30'.
The abrogation of this compromise, which had been looked upon as a
sacred compact, convinced a majority of the Northern people that the
system of slavery was filled with the spirit of aggressiveness and
determined to spread itself into all the Territories. Consequently there
arose for the first time a powerful anti-slavery party, which, while
denying that it had any purpose of meddling with that institution in the
States where it already existed, declared that it should never be
extended into any more of the national domain. At the same time this was
a stronger party in favor of the protective tariff than had ever before
existed. This organization, which gave itself the name "Republican
party," came into existence in 1854, the same year in which Senator
Douglas's bill abrogated the Missouri Compromise. There are several
claimants for the honor of first proposing it; but as a fact, it sprang
into existence with virtual simultaneousness in several of the Northern
States. If there was a priority, it was in Massachusetts, where Robert
Carter acted as Secretary of the Convention and wrote the resolutions.
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