ties of slavery from the banks of the Mississipi to the shores of the Pacific." This Missouri struggle opened the eyes of many hitherto blind to the evils of slavery, and urged those already mindful of its iniquities to harder and more determined work. At the same time the South, elated and encouraged by its success, became even more persistent and united in extending and consolidating the slave power. Missouri, in due course, formed her Constitution, which not only established slavery, but provided that laws should be passed preventing free negroes, or mulattoes, on any pretext whatever, from coming into or settling in the State. When the Constitution came to be debated in the Senate, it was moved that it should not be construed that the assent of Congress was given to anything in the Constitution which might contravene the clause in the United States Constitution "that the citizens of each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of the several States." This very proper motion was lost, and the Senate agreed to the admission of Missouri.
In the House of Representatives there was much debate upon the resolution of admission, and it was ultimately rejected. The Senate resolution was referred to a committee of thirteen, who reported in favor of a compromise amendment. The House at first accepted the report and then rejected it on its third reading; afterwards reconsidered it and again threw it out. Henry Clay, always notable for his support of slavery, moved for a joint special committee of the two Chambers, to consider and report what action should be agreed upon. The committee reported a compromise resolution, the Bill passed the House by a majority of six, and the Senate by two to one. The Missouri struggle, enduring more than two years, ended in the complete triumph of the slave power.
Then came the question, Shall Illinois be slave? While the Missouri problem was agitating the length and breadth of the United States, Illinois had been fighting her own battle. Should she—in spite of the ordinance of 1787—add her name to the increasing list of Slave States?
Illinois had been largely settled by Southerners, and when it became a Territory it affirmed the inhuman black laws already existing. These laws provided that slaves brought into the Territory could be compelled to make contracts to serve the masters for any number of years, even exceeding the probable term of their natural life, or could be sent back to perpetual servitude. Children under fifteen years of age, and those born after entering the Territory, were also constrained to serve for a period of years. Many negroes were held in bondage as severe as if they had been in the South, and this was surely a direct violation of the ordinance of 1787. Illinois formed a constitution in which the introduction of slavery was forbidden and contracts for a longer period than one year prohibited. But
