bate acknowledged, involuntarily sometimes, the impressive sincerity of his anxious entreaties. What helped him in gaining over the number of votes necessary to form a majority was the growing fear that this quarrel would break up the ruling party, and lead to the forming of new divisions. His success added greatly to his reputation and gave new strength to his influence. Adams wrote in his journal that one of “the greatest results of this conflict of three sessions” was “to bring into full display the talents and resources and influence of Mr. Clay.” In newspapers and speeches he was praised as “the great pacificator.”
As a measure of temporary pacification the compromise could not indeed have been more successful. Only a short time before its accomplishment the aged Jefferson, from his retreat at Monticello, had sent forth a cry of alarm in a private letter, which soon became public: “The Missouri question is the most portentous one that ever threatened the Union. In the gloomiest moments of the Revolutionary War I never had any apprehension equal to that I feel from this source.” No sooner had the compromise passed than the excitement and anxiety subsided. With that singular carelessness, that elasticity of temper, which is characteristic of the American, the danger, of which the shock of earthquake had warned him, was forgotten. The public mind turned at once to things of more hopeful interest, and the Union seemed safer than ever.
