave rise TO tresh
contests and IT was found that the North.
while insisting on free territory above
o. % latitude was unwilling that slavery
sbould exist south Of that line; even
| ,boueh the inhabitants should be slave
| holders. Finally the compromise meal
sures of 1850 were adopted, by Wnich the
doctr,ne Of non-intervention by Congress
In the territories was established, they
virtually ADVOCATING the idea of dividing
the territories by q line Of latitude. Iheh
came in 1854 the formal repeal OF the act
known as the Missouri compromise
moved by Senator Dixon, and made part
Of the bill, for organizing the territories
of Kansas and Nebraska
| 80 ~ events
told bv Mrs. Dixon with great fulness,
and she has quoted largely from the de
hates in congress on which her narrative
is founded. This gives great value TO the
volume. and makes il an authentic MS
tory of the movement which eliminated
I'm he civil war OF 1Sl-'G5. The author
! shows that the South only claimed her
RIGHTS under the Constitution. which the
! Norfh persistenly denied her In open dis
regard Of that instrument, and her book
Is q vindication of the attitude or the
South which will become part OF the
history of our country.
But while the repeal Of the missouri
COMPROMISE was right I'm theory. its con
sequences were disastrous. This wa.
| foretold. as appears by a letter Of hel
distinguished brother, John G. Built
which relates an interview with Senator
nixon. when informed OF his intended
motion for repeal Mr.. Built then out
lined the effect the repeal would have OF
the aggressive North. He wrote; Il spoke
% the knowledge | had acquired OF the
condition Of feeling in the North IRON
nv residence there; l expressed the DC
lief that should the repeal be adopteu
| every town and CROSSROADS throusilo y,
the North would be set ablaze win aDOll
ton agitation: that crusade "ouiu =,
organized. which would MI Kansas W.
zealots and partisans, that must De ~
vhelming against the advocates ol ,n'
right 10 take slaves into Kansas Iul w
urged upon him the feature .uSt ~ We
90 mo The most threatening-that the re-
naal AZ that time would induce such
| a,ota ~ excitement and feeling that
I'll u,ar might result" How TINS pro
-, Nos untitled we all know, ana VIVA
danger 10 the Commonwealth has - -,
,,,c,,rred nv the freeing of slaves we s e."
raaIiye and we can appreciate '''
80 our fathers at the prospect a.,
Vi ,hot the southern people are ~
1T, "a nut themselves larry upo.
.eil'p 80 If history this volume - nios
1,nortune. II should be In e.e,g s,ori,
,,,fIic or private. and especlansS "a a.
tho confederate camps owl 90 ,,a,,aro ITO,
and commend II TO 'hv ~" ar
when mas w w. HENRY.
THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY. pey vote,
ra literature, Science. Art ana ron
,,cs January. 1899. Boston; housh'on
Nniin e. 20. 81 per annuin. a., -,
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