he human
race"; ending by boldly defying those who threatened, if slavery
were restricted, to dissolve the Union of the States. This amendment
passed the House, 87 to 76, but was beaten, the same session, in
the Senate, 22 to 16; one Senator from Massachusetts, one from
Pennsylvania, and two from Illinois voted with the South. Again
the too often easily frightened Northern statesmen struck their
colors just when the battle was won.

In January (1820) of the succeeding Congress the measure was again
under consideration in the Senate, then composed of only forty-four
members. It was then that Rufus King and Wm. Pinckney, the former
for, the latter against, the slavery restriction amendment, displayed
their eloquence. Pinckney, a lawyer of much general learning,
paraphrased a passage of Burke to the effect that "the spirit of
liberty was more high and haughty in the slaveholding colonies than
in those to the northward." He also planted himself, with others
from the South, on state-sovereignty, afterwards more commonly
called "state-rights," and in time tortured into a doctrine which
led to nullification--Secession--_War_.

All these speeches were answered in both Houses by able opponents
of slavery extension, but meantime a matter arose which did much
to favor the admission of Missouri as a slave State.

Maine, but recently separated from Massachusetts, applied for
statehood, and could not be refused.

A Senator from Illinois (Mr. Thomas) introduced a proviso which
prohibited slavery north of 36 deg. 30' in the Louisiana acquisition,
except in Missouri.

Here, again, at the expense of freedom, was an opportunity for
_compromise_. It was promptly seized upon. It was agreed that
Maine, where by no possibility slavery would or could go, should
come into the Union as a free State; Missouri as a slave State,
and the proviso limiting slavery in the remaining territory south
of 36 deg. 30' should be adopted. This compromise was adopted in the
Senate, and later, after close votes on amendments, the House also
agreed to it. John Randolph and thirty-seven Southern members
voted against it, and, but for weak-kneed Northern members, it
would have failed. This compromise Randolph said was a "_dirty
bargain_," and the Northern members who supported it he denounced
as "doughfaces,"--a coined phrase still known to our political
vocabulary.

Missouri, however, did not become a State until August, 1821.
Thus, for the tim