The Penn's Grove record., 1909-06-18

"a oOo
las admission as a free state.
The North wanted just the opposite
of what the South did and we read that
the feeling aroused was SO violent and
bitter, that it seemed in 1850 that the
| Union would be rent in twain. Clay
had meant t~o..retire from Congress, but
was persuaded to return, and though
he came, as he thought, merely to look
| on, he remained to offer n more COM
promise. He had his own ideas as to
how the impending collision might be
averted. His plan on the whole great
ly favored the south. California should
be admitted as a free state; NewMe e
leo and Utah were admitted as terri
tories with free choice as to slavery;
Texas was to give up her claims to New
Mexico and receive ten million dollars.
At this ju~ncture Clay retired, satisfied
that he had again saved the Union.
Fillmore had left the presidency with
prosperity all aroundhim He gave no
warn he himself saw nothing to fear yet
the violent storm was almost upon us.
Meanwhile the new President, cheer
full, hopeful and resolute, appears. He
explains to his officers the course, which
he wishes to take. He says, "Al is
WE'LL" Yet the President, officers and
the whole country are blind.
Thus our nation, self. confident was
thrown into the Kansas troubles and
through them into the Civil War, with
out realizing it. For four years aN
went we'll when suddenly Stephen
A. Douglass introduced the Kansas
Nebraska bill which was to organize
the Platte Country as the territory OF
Nebraska, all this land was north of
$3.50 and according to the Missouri
| Compromise was free soil. But the
| bill provided for popular sovereignty;
that is, for the people of Nebraska
| when they made a state, to have it free
or slave, as they wished. The people
of the North thought this measure was
very impartial to her, because it dis
obey ed the Compromise Of 1850; yet
| California came in as a free state and
| part of it extended below the $3.50
| parallel Douglas was of the opinion
| that t'Turn and Turn about is fair
play" Nevertheless many attempts
were made to prevent this bill. But
Douglas modified his bill as to pro-
nounce the "Missouri Compromise"
void; and it divided Nebraska into
two territories; in which popular SOW
erelgnty should be established. The
Free Sellers attempted to defeat this
bill, but it passed and Pierce signed it
and it became a law.
But Missouri, a SLAVE state, bordered
m KANSAS, and the South had chance
there. The men who dwelt along the
border of Missouri were carried OI Ell
ountry, founding proslavery towns.
And now the exciting question as, 10
ether slave owners might carry .heir
iayes with loss into free st: tie was
..ousing intense interest. Tie crse of
Negro was about to be dec, led by
The Supreme Corrt of the Unit e., states.
This Negro, Died Se>tt 10y name, had
so long ago as 1888 brought suit to re-
cover his freedom, on the plea that his
II. aster had taken him into a free state.
Tie Supreme Court was about to pro
oun its verdict and President Blu.
char. nan remarked in his message that
Whatsoever the ju lgment of the Court
might be, he would loyalty uphold it.
A few days later the Judgment was
announced, and it consigned bred
Scott 10 slavery. The verdict said that
the Missouri Compromise was illegal;
that a slave could be carried into any
state without gaining freedom from
slavery, and that the slave had no right
which the white MAI was bound to re
srect.
Kansas having been admitted in 1861
as a free sta e, the South were defeated
in their last hopes and were at the
height of thei, frenzy. At the capital
there was great anxiety and uncertainty
as to what W. uld happen. Various prop
o~sitions were advanced to ward off the
danger but it WIS TO late for argument
OF reconciliation. The pulse of wa
had begun to begun to beatin the yein'
of the people on both sides, they want
ed no farther parley. The SouthernerI
withdrew from the Capitol; Colorado
Nevada and Dakota were made fire,
territories.
The war about TO begin proved to be
greatest ever fought; it was a wal of
brother against brother. The United
States was one, and one it should re-
main forever. What was the true
motive that had brought on all thi
trouble? WHAT vas it that was per
haps to destroy the work of our ances
tors, who had suffered cold and hunger
and from insolent war that we nigh
have freedom? What was it that wa,
too, seemingly, abo ut to plunge thi
grand and glorious Union, the hope o
mankind and the envy of all othe
nations, into distraction? The main.
tenance of slavelyl For the sake o
of this sin, they would destroy the worl
of ages. Shonld it be permitted? No
The hand Of God had surely been il
the forming Of this great nation.
1t now remained to strike the fin;
blow thu Wo.:ld forever Danish tbi
curse from ON country. AS God raised
up Moses to deliver the children O
Israel from the Egyptian bondage. A,