Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-06-30

SPEECH

|
posed amendment, fixing the boundary
line between the Territory of Wisconsin
and the State Of Illinois, at forty-two de-
grees and thirty minutes of north latitude,
instead OF the line established by the or
dmance Of 1877. House of Represen-
tatives, February 9, 1889.
Mr.. J. Q. Adams rose and said, he did
not rise to make an arguments; but, before
the question on this amendment was taken,
he would call the attention of The House 10
the relative position Of the two parties in
terestcd on this subject. On the one side,
| (said Mr.. A. there are twenty-nine mem
bers of this House personally and deeply
interested; every one Of them having the
powcro OF speech, as they have fully shown,
and every one having vote on this qucs-
ton. On the other side there is one terri
tory, with a single delegate, Ito whose zeal
energy, and fidelity, on all occasions when
| the rights and interests Of that Territory
are affected, can bear cordial testmony:)
and another Territory that is to come,
without voice or vote at all. | wish that
| this House, before decision is pronounced
would take this relative position Of the par
! ties into their most serious consideration /;
and make the request with the more en-
| phasis, because there is question deeper
| than that of twcnty.nine members against
single delegate involved in the issue of
this matter; and that is, the faith Of the ma
ton. On the one side, then, there are
twenty-nine members of the House, and
on the other side single delegate and the
| faith Of the nation.
Sir, the origin Of this question goes back
to the ordinance for the government Of the
territory of the United States northwest of
the river Ohio; that ordinance which is the
foundation Of all these States, of these three
States, with their twcnty-nne members in
this house, and Of these two territories
which may, and hope will, have more
than twenty-ninc members to represent
them upon this floor. At this time I cam
not go into the subject in all It's details; the
| debate has been protrnctcd; the House is
| impatient for the question, and all wish
before it shall be definitely taken, is that
the House may understand all that is in
volved in it, refer, therefore, solely 10
| that which contains the essence Of this
| questions; that is to say the fifth article of
the fundamental articles which were csta-
blished by the Congress which framed the
ordinance for the Government Of the Ter
ritory northwest Of the river Ohio; and
which is in the following words:
"H is hereby ordained and declared By
| the authority aforesaid, that the following
articles shall be considered as articles OF
compact between tie original States and
the people, and States in the said territory,
and forever remain unalterable, unless by
common consent"
Here, continued Mr.. A. is the conStitu-
ton Of the Northwestern Territory, u COM
pact made between the original thirteen
states Of this Union and the people and the
States which were to be formed in conse-
quence Of this ordinance. Well sir, one
of these articles is as follows. 1t is ra-
Their long, but am afraid | shall be obi
gcd to read it, in order to put every mem
Der of this House in possession Of the real
question which is to be decided, and to
show that in this question the faith Of this
nation is involved:
ARTICLE 5. There shall be formed in
the said Territory not less than three MOI
more than five States; and the boundary OF
the States, as soon as Virginia shall alter
her act Of cession, and consent to the same
shall become fixed and established as fol-
lows, to wit: The western State in the
said Territory shall be bounded by the
Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash rivers; a
direct line drawn from the Wabash, and
Post St. Nincents due north to the terrific
rial line between the United States and
Canada, and by the said territorial line to
the Lake Of the Woods. and the Mississip-
pi. The middle State shall be bounded by
the said direct line, the Wabash, from
Post St. Nincents to the Ohio; by the Ohio,
by direct line, drawn due north from the
mouth Of the Great Miami, to the said ter.
ritorial line, and by the said territorial line
The eastern State shall be bounded by the
last mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Penn
sylvania, and the said territorial line
Prorided, howerer, and 1t is further under.
stood and declared, That the boundaries oil
these three states shall be subject so far to
be altered, that, if Congress shall hercaf.
ter find 1t cxpedient, they shall have au-
thority 10 form one or two States in that
part OF the said Territory which lies north
of an cast and west line drawn through the
southcrly bend or extreme of Lake Mich.
gian."
Mr.. A. consumed. These are the terms
of the compact-A COMPACT AS BIND
ING AS ANY THAT WAS EVER RA-
| Titled BY GOD In HEAVEN.
The further provision is for the admis,
sion Of these States into the Union al The
| proper time. pass that over, because i