Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1840-07-23
JAMES M. SMILEY, EDITOR.
From the VickSdurg Wing.
MORE FALSEHOOD.

"Gen. Harrison was in the Senate Of Ohio
in 1920, before the Missouri question was
finally settled) and voted January 3rd Of
that year,) for the the following preamble and
resolution
"Whereas, the existence of slavery in our
country has ever been deemed a great moral
and political eUil, and its tendency directly cal
culated 10 impair our national character, and
materially affect our national happiness; and
nasmuch as the extension Of a slave population
in the U. States is fraught with the most fear
full consequences to the permanency and du-
rability of our Republican institutions--and
whereas, the subject ofthe admission Of slavery
in the new State of Missouri is at this time
before the Congress ofthe United States; there
fore,
"Resoleed, That our Senators and Represen-
tatives be requested TO use their utmost exer
tons and take every means TO prevent the ex-
tension OF slavery within the territory of the
United States, west of tine Mississippi, and the
new States to be formed within that Territory,
which the Constitution and the treaties made
under il will allow"
The declaration that Seen. Harrison voted
TOR the preamble and resolution" is. false, infa
mously false, and we can prove it. Nay, more
than that even. The preamble and resolution as
published by the Democrat, neuer was voted
Tor at all. The resolution never was before the
Senate, except as an amendment. During the
session Of 1919 and 20, Gen Thompson, after
wards leading Jackson man, and now Van
buren, democrat, offered u preamble and
resolution, OF which the following is correct
copy,
whereas, the existence Of slavery in this
country has ever been deemed great moral
ard political evil, and It's tendency directly cal
culated to impair our nationa! character, and
materially affect our national happiness; and
lnasmuch as the existence of sla We population
~ the United States is lraught with the most
fearful consequences to the permanency and
durability OF our republican institutions; and
whereas, the subject the admission Of sla-
very IN the new State of Missouri is at this
time before the congress Of the United States );
therefore,
sResolyed, by the general assembly of the
State Of Ohio, That our Senators and repre-
sentatiVes In Congress be requested te use
their most jealous endeavors TO prevent the
adoption ofao odious and dangerous measure"
General Harrison Immediately moved 10
strike out all alter the word ''resolVed" in the
resolution, and in lieu thereof insert the follow
ing:
"Ihat our senators and representatives be
requested to use their utmost cndeavors, and
take every means to prevent the extension of
slavery within the territory oflhe United States
west of The Mississippi, and the new States to
be formed within that territory, WHICH THE
CONSTITUTION AND TREATIES MADE UNDER IT WILL
Allow
The question being put on his motion TO strike
out, It was lost, ayes IL, nays l6-Gen. Har-
rlson voting in the affirmative. lie then mo-
we'd TO recommt the preamble and resolution to
committee of three members. This motion
also was lost, ayes Is, nays l5-Harrison again
voting IN the affirmative. resolution was
then added instructing the Governor to forward
copies of the preamble and resolution to their
Senators and Representatives in Congress,
and upon the main question, "shali the pre-
amble and resolutions be adopted" it was de-
clded in the affirmative by vote Of twenty to
eight, General Harrison voting against their
adoption!
This, then, is the true state Of the case, and
we DEFY contradiction. The Journal of the
Ohio Senate will sustain us, and to that we re.
Ter. While on this subject, we will introduce
an extract ola letter from Alfred Kelly, Esq.
OF Columbus Ohio. Mr.. Kelly is q gentleman
oiunquestloned characteriand veracty, and his
statements may be implicitly relied on. He
was member Of the legislature at that time,
and was perfectly familiar with all the facts
as they occurred On being called on last
March for history Of the transaction, he gave
1t at length from the journals of the Senate,
and IN conclusion says:
I'm all these movements and votes, it is easy
to see that Gen. Harrison's object was to de-
ieat the resolution. was at that time mem
Der OF the House Of Representatives; boa rded
at the same house, and ate at the same table
with Gen. Harrison; had frequent conversations
with him on the subject Of the Missouri ques.
ton, and we'll knew his sentiments. He enter
tanned the opinion that Congress had no right to
impose any condition on a sovereign state as TO
the admission of Slarery; and that should Con-
gress even succeed in compelling state to in
sert clause in its constitution prohibiting the
existence Of slavery, as a condition of its ad-
mission, it would have the right to amend its
constitution so as TO permit the existence Of
slavery; and being then sovereign state con
equal footing with the original states in all re
sPects whatever" Congress could not prevent
such an amendment.
"General Harrison expressed, at that time,
great apprehension that the agitation Of the
question Of slavery, and the attempt to re-
quire state TO prohibit, by the provisions Of
its constitution, the existence Of slavery
as condition Of its admission, would ex
aosperate the slaveholdng states and destroy the