Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-11-02

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The same may be said ethe jurisdiction
which that STATE held oye those persons
their citizenship, ane government,
were well known to the laws OF
Virginia." were enioyel OF might be
/ claimed under lhem--nd the evil
denee that these "rights ara privileges"
were secured to those citizens by the
compact or decd of cession, Is as e PLAIN
and iorcible," as that upon which slave
property is founded. This, notwith-
standing that Virginia herself has stipu-
lated that the Aforesaid territory should
be divided into states; we End some OF
our wise men at Vsndaiia adopting
lprlacipls in defence of slavery, which in
Its operation, renders sNch a division
impossible, without breach OF compact.
II this principle be.denied, and the above
argument pronounced sophism it is
asked, what then is that argument by
which slavery Is defended in the report I"
Slaves are no, mentioned in the COM
pact: Esd it has been shown that the ex-
pressions possessions and titles, rights
and liberties" are so far from neeessari-
ly, that they do not naturally imply
them what then is this "piain and for
chile proof" that they arc secured to the
holders in The eompaetl Il is merelp
this; F" slaves (afe) species of proper
! ty well known TO the laws Of Virginia"
and wat is the inference II must be
this. Whatever was well known TO the
laws OF Virginia" was secured to those
citizens by the compact. And upon
this inference, the consequences of
which have been shown, it is said, that
slaves were secured TO the then ci,i-
2ens OF Virginia inhabitirg the ceded
country, by language 100 plain and forci-
bic to be misunderstood or evaded !"
| The report" then iuforms us, that
this compact between the contracting
parties was solemnly made, and was
binding upon both upon every principle
Of universal law" That Congress in
! the spirit Of good fsifh, in passing the
ordinance al i7s7, secured therein to
the people of the newly acquired coun-
try all those Individual rights con,em-
plated by the compact" This no doubt
IS true, But how, men, with that ordi-
nance" before them, Which contain an
explicit prohibition" oil slavery, could
maintain that This was -te of the ''ipHs-
vidual rights oonteYp slated by the con-
pact IL surpfizing 10 any one who is
| disposed TO attribute to them the least
grain OF caador or intelligence. The
same glariag ahsurdity runs through the
whole report. Congress, in an act, pre-
viding Tor the adhesion of the Illinois
territory into the Union, g declared ths,
the contribution 10 be formed was not to
/ be repasnant 10 the oadin4ace of 1887 ="
The contribution, then, must cootaia a
corresponding prohibition to the ordi-
| nance; and this was done 'la further
ooediehce 10 the solemn obligations Of!
public fan and parental rasponsIbili-
y." Where then is the piasn and torch
HE" evidence Of s,avory heing SECURED
10 these persou5 VINO inhabited Tho Ter
:, ri1ory
Again. The convention which as
ssmhied by virtue of tia, act, carefully
avoided an difference with Ibis species
OF property, and etl II in the same place
Of security thsl the ordinance ha1 placed
It." And is this /" language" IN favor
Of slavery, TOO plain and Iorcibie to be
| misunderstood or eyadcd /" The con-
venton found slavery "placef" under
an absolute prohibition by me "ordi-
nance" and they did, i, is true, +" care
fully avoid ain inierl~,en &C" with this
state OF things, and proceeded 10 form
contribution that should correspond with
the requlsit.ons of the law under which
they acted. But further. That consti-
tuslon, es made, twas ratified by Con-
gress, no doubt upon the ground that no
condition con.aned in the ordinance Of
| 1857, or 10 the act of 1918, had been
1 violated, &c. So then there was no
violation OF the act, the ordinance, or the
compact, IN admitting constitution
which prsaihited slavery in the mos
explicit and unequivocal manner, and
without any exception whatcser :. and
yet the conclusion of the commttee is,
that "the right to property" Qncluding
slaves) "acquired under the laws OF
Virginia remained entire !" We have
thus traced the comrnit,ce through this
part of their labyrinth, aud do not won.
der that they complain of" diticulty,"
in gropqing their way through their ma
~ pursuits but having their well re-
lshed phantom OF negro slavery for
their guide, they at length imagine tina,
they arrive at the full blaze Of day
strengthened by strong prediction
and charmed with the siren song Of ease
and aiflnence, they exclaim with conceit-
ed triumph, to the governors recon-
| rnandatian. the tlayes vOu xish In Free