Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-10-14

the territory properly included within, and right
fully belonging to, the republic OF Texas, might
be erected into new State, to be called the
State of Texas, with republican form of gov
eminent, to be adopted by the people of said re-
public, by deputies in Convention assembled, with
the consent of the existing Government, IN order
that the same might be admitted as one Of the
States of the Union ic6ich consent of Congress
aoas gircR upon certain conditions specified in
the first and second sections Of said Joint resO-
tuition and whereas the people of the said re-
public of Texas, by deputies in Convention as
sembled, with the consent Of the existing Gov
ernment, did adopt Constitution, and erect
new State with republican form Of government,
and in the name Of the people of Texas, and byI
their authority, did Or3am aud deciare that they
asseated to Gnd accepted the proposals, condi-
ti0RS, and guarantees, contained IN Sdid trT
and SecOad sections Of sad resolution: and
whereas the said Constitution, with the proper
evidence of its Adoption by the people Of the re-
pu6Hc of Teras, has been transmitted to the
President of the United States, and laid before
Congress, in conformity to the provisions of said
Joint resolution: therefore," &c.
Now, we wish to call attention to a fact we al
luded to last week, in some comments upon the
article of the Washington Union, of whose COM
pilation of the foregoing resolutions we have
availed ourselves The compromise in relation to
Ieras is NOT THE Missouri COMPROMISE.
The Missouri Compromise ordains that in all
of the Louisiana TERRITORY above 36 deg. 80 min,
slavery L" shall be and is hereby .forcocr prohibit
ed 1t secured for freedom far larger amount
of the Territory than it gave to slavery ltput|
an end to slavery in that portion of 1t at once,
and prohibited it toreUer
But the Texas compromise secured for Free
dom only onc-teaM of the territory Of Texas-and
that, oaiy in a contingency. 1t does not prohibit
slavery now, or at future period, in any portion
Of tertay lying north Of IS deg 30 MA. ItsI
language is remlrkabIe:
And in such STATE or STATES as may
be formed out of said territory, north Of said Mis-
souri, compromise line, slavery or involuntary SER
vitudc Except for crIme) shall be prohibited"
Theprovision on its very face, bears the marks
of gross carelcssness, or a deliberate design to
impose upon the opponents Of slavery. 1t does
not attempt to do what is prlchcable-exclude
slavery, at once and forever, from this piece Of
taritory north of 36 deg 30 min, but it does
pretend to do what every one of its projectors and
leading supporters believed and yet believes, is
utterly ractcable-prohibit slavery in a sove-
reign State. 1t leaves the territory open to the
incursions Of slavery. Sllvehoders my settle
there, and constitute the minority Of the popula-
tlon and there is nothing in the precious com
promise to prevent them, When their numbers
shall be sufficient, they may for Constitution
continuing no alIusion to slavery, and demand
admission into the Union According to the
terms of the Federal Constitution, Congress
finding nothing in the form of government of the
new State repugnant to the Constitution, or
republican form Of government will accede tc
the demand. Itbecomes amember Of our Union
and forthwith calls Convention to make suct
an alteration in her Constitution as shall secure
the system of shyery against abolition, except b.
Convention of the People Whit becomes @
your beautiful compromise What cln it ac
complish? 1t says slavery shall be prohibited il
that State; but where is the power of Congress
to interfere with State legislation, when Stat
has assumed the right Of membership of this Un
ion standing upon an equal footing with the 9th
er Suites? And, should case be made 50 a
to present the question to the Supreme Court
does any one CINE that it would recognise tn
principle that Congress may leTisate for the in
terna concerns of a State, in advance of its in
stitution? Would it not see, that if Congres
could do this on one point, it could do it upol
all, and thus frame a complete code Of laws 70
all The internal affairs of a State, when it shoul,
be formed
Whether the managers in this wonderful com
promise understood whit they were about or n5t
the result is the slme-the provision proessedI
securing the interests of Freedom above 36 l.
degrees is totally futile--a mere dead letter; an
if Slavery do not make Roadway in the territor
north of that line, it will not be because of an
legal prohibition, but Of natural obstacles
In this fourth act of the Government, in regar
to slavery, we fad it careIessIy or wickedIy abln
doning, in toto, its And-SIayety policy ED
ing all to slavery, securing nothing to liberty I'm
less, indeed, we may except the virtual assertio
of the right of Congress, still recognized even j
this most disgracctul compromise, to control O
arrest the extension of slavery,