The Rodney telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1838-1840, 1840-08-28
TER FROM ALFRED KELLEY.
CorUmBUs, (Ohio) l2.h March, ls4O


CoIUMBUs, Ohio) l2.h March, ls4O
Dear Sir-In your letter Of the Sd inst. =
you propose The two following queries:
"Was Gen. Harrison a member Of.
the Legislature Of Ohio IN l020g"
z. "Did he then introduce a resolution,
pr amendment, or modification, by which.
ne surrendered the ground he had taken in
Congress on the Missouri question:
In answer, have 10 say that Gen. Har-
rlson took his seat as member of the Sc
nate Of Ohio, in December, 1910. Durinr
that session, General John Thompson, then
a Senator from Columbiana county. since q
member OF Congress, since decided sun
porter OF Gen. jackson and of Martin Van
Buren,, and now, believe. a suuporier ne
the administration, introduced into the Se-
mate, the following preamble and resolution.
las appears by the journals of the Senate :
for lSl0-2O, page lS6.
"Whereas, The existence Of slavery in
this country has ever been deemed great
moral and political evil, and its tendency
directly calculated to impair our national
character, and materially affect our national
happiness; and inasmuch as the existence
OF slave population in the United States
Is traught with the most fearful consequent
Ices to the permanency and durability of
our republican institutions: and srhereas.
the subject Of the admission of slavery in
the new State Of Missouri, is at this time
before the Congress of the United States:
therefore
Resolred, By the General Assembly of
the State of Ohio, That our Senators and
Representatives in Congress be requested
TO use their most Jealous endeavors 10 pre-.
vent the adoption of so odious and danger
Gus measure"
Same Journal, page 1877, Mr.. Harrison
moved to strike out all after the word Gre
solved" in the said resolution, and insert in
lieu thereof the following:
"That our Senators and Representatives
be requested TO use their utmost endeavors,
land take every means TO prevent the extern
sion of slavery within the territory Of the
United States west of the Mississippi, and
the new States to be formed within that
Territory, aokich the constitution and treaties
made under Il sriu GIlotc."
A division Of the question was called for,
and the question turned on striking out,
which was decided in the negatIvc-yeas
IL, nays Is. Gen. Harrison voting for
striking out, and Gen. Thompson against it.
Gen. Harrison then moved TO recommt
the preamble and resolution TO a select
committee Of three members, to report
\ thereon; which motion was negatived--
yeas l3, nays Is. Harrison voting in the
affirmative, Thompson in the negative.
The preamble and resolution, with an
amendment directing the Governor to COM
i municate copies to the Senators and Rep
resentatives Of the State in Congress was
theu ad0pted -yeas 20, nays 8. General
Harrison voting in the negative, Thompson
in the affirmative.
The preamble and resolutions were
j amended IN the House, not, however, so as
] to change materially their substance, and
on motion TO agree to the amendment of
/ the House, Gen. Harrison voted in the neg
! alive, Gen. Thompson in the Affirmative
page l46.
In all these movements and votes, it is
! easy to see that Gen. Harrison's object
Q Twas to defeat the resolution. was at that
i time a member Of the House of Representa-
: tives; boarded at the same house, and ate
/, at the same table with General Harrison
D had frequent conversations with him on the
s subject Of the Missouri question, and well
T knew his sentiments. He entertained the
Q opinion that Congress had no right to I'm
Z pose any condition on a sovereign State as
TO the admission Of slapery; and that should
&c ngress even succeed in compelling a
State to insert clause in its constitution,
! sprohibiting the existence Of slavery, as a
i condition of its admission, it would have
!, the right to amend its constitution so as to
I "permit the existence of slavery; and being
then sovereign State, son equal footing
with the original States in all respects
whatever," Congress could not prevent such
IAN amendment.
Gen. Harrison expressed, at that tim Il
Ngreat apprehension that the agitation of the
Nquestion Of slavery, and the attempt to re.
Bquire State to prohibit, by the provisions
of lis constitution, the existence of slavery
Jas condition of its admission, would cxas-
peraie the slave-holding States, and destroy
THE Union.
Believing, as be did, that s'tks Constitn
ton and the treaties made under az forbade
Congress foOm attaching any conditions u
regard to slavery, to the admission Of me,i
States, he, as believe, proposed the amend
ment which he offered to Thompson's resO-
8 J, luton, with the view Of placing the question
! upon constitutional grounds, as the best
7 thing that could be done, convinced, as he
u was, that the resolution in some shape o.