2004-3-3
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VOICE ONE:
THE MAKING OF A NATION -- a program in Special English.
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As we reported last week, Spain asked Europe to help it put down
a rebellion among Spanish colonies in latin America. Some of these
colonies had overthrown their Spanish rulers and declared themselves
independent. Britain wanted no part of the Spanish proposal. Britain
was trading heavily with these new Latin American countries. Spanish
or even French control of this area would destroy or limit this
trade. So Britain proposed a joint statement with the United States
that neither country wanted any of Spain's territory in the New
World. Britain also wanted the United States to join in opposing the
transfer of any of Spain's American territories to any other power
in Europe.
VOICE TWO:
Most of President James Monroe's advisors urged him to accept the
British offer. Secretary of state John Quincy Adams opposed it. He
did not believe the United States should tie itself to any European
power, even Britain. Monroe accepted the advice of his Secretary of
State. He included Adams' ideas in his message to Congress in
December, 1823. This part of the message became known as the "Monroe
Doctrine. " The president said no European power should, in the
future, try to establish a colony anywhere in the Americas. He said
the political system of the European powers was very different from
that of the Americas. Monroe said any attempt to extend this
European system to any of the Americas would threaten the peace and
safety of the United States.
VOICE ONE:
The president also said the United States had not interfered with
the colonies of any European power in South America and would not do
so in the future. But, said Monroe, a number of these former
colonies had become independent countries. And the United States had
recognized their independence. We would see it as an unfriendly act,
he said, for any European power to try to oppress or control these
new American countries in any way. At the same time, Monroe said,
the United States never had -- and never would -- take part in any
war among the European powers. This statement of Monroe's was only
part of a presidential message to Congress. But it clearly stated
one of the most important of America's foreign policies.
VOICE TWO:
The nation had continued to grow during Monroe's term as
president. A number of new states were added to the union. Indiana,
Mississippi, Illinois, and Alabama all became states before 1820.
Louisiana had become the first state to be formed from part of the
Louisiana territory that the United States bought from France. The
rest of this great area was given the name of the Missouri
territory. By 1819, there were enough people in part of the Missouri
territory for that part to become a state. It would be known as the
state of Missouri. But Missouri could not become a state without the
approval of Congress. And this approval was almost impossible to
get.
VOICE ONE:
The problem was slavery. Slaves were not new in America. Spain
had brought them to the west indies hundreds of years before. In
1619, a ship brought 20 African slaves to Jamestown, Virginia. These
black men were sold to farmers. Over the years, the use of slaves
spread to all the American colonies. There were many more slaves in
the agricultural south than in the north. The farms in the north
were smaller and needed less man-power. But in the south, farms were
much larger, and needed many men. Slaves were the least expensive
form of labor. Most of the northern states had passed laws before
1800 freeing slaves. Even the southern states made it illegal to
import more slaves from Africa. But those southerners who already
owned slaves believed they were necessary, and they refused to free
them.
VOICE TWO:
Slavery had been legal when France and Spain controlled the
Louisiana territory. The United States did nothing to change this
when it purchased the area. So slavery was permitted in the Missouri
territory at the time it asked for statehood. A New York
congressman, James Tallmadge, offered an amendment to Missouri's
request to become a state. Tallmadge proposed that no more slaves be
brought into Missouri, and that the children of slaves already there
be freed at the age of 25. His proposal started a debate that lasted
a year. Supporters of Tallmadge argued that his proposed amendment
was constitutional. The constitution, they said, gave Congress the
right to admit new states into the union. This also meant, they
said, that Congress could refuse to admit new states unless these
states met conditions demanded by Congress.
VOICE ONE:
Supporters of the amendment also said small farmers of the north
and east could not compete with the southern farmers and the free
labor of slaves. They argued that these northern and eastern farmers
had as much right to the land of Missouri as anyone else. The
Louisiana territory had been paid for by the taxes of all Americans.
Those opposed to slavery also argued that slave-holding states would
be given too great a voice in the government if Missouri joined
them. Under the constitution, three of every five slaves were
included in the population count to decide membership in the House
of Representatives. In the past, each time a slave state was
admitted to the union, a free state also had been admitted. This
kept a balance in Congress.
VOICE TWO:
Southerners had an answer for each argument of those supporting
the Tallmadge amendment. They agreed that Congress had the
constitutional right to admit or reject a state. But they said
Congress did not have the right to make conditions for a territory
to become a state. William Pinkney of Maryland argued that states
already in the union had joined without any conditions. If Congress,
he declared, had the right to set conditions for new states, then
these new states would not be equal to the old ones. The United
States no longer would be a union of equal states. The debate was
violent on both sides. Representative Howell Cobb of Georgia told
Tallmadge: "You have started a fire. All the waters of the oceans
cannot put it out. Only seas of blood can do so."
VOICE ONE:
The House of Representatives
passed the Missouri bill with the Tallmadge amendment. It was
rejected by the Senate. The people of Missouri would try again for
statehood when the new Congress met in 1820. By this time, another
free state was ready to enter the union. Maine -- with the
permission of Massachusetts -- asked to become a separate state.
Once again, a New York congressman tried to put a condition on
statehood for Missouri. He offered an amendment that Missouri should
agree never to permit any kind of slavery inside its borders. House
Speaker Henry Clay said that as long as any kind of condition was
put on Missouri, he could never permit Maine to become a state. Clay
was not strong enough to prevent the House from approving statehood
for Maine. This bill was sent to the Senate for its approval. The
Senate, however, joined the Maine bill with the one for unlimited
statehood for Missouri. Senators refused to separate the two.
VOICE TWO:
Finally, Senator Thomas of Illinois offered a compromise. He said
Missouri should be admitted as a state permitting slavery. But, he
said no other state permitting slavery could be formed from the
northern part of the Louisiana territory. The compromise was
accepted. And Congress approved statehood both for Missouri and
Maine. But they would not become states until President Monroe
signed the bills. President Monroe had to make a difficult decision.
He was a slave-holder. Many of his friends urged him to veto the
bills, which would limit slavery in the Louisiana territory. And
electors would soon be chosen for the next presidential election.
Still, a decision had to be made. That will be our story in the next
program of THE MAKING OF A NATION.
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VOICE ONE:
You have been listening to the Special English program, THE
MAKING OF A NATION. Your narrators were Maurice Joyce and Harry
Monroe. Our program was written by Frank Beardsley. THE MAKING OF A
NATION can be heard on Thursdays.