Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-25

lISneu IN the hcnInOnu Enquirer.
JOHN DILLARD, CAmn.
C. Y. Thomas, Sec'ry.
THE pREslDEScY ar A'S''"A"'
General Harrison and tie Missouri Restriction.
"ThS moinnninus question, like n fire bell in The night, 'awak-
en"d and fIl"d NE with reuor-jEFrERsoN, April lsD.
at is wise to converse with past hours, and to ask
them what report they bear" and it is the province of
that wisdom which is characterised by humility, 10 take
counsel from the oracles bequeathed us by the sagcs
that are no more. 1.-THE great Apostle of Republican,
ism, considered ''this fire-bell in the night, a. the kneii
Of the Union, and the, most portcntous omen which
threatened its existence it unveiled the ankle
ty of a mind, whose pure and profound thought, was
not surpassed by the magnitude of the question that
employed its reflections. The peril of that Union, with
all its blessings and its costs, announced TO us in Ian
guuge so full Of terror and of warning, lays upon every
patriot the sacred duty Of searching into the acts OF
those who bore = decisive agency in this question !
have assumed this task, with reluctant hand, and under
obligations to that duty, which | cannot put aside. II
in the progress Of this enquiry, Developments have
followed the investigation, inconsistent with existing
impressions in the public belief, the voice of justice
gives new impuls" TO the energy OF duty, ana calls
for a fair and full disclosure.
The Congress 0t the United States, on the 18th OF
February 1919, was quietly pursuing the harmonious
tenor Of its way, when Mr.. Tallmadse Of New York
Suddenly returning To his seat, after an absence Oh leave
for the session. moved that amendment to the Missou-
ri bill, which Mr.. Jefferson called 4 ire.bcll in the night.
l ne proposition appeared 10 come Win surprise upon
the House of Representatives,, as unexpected as the
sudden apparition among them Of the absent member,
whose return was pregnant with the scheme. 1t was
expressed in these words: ''That the further introduce.
ton of Slavery, or involuntary scrvitude be prohibited,
except for the punishment of crimes, whereof the party
shall have been fully convicted, and that all children
horn within the said State after the admission thereof
into the Union, shall be free Al the age of twenty-five
years After considerable discussion, this proposition
to amend was cngraftcd into the bill, by the House of
Representatives, and was sent to the Senate. That
body struck it out, and returned it to the House. The
question was there destined 10 4 further scrutiny, and
two propositions, new in themselves, were submitted;
the one by Mr.. Taylor of New York, and the other by
General Harrison of Ohio; resting in and sustained by
the same principle, as Will be shcwn in the sequel.
The recorded votes of General Harrison, are found
in the opposition 10 the restriction contemplated
b. Mr.. Tallmadge, the peculiar phrascology OF which,
it is requested may be borne upon the mind, with that
also oil the stipulation in the treaty by which Louisiana
was coded TO the u The conflict OF opinion in the
two branches Of Congress, became decisive by its OBJ
stinacy, and the bill persisted in the reciprocal 0dter-
cacc of the Senate and the House. The novelty of
this experiment upon the passions Of interest and ann
bition, fell upon the popular deliberations that followed
in the recess of Congress, and kindlcd that excitement
which aroused party from It's paralysis, and inlamcd
wi,h untricd ardor lis sentiments for action. The an
Gent volcano had burnt out-but there stood the noun
tain; and the elements of discord with which IT was
cmbowcIlcd the l4lil of February, was enough for 4
1 new ana more aW!ui eruption. Al lnll moment, WHEN
all Nature was awakening its family of love, ambition,
bent to its untnly cndS) was %brooding over its hopes
OF dcsolation and dlsmay. The popular senslbilltics
were absorbed By the question, and the Legislative
Councils, in most of the States of the Confcderacy,
Welded to its Influence, a monopoly of their cares
Congress rcassenblcd the 9Th Of December ensuing,
and in the first hour allowed for il, Mr.. Scott, the Ter
ritorial Delegate, brought the subject once more into
the deliberations of Congress. 1t was quickly asccr-
taincd that an extraordinary change Of opinion upon
this portcntous subject, had o%vertakcn the members of
the House; and ITS determination seemed irreclaImablc
b. argument, and its majority invinciblc in NUMBERS
States that had early spoken their will through the
local Legislatures, reiterated its expressions, and those
who had uttered no Judgment, seemed eager to swell
the flood OF popular sentiment, that was bearing It's
full and rcsisilcss tide to the Federal councils
OF these New York stood and acted in the first pre-
dicainrnt, in the double expression of It's opinion,
and Ohio in the second. John c. Spencer, distin.
guishcd by that large and splendid intellect which
had already shed lis lustre upon his services in Con-
cress, was the leading member in his State Legislature
lie and Mr.. Tallmadgc Of New York, were both menu
bers Of that party division at home, powerful in talent,
wealth, family and influence; and guided By 4 leader,
whose ambition and ability were striving with a giants
strength TO gain the sccptre ofthc Confcderacy. They
were separated in New York by party names (arising
from intestine disscnsion) from the present President of
the United States. And It is evident, from the speech
of Mr.. Spencer, in the House of Assembly on the Mis-
souri, subject in January, $3.50, that he distrusled the
antagonist anu pOllllCul uIElSlon,
General Harrison retired from Congress in 1910, and
at the same election in which Mr.. Thomas Ross was
chosen his successor to that body, Harrison was elected
to the Senate of Ohio. The newspaper files accessible
10 me, Go not disclose any dissatisfaction with his
course in the preceding session Of Congress, and It IS
presumed, that none existed. In his legislative career
within the State, the public journals show, that doubts
in duty to the slave question, neither disturbed his
Judgment nor ~paralyzcd his activity. Had the circle Of
PcpIlius been inscribed around him, by the wand OF
.---. -, non pap,,, nS .lan,p,p. 81, thn. ~ H.
Syrian King, if they are allowed TO be read in his
acts, and they interpreted in the plain sense of our
mother tongue. The third day OF January, le2O,
Mr.. Thompson brought the Missouri question into
the Senate OF Ohio, and he, with General Harrison,
appcar 10 have been the principal, if not the only ac-
tors in the scene. General Harrison made various pro-
positions to commit, To amend and refer 10 a Select
Committee. With a manifest intention to present his
views, he adopted portions Of the proposition OF Mr..
Thompson, and moved to strike out and insert, lob.
viousiy to the end) that the preamble and resolutions,
as advocated By him, might express with iu!lncss and
precision his own opinions upon the question they DIS
cuss. This document, so approved by General llarri-
son, and advocated by him on the Sd day OF January,
1890, in the Senate of Ohio, is in the following words:
UWhereas the existence of slavery III our country, has
ever been deemed a great moral and political evil, and
in its tendency directly calculated to impair our ma
tional character, and materially affect our national hap
piness and inasmuch as The extension OF a slave po-
pulation IN the United States IS traught with the most
fearful consequences u lit permanently hiu uuItuI.lLJ
of our Republican institutions-and whereas, the sub.
iect of the admission of slavery in the new State OF
Missouri is at this time before the Congress Of the Uni.
ted States; therefore
sRcsotred, That our Senators and Representatives be
requested to use their utmost exertions and take every
means TO prevent the extension Of slavery within the
Territory of the U. States, West of the Mississippi, and
the new States to be formed within that Territory,
which the Constitution and the treaties made under 1t
will allow"
The Senate of Ohio preferred the original PROPOSE
ton of Mr.. Thompson, and refused to commit for the
purpose of amendment, by a divided vote OF 10 to IS;
II will scarce be pretended, that the motion submitted
by General Harrison, and the foregoing preamble and
resolution advocated with strenuous and nnyielding
zeal By him, did not embody and express his own OPT
mon upon the question presented for the sanction OF
the Legislature: and for decisiveness of expression,
and directness of design, it may challenge the ap-
-Clintoniana and Buck-lal.