Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-06-05

denied until the missouri state Dill was
agitated. The states OF Ohio, Indiana,
and Illinois, were required to exclude
slavery altogether. Louisiana, which
was protected by the same treaty OF ces-
sion as Missouri, was required, among
other things, to recognize the right OF
trial by jury, and to have It's records, &c.
IN the English language. Yet we have
heard no complaints OF congress having
robbed the Louisianians of their rights !;
nor hive they been accused of tamcly
submitting to usurpation. Conditions
were also imposed upon the new state
of Mississippi, and fulfilled without
murmur. Even at the late session, the
Alabama state bill was suffered to be-
come law, without any opposition from
the aristocratic branch of congress, the
senate, which is now hailed by the slave
monrers as the bulWark of our national
faith, the champion of the constitution,
and the dauntless defender Of the impre-
scriptible rights of slave-dealers against
the rude attacks of popular sentiment
Yetthis same Alabama state bill contains
other conditions besides the one which
requires their constitution to be repub-
Gcan. No matter what these conditions
are; for the slave-mongers pretend that
all their clamor is raised, not In conse-
ouence of their fondness for slavery, but
because they are the sworn enemies of
u8urhation i! One of the most boisterous
of these gentlemen declares, that he does
not consider slavery justi6able or bene-
fetal; yet he would, from PRINCIPLE,
raise an instruction against congress on
account of the proposed restriction -
These modest patriots--these disinte-
rested enemies of usurpation, have never
thought proper to inquire by what right
they hold their fellow men in slavery /:
they have never investigated the correct
ness of that principle which enables them
to inflct the dreadful punishment of
slavery upon the children, not merely to
the third and fourth generations, but to
the latest posterity-not for the crimes,
but for the migfortunes of their ances-
tors
9. The third article of the treaty of
cession, (Which IS the only part of the
treaty that relates to this subject is in
these words -
g The inhabitants of the coded terri
tory shall be Incorporated in the union
of the United States, ard admitted as
soon as possible, according to the flrin-
cihies Of the federal constitution, to the
enjoyment of all the rights, advantages
and immunities of citizens ofMe 6nited
States; and in the mean time they shall
be maintained and protected in the free
enjoyment of their LIBERTY, property,
and the religion which they profess
I am really puzzled to find any thing
in this article which can give the least
color of support to the arrogant preten-
sions of the slaye-mongers. lst. The
inhabitants (without any distinction of
color or condition are to be " admitted
to the enjoyment of all the rights, ad-
vantages, and immunities of citizens OF
the United States," and in the mean time
they are to be 4" maintained and protect
ed in the free enjoyment of their liberty,
property, and the religion which they
profess % Does this give one half of the
to hold their posterity in slavery for ever,
and to increase the number of slaves by
fresh importations Cd. The inhabitants
of the coded territory are to be admitted
according TO the hrincihles ofthe fed
erai constitution" Only two principles
on this subject are contained in the fed
eral constitution-the one already quo
ted, giving congress the power to admit
or to refuse admission; and that which
requires congress to guarantee to each
state republican form of government.
The federal constitution gives congress
the power to admit, or to refuse to admit
new states; and the treaty of cession re-
fers directly to the constitution. The
treaty, therefore, does not take away, but
actually confirms, the constitutional right
of congress to admit new states condi-
tionally, or to refuse to admit them at all.
Sd. The inhabitants of the coded terri
tory are to be admitted to the enjoy
ment of all the rights, advantages, and
immunities of citizens of the United
States" In the first place, deny that
slavery is right. LIBERTY is the I'M
alienable right of all men; and no man
or body of men can justly take away
that right, except in the punishment of
crimes. Will any one say that the kid
mapping of negro gives the kidnapper
any just claim to the person kidnapped?
Surely not. If then the kidnapper him.
self had no rightful claim, he could not