racy, saw in the dissolution of the old alliance be-
tween Virginia and the "fanaticized" Pennsylvania, ¹ in the heat of the Missouri conflict, the menace of a
revived Federalist party, and the loss of Virginia's
northern following. So hotly did Virginia resent the
Missouri Compromise, that while the question was
still pending, in February, 1820, her legislative cau-
cus, which had assembled to nominate presidential
electors, indignantly adjourned on learning that
Monroe favored the measure. "I trust in God,"
said H. St. George Tucker, "if the president does
sign a bill to that effect, the Southern people will
be able to find some man who has not committed
himself to our foes; for such are, depend on it,
the Northern Politicians." ² But the sober second
thought of Virginia sustained Monroe. On the other
side, Rufus King believed that the issue of the Mis-
souri question would settle "forever the dominion
of the Union." "Old Mr. Adams," said he, "as he
is the first, will on this hypothesis be the last Presi-
dent from a free state." ³

The truth is that the individual interests of the
south were stronger in opposing than those of the
north in supporting a limitation of slavery; ⁴ the
northern phalanx had hardly formed before it began

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