Series XXXII

No. 2

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY STUDIES

IN

Historical and Political Science

Under the Direction of the

Departments of History, Political Economy, and
Political Science

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SLAVERY IN MISSOURI
1804-1865

BY

HARRISON ANTHONY TREXLER, Ph.B.

Assistant Professor of Economic History, University of Montana

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BALTIMORE

THE JOHNS HOPKINS PRESS

1914

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Copyright 1914 By

THE JOHNS HOPKINS PRESS

Press of the
New Era Printing Company,
Lancaster, Pa.

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Directory of Files

	PAGE
Preface	vii
CHAPTER I
Missouri Slavery as an Economic System
Development of the System	9
The Size of Slave Holdings	13
The Labor of the Slave	18
The Hire of the Slave	28
The Value of the Slave	37
The Slave as an Article of Commerce	44
The Profitableness of Slavery in Missouri	53
CHAPTER II
The Slave Before the Law
The Legal Basis of the Slavery System	57
The Missouri Slave Law	59
The Slave as Property	60
Civil Status of the Slave	63
Indian Slaves	79
CHAPTER III
The Social Status of the Slave
The Religion and Education of the Slave	82
Marriage	87
Crime	89
Treatment of the Slave	90
CHAPTER IV
The Slavery Issue in Politics and in the Churches
Slavery and State-Rights	100
Emancipation as a Political Issue	109
The Mormons and Slavery	122
The Platte Purchase	124
The Slavery Issue in the Churches	126
CHAPTER V
Senator Benton and Slavery
The Beginnings of Abolition Agitation	134
Annexation of Texas Favored in Missouri	137

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	PAGE
Benton’s Stand on the Texas Question	142
Opposition to Benton	142
Benton’s “Appeal” and Defeat	155
Conservatism of the Whigs	159
Germans Opposed to Slavery	165
Intolerance toward Agitators	170
CHAPTER VI
Missouri and Kansas
Missouri a Slavery Frontier	173
Legislation to Prevent Escape of Slaves	174
Free Kansas a Menace to Missouri	185
Missouri Slaveholders in the Fight for Kansas	192
Heavy Loss of Slave Property in Missouri by Underground Railroad	202
CHAPTER VII
Manumission, Colonization, and Emancipation
Legal Conditions of Manumission	208
Suits for Freedom	211
Purchases of Freedom	219
Number of Manumissions and Status of Free Blacks	223
Missouri State Colonization Society	227
Fremont’s Proclamation	232
Abolition of Slavery by State Convention	233
Bibliography	241

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PREFACE

The subject of this study was suggested to the writer several years ago by Professor Jonas Viles of the University of Missouri. Later it was again taken up and expanded when the author entered the Seminary in American History at the Johns Hopkins University. The writer is under great obligations to Professor J. M. Vincent for his advice throughout the preparation of the study, especially for the idea of emphasizing the economic side of Missouri slavery. Dr. R. V. D. Magoffin facilitated the work of collecting material both by his own efforts and by pointing out efficient methods of research. Although this study was practically completed before the election of Professor J. H. Latané to the chair of American History at the Johns Hopkins University, he has critically examined the entire work and made many suggestions which were gladly received.

To Mr. William Clark Breckenridge of St. Louis the writer owes much of the best that the study may afford. Mr. Breckenridge not only pointed out many valuable lines of work, but submitted for use his large private collection of manuscripts, newspaper files, and pamphlets. He also introduced the author to many collections of materials and made possible interviews with many antebellum citizens of St. Louis and Missouri. The writer is also indebted to Miss Mae Symonds of the Mercantile Library of St. Louis, Mr. Gaillard Hunt of the Library of Congress, Messrs. F. A. Sampson and F. C. Shoemaker of the State Historical Society of Missouri, Dean Walter Williams and Professor Jonas Viles of the University of Missouri, and to Judge Walter B. Douglas of the Missouri Historical Society for his cooperation and aid in finding materials in St. Louis.

In addition the writer wishes to express his thanks to Mr. K. Roberts Greenfield of the historical Department of the

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Johns Hopkins University for his aid in correcting manuscript. Above all he wishes to acknowledge the faithful and untiring assistance of his wife in collecting and organizing the materials of this study.

H. A. T.

Directory of Files   Chapter I ►