Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-28
Some Things You Want to Know
The American CongreSS-The Great Slavery Battle

The history OF the struggle to abolish
tory Of the republic for the half-century
ending with the civil war. Every political
act was affected, in greater or lesser de-
gree. by this one great issue. But no i'm
portant political party espoused the cause
OF abolition, and with but few exceptions.
all political leaders were united in deter
mined opposition to the consideration of
the question. James Bryce. British ambas-
sador to the United States, in his excellent
work, THE American Commonwealth"
at length upon the curious fact
that in the United States issues in which
the people are most vitality interested are
not necessarily considered in the realm of
national politics.
At the present time the political issue
which holds the greatest interest for the
American people, the question about which
the hottest battle is raging, the supreme
problem In the greater part of the coun-
try, is the fight for and against the pro-
hlbition Of the sale OF alcoholic liquors.
But as yet that question has barely
touched the national political situation.
Congress has passed a bill prohibiting the
delivery of express shipments of liquors to
any person except the bona fide consignee,
but in no other fashion has II recognized
the existence Of a political fight which is
the all-absorbing topic in a majority of the
states. Congress has been asked to pass a
bill prohibiting saloons in the District of
Columbia, but the bill has been pigeon
holed in a committee room.
So 1t was with the slavery question.
Congress for years declined to consider It.
The first movement was the presentation
in 1897 Of a petition from certain free
blacks asking immunity from treatment as
slaves. Congress received the petition
under protest. Later came the petition to
abolish slavery In the District OF Columbia.
Congress then refused to receive such petit
lions. The first great contest came when
Missouri sought admission to the AMOR
as a slave state. Henry CLAY postponed
the evil day by d~evising the Missouri
compromise. The main purpose Of congress
was to keep the slavery question out OF
federal politics.
With the clearest OF working agreements
the leaders Of both wing and democratic
parties, in both north and south, conspired
to keep the question down. When new
NN@NN1 49, ~ ~ eAAAAANNNAH NhAhAN0e AaAE7
fully balance things by admitting two
at a time, one slave and one free, John
Quincy Adams and a few abo~litionists bat.
tied nightly in congress, but they were
opposed by the power OF both politlca.
parties.
The most notable example Of collision be.
tween the two leading parties was tn,
agreement between Clay and Van Burer
just before the campaign OF 1874. The
Wings, furious with Tyler whom fate had
placed in the White House, had resolved
TO nominate their great leader, Henry
Clay. Van Buren, was absolutely certain
that he would be the democratic choice
The two men met al Clay's home in Ken.
lucky and reached an agreement by which
both pledged themselves to oppose the an.
nexation OF Texas, another effort to SUP.
press the slavery question as an issue
The fact that statements protesting eN
actly similar views were issued by botl
Clay and Van Buren, at the same time i'm
Clay, Calhoun and Webster had no success
sors in the senate Jackson was followed