The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-08-10
SECTIONAL ISSUES.
Federal Representation.


always proved detrimental, and in
many instances have resulted most
disastrously to the South.
The agitation of the question of
slavery in the Territories disturbed
the country almost from the founda-
tiun of the Union. until the adoption
of the Missouri Compromise in 1920.
After this measure was adopted there
was tranquility and repose for many
years and until the queStion of its repeal
was raised by a class of extremists in
congress from the South.
As early as lS4S the question of re-
p~ealing this conservative measure,
which had for more than twenty-five
years eliminated the drastic question
Of slavery in the territories from pub
lie and political discussion, began
again To be agitated by the extremists
among the Southern leaders,
In ls4S James X. Polk, then Presi-
dent. and a Southern democrat Of the
conservative type, ina special message
to congress announcing his approval of
the act establishing the territorial
government of Oregon. which was on
the same basis as the Missouri Com
promise. said of the later measure;
This compromise had the effect of
calming the troubled waves and re-
storing peace and good will throughout
the States of the Union.'
The Missouri question had excited
intense agitation Of the public minds,
and threatened to divide the country
into geographical parties, alternating
the feelings of attachment which each
portion of our Union should bear to
every other. The compromise allayed
the excitement, tranquilized the pop
ular mind. and restored confidence
and ~fraternal feelings. Its authors
were hailed as public benefactorS."
In 1852 the Missouri Compromise in
the face Of such declarations and teS-
timony of a southern democrat, was
repealed, and the whole question Of
slavery in the territories was opened
with renewed PARTISAN heat, and Sec
tional animosity and bitterness. The
reopening of the old quarrel brought
the Republican party into existence
as Il factor i'm National politics, and
standing as it did for freedom in the
Northern Territories, General Free
mont its nominee for the Presidency
in 1856 although defeated at the cleo
tion received IA phenominally large
vote for the nominee Of a new party.
The quarrel waxed hotter, and the
breach between the sections grew
wider, until in 1860, the Southern
democrats threw their democratic
u l'lllN VI IIlt .Npill' NtI DDdlu DtCdtlSc
they would not accept the extreme
southern view Of forcing slavery into
the Northern territories. Stephen \.
Douglass Squatter sovereignty in the
Northern territories was too mild a
measure for the Southern Democrats.
and breckenridge was nominated a,
the nominee Of the Southern DemOc.
racy.
The result was, the national Demo
cratic party being divided. the election
Of Mr.. Lincoln.
Then the issue of secession came tc
the front, against which the North.
without regard to parties, stood prac.
tically solid. Then came secession.
the war and the surrender. The South
was offered the Fourteenth Amend.
ment as the basis of the restoration Ot
the Southern States to the Union.
which was repaSsed and then came re.
construction, negro enfranchiSement
and carpet-vlg governments.
The Southern white men in Il few
years overturned these government,
and re-established white rule.
Finally. the Southern leaders hay,
found the remedy for negro cnfran
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