Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-10-23

number, and several were submitted ; all Of
which underwent more ~ less slterstions. at the
suggestions Of ihnee Standing GROUND snJ ts.
king part in the business going on. After va
ri,us drafts had been drawn and altered. the
language in which the Amendment was offered
was finally agreed upon, ss the result Of our
united lsbcrs. ! well remember, that my COL
league Judge Thompson, made. in the progress
of'ae matter. various Suggestions. come o. which
were adopted. True, he afterwards, and in
the hour Of trial voted sgsinst the 'Proviso.'
became es he DECLARED, Of the time OF it's intro
duciico. " The place II occupied. He was q
principal in esic treason. both IS to time and
place. If there vas treason in it. However, at
the time vf his veto, he svo~ed himself in fa-
vor Of the principle and ultimate Object o! the
'Prcviso.' trust { shall knd him where leit
him, and not in favor of compromising the priH
oipse upon the lIae Of 36 deg. 81 mir. North la
iitujc.
I have given q eries history Of the 'Proyiso'
and its introduction into Congress. In m cor
vers.,ioa or CONSULTATION that heard. ,oschIng
II. was the sshj.ct Of President making ia:ro-
dnced. lie efec, uFon Presidential candidates,
was never. TO my knosledge. the theme OF
speculation. lis eject upOa item since, has
been pretty clear,y seen. The merits ct the
measure. and the Prupric,y Il the ,itEe and &C
casion %, bringing j, forward only were csLTas.
sed ;Tus, I have said ss:Fc,eH, to cXculfa,e
me from the charge Of hostility ic the admins
tra,isn. ar of scher,ing for a presdentIal csnd
date 10 lSiS- Nox. Sir 10 the thing itseh.
What is the .Prnvisor What Ie us effect
anc object, AI,ho' plain in lis llnguaget and
cles. IN IS design, this enquiry becomes neces
cary. frcn the covert manner in which 1t Is Goa
ilnu.Iliy ssssiIcd. The whole Southern press
and Gcvefemca: Organs Of the North. repre-
sen, r.. as something that affects or inier:eres
Ith slavery ia he States where slavery exists.
Even great men. wien writing or speaking u
pm yhe subject, persist. IA talking about the
ABOLITION Of slavery. and the rights Of the
States; as If the Provtso, proposed the one; or
IN eer respect ,ste,feret Uas the ether. 1t
does oct 4rsopess es.ks. "a abolish, <estrict, or
10 any manner 10 ia,erfere 9Th slavery. IN any
of the States o, this Uaioa. les sole etject is,
to secure fen tie xssaxfik ssgrevians Of
siasers sass s-~-ssery spAseh rs aoso <f,sc. In
opp~ing 4, ceutIssai ere X made of the words,
'Ccns,it~t.ea' <cvn promises OF the Cunstsu-
i,on, end Compromised under the Coas;,,stion,'
rs ifthe ismer was rielaied asd the latter es-
ssiscd ~ the Prcyisc' 1t this te so pledge
myself tc sssucon T.
ceden,s for oar gside. Ger fathers st On carly
day, had this same question IN hand. II may
be profitable in these days Ct >oon.frcmise,' to
see what compromise they made with Slavery.
In l7s7. IN 0rdisance w,s passed, by which
slavery was forever excluded kcs. The terriit>
~ north and vest OF the Ohio. This 0sdmauce
bound every foo, Of land then belonging to the
Nation. This is the Compromise ,hev .aesc.
The North Territory had been eeded to
the General government BY Virgins, a slave
state. The law Of Slavery extended over Il at
the time ot the CessiOu, sad IN come ct Il sla-
very actually existed; get upon every inch, did
our is,hers impose the sesl oi Freedom. Here
was Aso,IrsoN-noi in Slates but in Territory
The law Of Slavery was repeated, and the law
Of Freedom established. The Proyiso dues DOT
even propse to do this. Its sole object Is 10
preserre the la~ OF Freedom; no, to sbroca,e
| the Law Of Slavery. The frs, Congress rn.er
the Constitution. recognized the validity of the
Ordinance Of 81, and passed laws 70 give il
force and effect. Il had received the yo,es Of
every Representative ircm the Slave States
The sr,icle in it, excluding Slavery. had been
incorporated in . sisB,iar Osdinsn nee, drawn up
BY Mr. Jefferson. in l7si. The language of
the 'Prcviso,' is substantially the lsng-,ge OF
the Ordinance Of 1874. as drafted BY Thomas
| Jefersoa.
Sir, the history Of the Ordinance Of 1877.
when cou,rssicd with the opposition made tn
the Prcviso. exhibits q melancholy aud slarm.
ing change IN the public opinion of the S ,uth,
between that day. and at present; upon the sub.
/ ject of slavery. The fathers Of the Republic.
saw nnd acknowledged the evils and dangers OF
this Institution They covenau,sd M, &c inter.
ftre with i, in the States where il existed; bu,
IN Territories. its existence even, did no, sIsy
their hands They looked forward with anx.
ious so;ici,ude To the day, when Slavery lef, un.
mOIe.ted in Its early limits, would wrar itself
cut. by the laws of popula,ion, and the force Of
na,ursl causes, then in active operation. They
maze no effort to weaken ;he inTce of this law,
OF 10 posiPone the result Of these causes by vi.
den'ng the field in which they We're to operate,
and thus putting of To q more disisnt day. our