White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-12


type? Have we not seer the same
tactics and the same plan with con-
eentrated and INSCRIPTIONS wealth
holding the reins? The abuse of the
courts; the s~ubseryience of govern
ment. the insolence of a Senate, the
feebleness of a House; the raising
of false Issues to distract the public
mind; social ostraeism and religious
cant when capital is questioned, ap-
peals to party loyalty when neither
party Is worthy of public confidence,
and, when both bid for the support
of the same influence; the betrayal
OF principle, the procession of smil-
ing acquiescence to the White
House-what a glorious stretch of
mediocrity from Lincoln to Roose-
welt. May there be another such
answe to our prayer as Lincoln was
the answer to the prayer of his time.
May there be found in this great
land another prophet to remove the
bandage from III eyes and to turn
us toward the light.
The Missouri Compromise was IL
logical and inefficient. 1t could not
last permanently because it was
fundamentally wrong. 1t repre-
sented and stood for a strange spec
tacle-the national conscience at
tempting to lull itself to sleep-and,
yet. it was the result of years of agi-
tation from the time of the fatal
mistake In the Constitution, which
recognized slavery. to the day of It's
enactment. 1t provided that Mis-
souri, might be admitted as a slave
state on condition that, thereafter,
the Northwest Territory should for
be free. All sections of the
country had apparently acquiesced
in this settlement of a dangerous
problem. The compromise was en-
tirely satisfactory TO big business
and 1t was forced upon the people by
that sordid class which, from the
beginning of time. has rallied at
progress and cried Let well enough
alone'-a class that has wrought
the ruin of every nation which al
lowed it to control or which listened
to its threats.
3dot III AoAtAOAn f4to uUOA
Missouri and to secure her, then,
agreed to give up the indefinite flu
ture. Men were found, even a ma
jority, who believed that a compact
would be kept by Wrong, but the
growth of Kansas and Nebraska ex-
cited the foes and friends of slavery,
the one to keep it out of the new
states; the other to force it upon
them. With a ruthless disregard of
all obligations of faith and honesty,
of fair and open dealing, the Com
promise was repealed that slavery
might be extended. and Douglas, to
divert the anger of the North, went
before the Country with the specious
plea that the Compromise should be
repealed in order that the new states
themselves might have the right to
declare whether they wanted slavery
or not.
The storm that broke over the
country was like the wrath of an
ayenging angel. II swept men and
states from their m%oorings, un-
bridled their passions, and stirred
TO its depth the heart of a free peo-
pie. Wrong had refused to keep its
treaty. The South met the outbreak
with threats of disunion, declaring
that only by the acceptance of its
terms could the Union be preserved /;
that only as its creature could the
nation live. But IL went further
than this. Playing upon the noblest
of sentiments, the pride of national
ifu thu Len - 90 H. Ga.4k -
that they would allow the Union to
continue upon the condition that no
restriction whatever should be
placed upon the extension of slavery.
which, thereafter, should be permit
ted TO go wheresoever il willed
These declarations were the fore
runners of the famous peace ION
gress at Richmond, which two years
later, issued its manifesto that the
South would resume its place in the
Union when an amendment to the
Constitution should be adopted pro-
hibiting Congress and the states
from in any name interfering with
slavery. Thus early did it become
clear that the slave power to pro-
tect itself would unh~esitatingly sac
rifice the nation.
Yet Douglas took up its cause,
and a formidable champion he was
the foremost nan of his day, own
Ing an international renown,
strengthened by the quiet sympathy
of enyious Europe, his fame secure
his words courageous. His very au-
dacity quieted the storm and he
waited in serene confidence for an
antagonist to brave the lightning.
None seemed to come-none seemed
TO measure up to his battle stature.
The North was without its knight
when Destiny beckoned to Lincoln
and whispered that the hour was at
hand.
Then the way was made clear.
Perhaps he could see at last why his
whole life had been centering toward
this supreme effort; why labor had
been his lot, with suffering ever AT