The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-16


prominently this question, was on the sdmission
Of Missouri into the Union. Il is well Known
that the territory comprehended within Missouri
was ceded 10 the United States, by . fosoien
Power, by treaty, which contained stlpalaai0a
requiring the inhabitants Of the ceded territory
10 be admitted into the Union on an equal fool-
ing with the original States. The inhabitants
Of Missouri held slaves property, and when
she sought admission into the Union, the right
TO become a member Of the confederacy was BY
some denied her, unless she should provide, BY
the Constitution, for the abolition Of slavery
within the limits Of the proposed State.
On the 10th Of February, 1919, General Har-
rison was member Of Congress, from the Gin
cinnat district, in the State Of Ohio, a0s~
siarehoiding State, and on that day, il win APP
pear by the journals Of Congress, the vote WAS
taken on the law imposing restrictions on the
admission Of Missouri into the Union. The
first clause Of these restrictions prohibited the
further introduction Of slaves into Missouri
General Harrison recorded his vote against this
restriction. The second clause provided for the
emancipation of all slaves at the age Of twenty
five years, born within said State: General Har-a
rison recorded his vote against this also. Two
days after this he voted dgainsta cfRuse prohi-'
biting the future introduction Of slavery into Ar
kansas, and against the future emancipation Of
slaves born in Arkansas Here we find Gen. Harri-
son, in Sl9, standing side by side with the South
ernporiion the Union, in opposition, let il moth
forgotten, to every one Of his then colleagues
from the State of Ohio, holding and unfolding,
by his vote, those principles for which Virginia
and the whole South then and now contend
To estimate fully the value Of such course,
and the true character Of the man, we should
bear in mind the time and occasion referred TO.
When these votes were given, General Harri-
son, in common with every other observing man,
knew that he was sacrificing temporary popu-
/ Ia m, &c I,,sxr EIo
did every other enlightened statesman Of that
day, in the question then pending, the elements
of tempest, the first gale Of which then rocked
the Union TO its base, and which now, with ac-
c,nnutated fury, threatens to dash the fabric Of
the Union to atoms. His patriotism did not stop
to calculate the chances of gaining votes and
winning "golden opinions J" he thought only
for his country, and acted, fearless Of conse-
quences, in the way to save her. What, now
let us ask, did Mr. Van Buren, in this crisis2 In
| the year 1920, the Missouri question was still
pending and unsettled. Public opinion, from
all quarters Of the Union, was reused into pain
full activity, and brought TO bear upon Congress
| in every possible shape. The most obvious and
| effective of the modes adopted, by the States,
to influence the decision Of Congress, was tina,
OF legislative instruction Of Senators, and re-
quest OF Representatives, to vote for or against
the Missouri restrictions, the opinions Of the
States might happen to be. Mr. Van Buren,, in
the year 1920, was member Of the State Sen
ate OF New York, and in that year, the follow
ing preamble and resolution came up in that bo-
dy for adoption:
slavery in these United States il subject of deep
to the people Of this State and whereas noe
consider Slavery Grill much 10 be depiored and
that erery constitutional barrier should be interposed
to prevent its further extensi0n and that the C0nst
tuition Of the United States clearly gives Congress the
right TO require of States, not comprehended with
in the original boundaries OF the United States the
prohibiting OF slavery condition Of their admission
into the Union Therefore,
Resolved, That our Senators be instructed, and
Representatives in Congress- be requested, 70 OPP
pose the admission, State, into the Union, Of any
Territory not comprised aforesaid, making The
hibition IF siarery Mcrein indispensable condition
! Of admission"
"On the 18th of January, 1890 the Senate (of
New York; took up the resolution and passed the
unanimously, the following Senators being present:
Messrs Adams, Austin, Barnum, Barton, Brown,
Childs Dudley, Dayton, Ditness Evans Forthinaton
| Hammond, Hart, Livingston, I.undsberry McMortin,
Moors, MalIary, Moore, Noyes, Payne, Ross, Rozen-
crantz, skinner Swan VAN buren,, Wilson, Young
%"
| Here we have the recorded evidence of Mr.
Van Buren's opinion on this subject, in 1920,
and his vote as given above. Was he then with
the South? No; he voted for a resolution af
tirming that "stdrery irds an erif greatly to be
depiored," and that erery constitutional bar
rier should be interposed TO prepent its e.rten-
sion ]; and asserts, then, that constitutional
method OF checking the extension OF slavery is,
to admit no new State into the Union, unless
upon the condition that the people of such new
| State shall give up the right to their slaves
| And he votes instructions to the then Senator
! from New ork according to these views. Thus
il appears that, while at this momentous crisis,
General Harrison was in Congress Drawing the
fury of the storm, guarding by his vote the
| ~ e ~ H. w.,
| forward the exclusive guardian of South
ern rights) was, by his vote and expressed OPT
Mons, contributing all in his power to the ele-
ments of disunion, which were connected with
the subject, and instrncfing his Senators to give
votes directly opposed TO the principles then and
noao held by the South, and, strange TO say, d.
rectly opposed to the principles which he him
self now processes to be his own, and the true
constitutional rule on the subject. Then, when
his aims had not yet reached to grasp Southern
votes, he had one set Of principles. Now
when Southern votes are wanted to seat him in
federal power, he processes another and directly
opposite set Of principles. Thus we have a
clue to that expressive description of Mr.. Van
Burens principles politician. He is, by his
partial friends, said to be ga Northern man with
Southern principles" Ii recorded history be
not false and untrue, definition more apty de-
scrptive of him would be: ga Northern man
i1ifhom principlesp'
Passing from the period of the Missouri con
roversy, let US see what are the principles of
General Harrison now on the question Of aboli-
ton. To put the subject in a light not to be
misunderstood or misrepresented, here subjoin
full and clear statement of General Harrison's
views, touching this question, as delivered by
himself in speech to the people Of Vincennes
in the State OF Indiana, as late as 1895. That
portion of his address which relates to this sub
Iject is given; by which it will be seen that he
then, as now, candidate for the Presidency,
speaking to the people of non-slaving State,