Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-04-08


with the actual facts oil our national ex.
perence,
No candid man acquainted with the
history Of his country, will deny. that
at the formation Of the Constitution, a
genera expectation prevailed, that sla
very would soon cease 10 all the States
10 which It actually existed. The VIII.
tIngs Of Washington, Jefferson ard other
Distinguished men OF the period, abound
IN prools Of this. The most significant
aud decisive evidence Of It is found 10 The
Iacl that Congress, BY the Justly ceIe
btated ordinance Of 1881, excluded sIa.
very forever from the Northwestern
Territory, the only portion of the coUn.
try subject, in this respect. 10 the control
oI the national will. II there had been
any desire or purpose, at that time, to
strengthen or extend slavery, can it be
believed that this territory, ceded to
Congress by Virginia, New York. and
Connecilcut, all, then, slave holding
States. would have been made, BY their
aid and consent, forever inaccessible to
IIY Impossible. The exc usion Of sIa.
very from the Northwestern Territory
was, at once an emphatic censuro upon
the whole inlquItous system, and a sol.
emn pledge that It should never be ex.
tended beyond its existing limits.
Had thus censare been regarded-had
this pledge thus soIemnIy given. been
observed, there would have been now,
lille reason to complain Slavery would
have ceased where yer Congress- posses
Sed exclusive control. Il would have
ceased from the District Of Columbia. -
1t would have disappeared from Florida
aud Louisiana on the acquisition Of those
territories by the United States. II
would not have been permitted to fas,en
IjseII upen the Constitution OF aav new
ota:e. lis power and influence wou'4
have shrank within narrower and mar.
rover lmlts; and 1t is not 100 much 10
say mat, ere this the curses of its pesli
tentIai presence would have been re-
move, probably, trum the whole coun
try. These results we're ac,ua!Iv ami
lPaed aud looked tor by he friends or
lIUer.y;and they mad ar.phl tn look lor
aud eXpec, them.
Buu very ditl' rent are the actual facts
ot history Encroarhment has succeed
ID rnc ,Uachment, and u.urrsrinD ma,
iuhuwed u,u,p4,ion, untI the Influence
OF slavery ruusthrolah the " hole nc
uon ul tue Government. and IS trl in
the reno p,l corner OF the land.
Cheese successive encroachm.n's anI
lusur,nrina, vrrp the p.,fp,aI l,p,l. "a
an cary aad most unfortunate error in
lna itIrHds Of iDrrty lu the Consli
tuition , yDvrutlon, The delegates from
the Nortaern States insisted that none
Uut ireeVpn should be represented IN
the Natlona Legrsjaure: the delegates
from me o,her States cIaimpd, on the
contrary, that their slaves aud rreem u
should be equally represented. By way
OF comproml>e 1t vas finally agreed hal
representation should be appo,tioned
among ne several States according 10
their population, reckoning five saves
as cquat to three lreemen Under this
rue The owner o five slaves has pre-
cscIy as much political weight as five
voters in tree State, nay, lar more
tor power is always the most effective
the more it IS concentrated One man
with hundred votes, wrN always have
more power han hundred men witt
the same number of votes. They vii
be divided: he will profit by every d.
VISION.
Thus WAS sown the seed Of Upas; from
which has sprung up the Poison Tree
when has stretched its branches over
the land, ard blighled the tairesl pros
pecis OF the country with their wIther
ing shade.
Thus rule has established an arisro
tTacy In the country, and constituted lht
SIaveholder privileged order. 1t ha
gwen to The slave States a representa-
IIpn IN 'nnurGsa np.riu ana f,,.rt.