The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-13

has paid his debt. Ii Is usage OF the place TIT
peones, they are termed, are common laborers
The term was, believe, originally derived from
ASIA; IT was IN vogue IN the early periods o
the Spanish domnions in Mexico: In the second de
spatch of Fernando Cortez TO the Emperor Charles V.
(he first is not extan in the original Spanish, he speak
of his departure from Vera Cruz with fifteen horse,
''trescentos peonesthree hundred foot soldiers Thu
military application of the term obsolete in Mexico
and is now applied, believe, exclusively to common
aborers They constitute perhaps third Of the popu
aion OF the republic Mnlhtades Of them labor on thu
become indebted to the proprietor he may compel them IL
remain the estate until they pay him This is the
tent OF what is termed slavery in Mexico It an arb
ary OF enforcing the payment OF debts; and it i
decidedly more merciful than Imprisonment for debt
is usage regulated by colonial laws which are yet
repealed, and il must wear out gradually like all usages
which have become incorporated into the social oganza
ton OF people, and which are incompatible with ITS
spirit N .ia
Mexico, {" Ensayo Hisorico de las Revoucones dc
Megco"-Politica Essay on the Revolutions of Mexico
which illustrate the condition Of the repebc in respect
ia this and other remnants of her colonial dependence
The author (Zavala) speaks of the aborng classes, OF
peOnes, thus:
'Nore than three millions of individuals called suddenly
to enjoy the ample rights OF citizenship from the state
of the most opprobrous slavery without any mmoyable
property without knowledge OF art or employment
and without commerce or industry
The following passages sketch graphically the struggle
which is in progress between arbitrary and liberal princi
pies:
sFrom the year 1903 the year $780, that is say, in
IONS of parties and Of interests has supervened to
overthrow recognised and respected form of government
arbitrary power the most liberal theories. Customs and
habits alone, which transmitted in movements, actions
and continued examples, have not changed for how can
abstract doctrines change suddenly the course OF life
''There is then, continual struggle between the doc
trines which protested, the institutions whchare adopt
ed, the principles which established on the side
and the abuses which saucted, the customs which
prevail the semeudal rights which respected the
other between national sovereignty, equality OF political
9f S s p" n
privileged rights religious intolerance, and the propretors
OF immense estates" atra
from arbitrary to liberal system, and time will be
necessary to enable her to eradicate and cast Oft deeply
seated disorders in her social organization For more
than fifty years after the establishment OF independ
ence debt punished as crime in my own State
How can we expect Mexico in less than half that peri
3D. to cast oft all the badges OF her colonial servltude
But to return to the point from which departed-she
has provision in her constitution prohibiting slavery
| forever.
Shall the territory we acquire from her come to us
with this prohibition, shall it be made area for the
further extension of slavery In other words, shall
purchase territory where slavery prohibited, and
virtually rescind the prohibition Shall we ingraf
slavery upon territory where does not lawfully
sttuionally exist, using the arms of the Union TO con-
quer the of the Union to purchase it These
are the s d N e us a and ns nSer
slaveholdng States, have anticipated and given them
negative answers The New York resolutions declare
that f any territory is hereafter acquired by the United
States or annexed thereto the act by which such terrific
ry acquired or annexed whatever such act may be,
should contain unalterabe fundamental article pro-
vision whereby slavery and involuntary servtude,
cept punishment for crime, shall be forever excluded
from the territory acquired or annexed; and they IN
the senators from the State to use their best ef
forts carry into effect the views expressed In the lore
1 going resolutions"
This vote Of instruction passed the Senate unanimous
ly the question upon it having been taken separately
party concurred in the proprety OF the instruction. and
of in the subectmatter OF the resolutions; for
not to be supposed that any one would vote to instruct
senators to do what he believed wrong ought to state
that three votes in the Senate out OF twenty SIX (he
whole number) and nine votes IN the House out OF one
hundred and ve cast against the resolution con-
tanning the proposed restriction; but believe all the
members who gave these twelve votes, with, perhaps
single exception, avowed themselves in favor OF the
principle asserted though they voted against the resou-
ton because they objected to the form in which it was
presented or the time selected for Passing :, believe
the Legislature on the subject OF excluding slavery IRON
any territory hereafter to be acquired have no knowl-
edge OF the views OF the members excepting SO tar as
they may be inferred from the terms of the resolution
have had communication, direct indirect, with any
one of them But it may be reasonably presumed that
their conclusions strengthened by the TACT that IN
the territory bordering upon on all sdes slavery IS
excluded and that receive il without restriction would
be, according the construction Of those who oppose
restrictions to extend and establish slavery where Is
kno permitted to exist On this question believe
hazard nothing saying that not only New York. but all
the onslaveholdng States, are undivided in opinion
Mr. President, in the adoption of the resolutions to
which have referred, the -savehoding States have
taken ground 1t is older than the constitution
under which live. 1t belongs to the OF the
federation-o the period of partial organization, which
interviewed between the adoption OF the articles OF con-
federation and the establishment of the federal govern
ment In 1857, when government was instituted Tor
the territory northwest of the Ohio river by the same
men, the associates of the men, who were the
authors of the declaration of independence and the fra
of the constitution, they included in the ordinance
provision prohibiting slavery and involuntary servude
| will read it to the Senate:
"hee shall be neither slavery involuntary servitude
in the said territory otherwise than the punishment OF
crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted
whom labor service is lawfully ciaimed in one
the original States such fugitive may be lawfully re-
claimed and conveyed the person claiming his or her la
Dor or service aforesaid"
| The proviso in the bill which from the House
is in substance the same have referred to the year
1887 as the period of the adoption of the provision
have read. But it had, in fact still earlier origin;
1t was proposed in 1884 by Mr. Jefferson but failed
for want of the votes of the requisite number OF
States The thirteen original States then composed the
confederation the votes taken by States each State
counting one States, majority, were necessa-
ry carry any question; some questions could only be
decided amatvely by nine votes and this proposition
received the votes of only States Maryland, Virgil
MA and South Carolina at that time voted against It.
North Carolina divided. Mr.. Jefferson, of Virginia,
the author of the provision, and Mr.. Williamson, OF
North Carolina voted in its favor. The author of the
Declaration of Independence and the author of the slave
ry restriction in the ordinance of 1857 the same per
SON The principles proclaimed in the one were doubt
less designed by the author to be practically enforced IN
the other He stands before the WORLD as far as the OBJ
legations of social condition permitted, consistent with
| himself.
The ordinance, of which the provision have quoted is
part, finally passed in the affirmative IN 1857, win
| gliUht m in ita tpTme