Page:Life of Henry Clay (Schurz; v. 1).djvu/200

188 On February 10 he brought in a report, which was rather an appeal than an argument. “Your committee believe that all must ardently unite in wishing an amicable termination of a question, which, if it be longer kept open, cannot fail to produce, and possibly to perpetuate, prejudices and animosities among a people to whom the conservation of their moral ties should be even dearer, if possible, than that of their political bond.” The committee then proposed a resolution to admit Missouri into the Union “on an equal footing with the original states in all respects whatever, upon the fundamental condition that the said state shall never pass any law preventing any description of persons from coming to and settling in the said state who now are, or hereafter may become, citizens of any of the states of this Union.” This was to satisfy the Northern people. The resolution provided further that, as soon as the Missouri legislature should, by solemn public act, have declared the assent of the state to this fundamental condition, the President should by proclamation announce the fact, whereupon the admission of the state should be considered complete. This was to prevent further trouble in Congress. Finally the resolution declared that nothing contained in it should “be construed to take from the said state of Missouri, when admitted into this Union, the exercise of any right or power which can now be constitutionally exercised by any of the original states.” This was to conciliate the extreme