Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/525

 urged, as a compensation for the admitted evils of slavery, that the spirit of liberty is more elevated and persevering among the masters of slaves, than in states where liberty is a common blessing. We may admit that our southern brethren are as firmly attached to liberty as ourselves, but we can not concede that they are in any respect our superiors, without submitting to humiliation and reproach. Probably the claim has no other just foundation than in the well known ardor, tenacity of opinion, and strict concert of action with which the members of a privileged order invariably pursue a separate and exclusive interest. Even a tacit admission of inferiority by habitual concessions would imply, on our part, a secret preference of aristocratical over democratical institutions."

On the 16th of November, 1820, Missouri applied for admission, into the Union, with a state constitution containing the following provisions:

"The general assembly shall have no power to pass laws, first, for the emancipation of slaves without the consent of their owners, or without paying them, before such emancipation, a full equivalent for such slaves so emancipated; and, second, to prevent bona fide emigrants to this state, or actual settlers therein, from bringing from any of the United States, or from any of their territories, such persons as may there be deemed to be slaves, so long as any persons of the same description, are allowed to be held as slaves by the laws of this state.

"It shall be their duty, as soon as may be, to pass such laws as may be necessary,

"First, to prevent free negroes and mulattoes from coming to, and settling in, this state, under any pretext whatever."

The last requirement was considered a palpable violation of that clause of the constitution which gives to the citizens of each state the rights of citizens in every state. In several of the free states the class referred to were considered citizens, and not only a determined resistance to any such exclusion was manifested in congress, but a portion of the northern members evinced a disposition to renew the struggle against the further introduction of slaves into Missouri. The first vote in the house on her admission, stood yeas, 79; nays, 93. A second attempt was made to admit her, on condition that she would expunge the last quoted obnoxious clause of her constitution, which was voted down by a vote of 156 to 6.

The house now rested, until a joint resolve, admitting her with but a vague and ineffective qualification, came down from the senate, where it was passed by a vote of 26 to 18 — six senators from free states in the affirmative. Mr. Clay, who had resigned in the recess, and been succeeded, as speaker, by John W. Taylor, of New York, now appeared as the leader of the Missouri admissionists, and proposed terms of compromise, which were twice voted down by the northern members, aided by John Randolph and three others from the South, who would have Missouri admitted without condition or qualification. At last, Mr. Clay proposed a joint committee on this subject, to be chosen by ballot — which the house agreed to by 101 to 55; and Mr. Clay became its chairman. By this committee it was agreed that a solemn pledge should be required of the legislature of Missouri, that the constitution of that state