Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1845-10-30

Ssa
vor of Slavery; and sensitive are the South
on this subect--so tenacious of the con.
cessions wrung from the North, as the
price ofthe Union, that the bare proposal,
by the legislature of Massachusetts, to a.
mend the Constitution, by abolishing the
slave representation in Congress, has been
denounced as little less than treason to
the Union, But this very compromise
carries with it an irresistible argu-
ment against the measure OF anncxa-
ton. A slight consideration Of the subject
will render it apparent, that the comprom-
Use securing a slave representation, must
have had reference to union within the
then limits of the United States, because
it concerned a sectional interest, the ad.
justment Of which, in the compromise,
must necessarily, have had respect to def.
mite territorial Iumits-otherw the bal
ance might be destroyed, and the com
promise practically nuIlied, by the addi-
ton ofioreign slave interest an unlocked
for permanent prcponderance in the I'm
ion.
And such notification will be the eltec,
of consumating the measure Enumeration
The compromises touching the question
ofslaverywill be at an end--as clearly so as
would be one oflwo dependent and reel pro-
cal obligations between individuals, where
the other had been violated,
The truth is, that, at the time Of secur
ing the great and fatal concession Of the
slave representation-by whose votes ii
Congress almost every question affecting
the relative interests of the slave and nou
sIavoholding States, including the question
of annexation has been decided, no though
was any where entertained, Of eXtcndin!
the bounds of slavery beyond the then linn
its of the United States. II was. on the
contrary, :he universal expectation tina
slavery would decline, and at no dIstan
period, cease to mar our Federal Uuion
1t was in the spirit of this anticipation
| that it was declared, in the articles o
compact embodied in the celebrated Or
dinance Of Congress Of 81 for the govern
ment Of the Territory North West Of tht
River Ohio-which passed with but onC
dissenting vote--that 'therc shall be nci
Their slavery nor involuntary seryitudt
therein, otherwise than in punishment fol
crimes" And that still more strkingly
evlnces the spirit Of those times, and the
true bearing Of that ordinance in respeC
to slavery the prcambles to the articles o
compact declared, that they were ordained
"lor extending the fundamental principles
Of civil and religious liberty which form
the basis whereon these republics, thel
laws and constitutions are erected
If it had been asserted in the Conven
ton that formed the Constitution, that
under the clause declaring that "nev
States may be admitted by the Congress
into this Uuion," foreign slave States
might and would come in, it is very mani
fest that the clause would not have beer
adopted without an express negarion o
such constructIon-much more, that ;
provision for the representation Of three.
dths Of the slave population would moi
have been permitted place in the Con
sti,uton; The fact that such provisor
was made Is, therefore, conclusive evi.
dence tina; the admission into the Union o
foreign slave States under the Constitu
ton, entered iuto no ones conception:
and would have been expressly guarded
against, if suggested from any quarter
1t follows that every assertion by The
South ofthe sacredness of the slave repre-
sentation compromise is an argument GU
Of its own mouth, that the introduction o
foreign slave States into the Union IS, It.
self violation fthe compromises of the
Constitution. And it furthermore follows
that such introduction Of foreign slave
States, in effect discharges the North from
its obligation Of continuance of the slave
representations representation sufficient
| Iy onerous when confined to the CORStt
tuiionM Union, but intolerable when ex
tended to a ncw Union, formed by the in
PRODUCTION of foreign slave States, for thu
purpose of perpctuating the dominion o
the slave power Let the South either re
lnquish the unrighteous advantage of thu
slave representation, or cease to press 70
the admission oc foreign slave States. T,
claim both is an aggravation Of injustice
equalled Only by that of the system 70
whose support and continuance it is perpe