Petition from the Union Fire Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in Support of the Crittenden Compromise
ca. 1861
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This petition from the Union Fire Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania supporting the Crittenden Compromise was tabled February 6, 1861. The Compromise included a constitutional amendment ensuring the existence of slavery unless prohibited by state law and extending the Missouri Compromise line dividing free and slave-holding states to the Pacific Ocean. The compromise failed in Congress.
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As the issue of slavery tore the nation apart, and it tumbled toward civil war, this petition asked Congress to compromise to preserve the Union. The petitioning company of firemen noted, "where the fiercest flames threatened the greatest destruction, they never stopped to inquire the cause, but rushed to use their best efforts to subdue the devouring element."
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Senate.
National Archives Identifier: 306495
Full Citation: Petition from the Union Fire Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in Support of the Crittenden Compromise; ca. 1861; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/petition-from-the-union-fire-company-in-lancaster-pennsylvania-in-support-of-the-crittenden-compromise, April 19, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.