What is now the state of Missouri formed a part of Louisiana, and has underwent the political revolutions of that country, and was amongst the first parts that the French discovered. In 1674, two Missionaries, by the names of Jolliet and Marquette, entered the Mississippi by the route of Ouisconsin, descended the former stream to the Arkansaw, and returned to Canada by the Illinois. The country was visited by M. de la Salle in 1683. Some settlements were made soon after in the respec tive regions now comprised in the state of Illinois and territory of Arkansaw, but none in any part now within the state of Missouri.
In 1762, all Louisiana was ceded by France to Spain, and possession taken in 1769.
Upper Louisiana, now state of Missouri, began to be peoplet1 about 1760. The attempt of settlement at the mines by Renault, and its failure, we have seen. In 1762, the present town of St. Louis was commenced, since which period settlements have gradually, but, during the existence of the Spanish government, slowly advanced. In 1803, this country, with all Louisiana, was ceded to the United States ; and, early in 1804, was taken pos session of by Major Amos Stoddard.
Louisiana was divided into two territories, that of Or leans below N. Lat. 31°, and Louisiana, containing the residue of that country. New Orleans continued the capital of Orleans, and St. Louis, of Louisiana.
In 1810, the then territory of Louisiana contained 20,845 inhabitants, of which 3011 wet e slaves.
In 1812, when the territory of Orleans became the slate of Louisiana, Louisiana territory was changed to the territory of Missouri; and, on the 4th of January, 1813, Mr. Edward Hat»stead took his seat in Congress, as delegate. April 3d, 1818, the bill for the admission of Missouri into the Union as a state received the second reading, and was committed.
On the bill being brought up, for a third reading, its passage was opposed, unless under condition of prohibit ing the introduction of Negro slaves. This opposition defeated the bill in the session of 1818-19, and in the session of 1819-20, both of which, particularly the latter, was in great part consumed in debates on the subject. In the former session, March 6th, 1820, an act was passed permitting the people of Missouri to elect a convention, which was empowered to frame a constitution, and adopt such name as they should choose; and under such constitution, when approved by Con gress, such state to become one of the United States, with all the rights and immunities appertaining to the original states.
The convention of Missouri met at St. Louis, — 1820, and formed a constitution, which was presented to Congress for approval, at the opening of the session of 1820-21. A clause in the constitution, excluding
from the state free negroes and people of colour, gave rise to a long and violent debate in both houses, which eventuated in a resolution of Congress, dated March 2d, 1821, in the following terms.
" Resolved by the Senate and House of Relzresentatives of the United States of ?lmeriea in Congress assembled, That Missouri shall be admitted into this Uttion on an equal footing with the original states, in all respects whatever, upon the fundamental condition, that the fourth clause of the twenty-sixth section of the Bind article of the constitution submitted on the part of said state to Congress, shall never be construed to authorize the pas sage of any law, and that no law shall be passed in con formity thereto, by which any citizen of either of the states in this Union, shall be excluded from the enjoy ment of any of the privileges and immunities to which such citizen is entitled under the constitution of the United States: Provided, That the legislature of the said state, by a solemn public act, shall declare the as sent of the said state to the said fundamental condition, and shall transmit to the President of the United States, on or before the fourth Monday in November next, an authentic copy of the said act ; upon the receipt whereof, the President, by proclamation, shall announce the fact : whereupon, and without any further proceeding on the part of Congress, the admission of the said state into this Union, shall be considered as complete." The legislature of Missouri, on the 26th of 1821, passed an act of accession to the conditions contained in the foregoing resolution of Congress, and transmitted the act to the President of the United States, who, on the lath day of August, 1821, issued his proclamation pur suant to the tenor of the resole ion of Congress, and the accession of the legislatute of Missouri to its provisions, and Missouri became a state of the United States.
It may not be uninteresting to trace the line, which, by the act of admission of Missouri, bounds the slave-holding from the non-slave-holding states and territories that have been, or may be formed beyond the Mississippi. Beginning on the right bank of that stream, at the mouth of Ohio, and following the boundaries of the state of Missouri up the Mississippi and Lemoine rivers, and thence to the south-west angle of Missouri, on the north boundary of A rkansa w territory, at N. Lat. 36° and thence due west to the frontier line between the United States and Spain.