Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-08-26
4.I75.OOO


sixteen years; and there is no apparent ces-
satlon of the rapidity of the movement
There is no part of the American Union,
old or new, slave or free, which, in the pres
ent as well as in the past, has increased at
any thing like this rapdity. 1t is therefore
evident, that the institutions established by
this ordinance have had much to do with the
prosperity of the Northwestern States. It's
authorship and history become, therefore, of
no small interest. 1t is a very remarkable
thing, that the true authorship and history
of that ordinance have never been correctly
given. 1t has been attributed to Nathan
Dane but Nathan Dane was only one, and
not the most original or conspicuous one of
those engaged in its authorship. 1t has
been attributed to Mr.. Jefferson; but he was
only one, and not the principal one of those
engaged in the work.
Mr.. Jefferson was in France at the time
the ordinance was drawn up and passed,
and in the shape in which it did pass: and
he had nothing to do with it. What he
did we shall presently see, Mr.. Brnker-
hoifs statement is correct, as far as it goes,
but it is only one item of the transaction.
We shall now recite this entire chapter of
access to the journals of Congress.
From the record it appears that, on the
list of March, 1884, the State of Virginia
coded, by her delegates, all her lands north
west of the Ohio river to the United States
in Congress assembled. A committee con-
slsting of Messrs. Jefferson, of Virginia,
Chase, of Maryland, and Howell, of Rhode
Island, was appointed to report a plan for
the temporary government of the western
| Territory"
The committee did report But what
was that report Was it the ordinance, or
any thing like the ordinance Not at all.
The report contained nothing about equal
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. religion, knowledge, or
education; nor any provisions for the guar
anty of the rights of conscience, liberty, of
person; all Of which are in the ordinance.
The report, moreover, lay on the table of
! Congress, and was modified in various ways,
Outing the three gears, from 1884 to 1887 |!
During nearly all this time, and for year
afterwards, Mr. Jefferson was IN Europe
The ordinance, however, did contain an
anti-slavery proviso. Was it the same with
that in the report? BY no means. The
ordinance prohibits slavery then, nOw, and
forcoer. The report prohibited it after the
gear 1SO0--commencing the year of free
dom seventeen gears after the report-allow-
ing, in fact, foothold to slavery, and being
measure of abolition, and not of prohibi-
ton, which the ordinance is.
Here is one current error exploded at
once. The report made by Mr.. Jefferson,
in 1884, and the ordinance of 1887, are not
the same thing IN any particular; save only
that the States to be created should remain
in the Coniederacy. They are totally diff
ferent things. But what became of the re-
port and anti-slavery proviso!
On the 10Th of April, 1854, Mr.. Speight
of North Carolina, moved to strike ont this
proviso against slavery. By the rules of the
Confederation questions were put on the
sustaining of any proposition, and an abso-
lutte majority of aHthe States were required.
Massachusetts, Hampshire, Connect
cut, Rhode-Isand, New-York and Pennsyl-
vanla, voted to sustain the proposition.-
New-Jersey does not appear to have been
: counted. The anti-slavery proviso was
there lost After some unimportant amend
ments, proposed by Mr. Gerry, this brief
report, without the anti-slavery, the educa.
ton, or the inheritance clause, was agreed
to.
On the 10th of March, 1855, Mr. Jeller-
son was appointed by Congress, Minister to
the Court of Versailles, whittier he went,
and did not return till 1889, long after the
ordinance was digested and passed. Here
Mr.. Jeilerson's agency in the business en-
tirely ceased. The report, brief and unim-
portant, lay on the table of Congress.
On the 18th of March, 1885, the day af-
ter Mr.. Jeiferson's appointment, Mr.. Gray
son of Virginia, appeared and took his seat
in Congress.
On the 10th of March, 1855, week ai-
ter Mr. Jefferson had left Congress, Rufus
King, of Massachusetts, moved that the
following proposition be committed Chat is
! in the nature of an Instruction. to the Com
, mittee on Western Territory, which was
seconded by MIR. Ellery, of Rhode-Isand
"That there shall be neither sIavery nor
Involuntary swpitude in any Of the States
| described in the resolve of Congress Of the
2 Odd of April, 1854, otherwise than in the
: punishment of crimes, whereof the party
: shall have been personally guilty, and that
this regulation shall be an article of com
|. pact, and remain a fundamental principLe OF