MISSOURI CELEBRATES STATEHOOD

If it were not for newspapers, we would not be as well informed about the details of state, national and world news. Years ago when newspapers were scarce, news was often spread by messengers on horseback or carrier pigeons. Fast communications were yet to be invented.

In 1820-1821, the atmosphere in Missouri was electric with suspense and anticipation. Many of the state leaders overlooked the hardships of travel and went to Washington, D.C., by stagecoach to keep up with the debates taking place on whether Missouri should be granted statehood.

The matter of Missouri was on many minds; people discussed it in stores and on steamboats; ministers preached about it. The subject dealt with state's rights and slavery. If Missouri came into the Union as a southern state with slavery, it would tip the balance in voting, giving the southern states an advantage over the growing population occurring in the north.

Other states had joined the Union and no attention was paid to them, but it was a different matter with mineral-rich Missouri where land could be obtained from the government for $1.25 an acre. Missourians were furious that their business had become everyone's concern.

The struggle began when the government purchased the Louisiana Territory in 1803, and the matter kept growing like a snowball with the passage of years. After Missouri made a formal petition for statehood in 1817 and tried to fulfill all the requests Congress made, the four-year delay for statehood seemed unfair to Missourians. Missouri's representatives became weary trying to meet all of Congress' demands.

Finally, it was over. Both houses passed the bill for Missouri to join the Union and the bill went to President Monroe to sign. It was a hot summer day, Aug. 10, 1821, when Missouri became the 24th state in the Union.

We will observe that important day in the state's history this Saturday. It is doubtful that there will be guns going off or firecrackers, or elaborate dinners will be held in homes of politicians, or dancing will be taking place in front of the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City or the National Capitol in Washington. But we in Missouri are very proud that this is the 170th birthday of our native state, and we will fly both the state and national flag and perhaps bake a birthday cake to honor the day.

Read the early history of Missouri and try to find an old history book where the details about this proud state are described and given more attention than a modern history book, where details are brief. Missouri has a glorious history.

The state has had three different capitals since becoming a part of the United States in 1803. The first was St. Louis, where the governing body met in the mansion house, the territorial capitol. The first general assembly of Missouri began its first session Sept. 18, 1820, with 14 senators and 43 representatives, elected Aug. 28, 1820 to represent 15 counties. Alexander McNair and William H. Ashley were elected to lead the state. Both were living in St. Louis.

Ashley had formerly been a resident of Jackson, where he and his wife, Mary Able, sold 50 acres of land to form the new Cape Girardeau County seat in 1814.

The next Missouri capital was St. Charles. The city served as the state capital until Oct. 1, 1826.

In December 1820, Jefferson City was selected as the permanent site for a state capital. Jefferson City became the capital on Oct. 1, 1826. The only Missouri emblem at the time was the Missouri State Seal, chosen Jan. 11, 1822 and designed by Robert William Wells. It reads: "United We Stand, Divided We Fall." The scroll in Latin reads, "Let the good of the people be the supreme law."

Missouri has a proud history, an interesting one, as "the Gateway" to the opening of the West.