“An important and fresh collection of essays on a topic of interest to scholars as well as many Missourians.”—Lorri Glover, Saint Louis University, author of The Fate of the Revolution: Virginians Debate the Constitution
“Editor William Belko and a talented group of historians link the debates over clauses and intent in the Constitution of 1787 with the heated sectional controversy over federal prerogatives regarding the admission of new states between 1819 and 1821. Their exploration of subjects, among others, the powers of Congress concerning the territories, the value of compromise, the definition of migration and immigration, and the nature of republican government are important and enlightening. The restriction on slavery, ‘the firebell in the night,’ of course, looms large in the Tallmadge Amendment and beyond. Clearly written and exhaustively researched, this volume is a must-read for both academics and those generally interested in the bond between the Constitution and politics in the early republic.”—John M. Belohlavek, University of South Florida, author of Broken Glass: Caleb Cushing and the Shattering of the Union
“William S. Belko’s worthy collection of timely and poignant essays dissects how various Constitutional clauses created the debates over slavery, westward expansion, and Missouri’s admission into the Union and ultimately paved the path toward Civil War. Antebellum slavery cannot be understood without articulating how the Missouri question defined it!”—Gene Allen Smith, Texas Christian University, author of In Harm's Way: A History of the American Military Experience