But little explanation of these events is necessary. In December, 1817,
Mississippi was admitted into the Union, and Alabama became a territory.
On March 2, 1819, Arkansas was organized into a territory, and on
December 14, Alabama was admitted to the Union. In this year commenced
the earnest and acrimonious discussion between the North and South in
regard to the extension of slavery. Both Maine and Missouri sought
admission as States. Maine was admitted, March 15th, 1820, and, after a
two years' wild debate, it was thought the whole question of slavery was
settled by the Missouri Compromise, February 27, 1821. This compromise
was the adoption of a provision in the bill for the admission of
Missouri, that in all territory south of thirty-six degrees and thirty
minutes north latitude (the southern boundary of the State of Missouri)
slavery might exist; but it was prohibited in the region north of that
line. A member of congress from Georgia prophetically said in the course
of the debate:
"A fire has been kindled, which all the waters of the ocean cannot put
out, and which only seas of blood can extinguish." Had the Missouri
Compromise been kept inviolate to the present day, slavery might still
have existed below thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes north latitude.
The commerce of the United States was greatly injured by swarms of
privateers under Spanish-American flags, who had degenerated into
pirates, and so became outlaws, subject to chastisement by any nation.
Pages:
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368