resident Fillmore.

California was admitted as a free State; but as a palliative to the
South, Congress passed bills for the organization of territorial
Governments for New Mexico and Utah without positive declarations
regarding the powers of the territorial Legislatures over slavery. All
questions relating to title to slaves were to be left to the courts.
Meantime it was left in doubt whether Mexican law excluding slavery was
still in force. Southern malcontents maintained that this act was a
mere hoax, using words which suggested concession when no concession was
intended. Northern anti-slavery men criticized the act as the entering
wedge for another great surrender to the enemy. Because of the
uncertainty regarding the meaning of the law and the false hopes likely
to be created, they maintained that it was fitted to foment discord and
prolong the period of distrust between the two sections. At all events
such was its actual effect.

A third act in this unhappy series gave to Texas ten millions of dollars
for the alleged surrender of claims to a part of New Mexico. This had
little bearing on the general subject of compromise; yet anti-slavery
men criticized it on the ground that the issue raised was insincere;
that the appropriation was in fact a bribe to secure votes necessary to
pass the other measures; that the bill was passed through Congress
by shameless bribery, and that even the boundaries conceded to Texas
involved the surrender of free territory.

The abolition of the slave-trade in the District of Columbia was
supported by both sections of the country. The removal of the slave
pens within sight of the Capitol to a neighboring city deprived the
abolitionists of one of their weapons for effective agitation, but it
did not otherwise affect the position of slavery.

Of the five acts included in the compromise measures, the one which
provided for the return of fugitive slaves was most effective in the
promotion of hostility between the two sections. During the six months
of debate on the Omnibus Bill, numerous bills were presented to take the
place of the law of 1793. Webster brought forward a bill which provided
for the use of a jury to establish the validity of a claim to an escaped
slave. But that which was finally adopted by a worn-out Congress is
characterized as one of the most barbarous pieces of legislation ever
enacted by a civilized country. A single incident may indicate the
nature of the act. Jame