Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-09-02
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The WilmOt PrOvisO.

ueu 10 lhe Ohlteu STATES Oy purchase, con-
quest, voluntary annexation or otherwise
shall the institution of Domestic Slavery be
recognized by the laws and constituted 40.
thortlties of the United States.
What was the origin Of the Proyiso
The principle it embodics was first pro-
posed 10 the Congress of the Confedera.
uol in 1884 by Committee OF whom a
majority were from Slave. holding States,
and Thomas jefferson was Chairman. -
That Committee was instructed to prepare
and report plan Tor the government of the
Western Territory. now composing the
States of Ohio, Indiana, &c. Mr. jefferson
reported that it should be formed into States
under the following regulation among 9th.
ers:
THAT after the year 1900, Of the Chris
tan era, there shall be neither slavery. nor
involuntary servitude in any Of the said
states, Otherwise than in punishment of
crimes whereof the party shall have been
duly convicted to have been personally gull
~"
This proviso was not sustained a, tho
time, 1t IS said for want Of two thirds vote !;
but IN l7s7 the celebrated Ordinance in re-.
lation 10 the North Western Territory was
passed by the old Congress, including the
following proyiso, moved by Nathan Dane.
OF Massachusetts
Arr. @. There shall be neither slavery
nor involuntary servitude in said 1erri,ory.
otherwise than IN the punishment Of crimes
whereof the party shall have been duly con-
SIeled. ProCidiag aiirays, that any person
escaping into the same, from whom labor or
service is lawfully claimed in one of the
original States, such fugitive may be lawful.
y reclaimed and conveyed to the person
claiming his or her labor or service as alore-
said.
Here is the Wilmot Proyiso, passed by a
Congress representing States of which de-
clded majority were slayeholding. first pro-
posed by representative Of Shareholders
and referring to territory which had lust
been coded TO the Union mainly by Slave
holding States. In point Of law, all that
immense portion Of the Northwest Terri.
tory, To which Virginia had the stronres,
claim, had previously been Slaveholdinp
and this was an act expeling Slavery from
Territory which II had previously acquired.
his ordinance was re-cnacted IN 1850 by
the hrst Congress under the Federal Consti-
tulion, MIR Madison being among its prom
inent supporters. TWAS approved and sign
ed by Washington, also a STAKEHOLDER. II
mas ever since been the law Of the laud
without objection or opposition. Ohio is
It's eldest child, Indiana. Illinois, Michigan.
Iowa and Wisconsin all exhibit marked
and gratifying superiority in growth, wealth.
industry and comfort over older States main.
ly because of the Proyiso.
What has revived the question
The Government has since 1877 acquired
successfully Louisiana, Florida and Texas
immense regions, equal in extent 10 civil.
zed Europe, and all cursed with Slavehold-
ing when formerly acquired by us. Slavery
mas on that ground been perpetuated in those
regions under our rule, save that in 1919.
alter desperate struggle, it was agreed that
Slavery should not exist North of latitude
80 deg. 80 min. Yet Texas has since been
got into the Union, claiming TO extend north 1
TO latitude AZ deg. yet, without syllable |
IN her Constitution limiting Slavery within 4
her limits to that portion Of her claimed /
territory lying South of SO deg 30 min, al |
though the Joint Resolution authorizing her
admission expressly required such Iimita-
ton. But, having absorbed Texas, we
come next 10 region which is not Slave
holding, which we threaten TO engross also
and now the question arises-shal this also
be SlaVeholding or shall it mott There
are barely two answers possible.
How was the question presented
Thus: The President called on Congress
to place in his hands Two (afterward Three)
Millions OF Dollars, to be used in facilita-
ting the restoration Of Peace. Of course.
II was notorious that this contemplated an
acquisition of territory, since il requires no
money to make Peace with Mexico, unless
we insist on a slice of her territory. We
have simply TO discaim any desire to dives,
her of any part of her proper territory, and
we will have Peace within thirty days. We
have only TO Withdraw our troops from her
territory and there will virtually be Peace,
whether treaty shall have yet been made
or not. Nobody imagines that we shall
give Mexico or her chiefs shilling in mon.
ey unless in consideration Of her cedng Us
territory. Thus the voting Of the money
involved the voting TO acquire Mexican ter
ritory. And shall that territory be conse-
Grated TO Freedom or to Slayeryl This is
the naked question. 1t is no abstraction
no legislation for some remote contingency.
1t is emPhatically question 1--WE deem i, he
question: of To-Day.
But what has il amounted to?
10 this: The Proyiso having been has,i.
ly drawn up, 1--WE believe in the very words
oil the Ordinance Of 81, with no other va
ration than that needed to adapt them to
The territory in question: was proposed BY
Mr. Wilmot of Pa, and deliberately sane
TONED by the House. Repeated efforts
pro'racted struggles, bat resulted in a real: |
hrmalion OF the great principle. And al |
though the Senate, (wherein the slave States
nave majority, struck out the Proyiso and
constrained the House to agree to the orig
NAL proposition withoutit, yet all understood |
tins as mere postponement of the main
question TO supposed temporary necessity.
ana that, at least so soon as foot of terri. |
tory south of latitude SO deg 80 min. shall
ue acquired by our government, the momen-
ment
Who talk Of the Wilmot Proyiso as an