Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-10-06

H. Has it occurred to the reader to inquire
why it is that great difference exists in respect
10 population, wealth, &c. between the States OF
this Union north and south of Mason and Dixon's
line? What is it that has secured to the members
of the Contederacy north prosperity and progress
uncXampled in the history of the world while the
members of that same Contederacy south, in most
cases present features of an entirely opposite char
acter, and seem in many important respects, to be
retrograding rather thon advancing Is it because
the former has any superiority the latter in
extent of territory character of soil climate, or
facilities of trade and commerce? No! The ST.
perority in these particulars generally is possessed
by the latter. Take, for the sake of Individual
comparison. the States OF Virginia and New York
The settlement Of the first commenced a number OF
years anterior to that of the last and for nearly ii
not quite score of years after the formation of the
CoutcGeracy Virginia maintained her position as
the first State Of the Union. What is her position
now! How vastly in the rear of her cotemporane-
Gus sister. New York and exhibiting unmistakable
signs of decrepitude and decay while the vigor and
age Why is this! The answer is not 10 be found in
any superiority of natural advantages the part OF
New York over Virginia Next take the new
States OF Kentucky and Ohio The settlement OF
the former commenced first, and her population
numbered thousands before that of the latter num-
bertd Il hundrcd-the difference in the extent OF
territory but a few hundred square miles in favor
of Oho-while the difference as regards general
character of soil and climate, was greatly i'll fax or
of Kentucky Yet look at the contrast BOW exhib-
itel between these two States the one a giant,
with an accelerated increase of strength and vigor
at every onward step, and the other dwarf, beco-
ming comparatively smaller and weaker, with the
lapse of every year. Compare also Michigan with
Arkansas, and Iowa and Wisconsin with Florida
aud Texas and the same striking contrasts appear.
We ask again. why is this Is it not mainly if not
entirely because on the part there exists ex-
emption from chattel slavery and lis perncious,
crushing influences, and free institutions with free
labor are sustained and tostered-while on the 9th
er part an opposite state Of affairs exists and
tanned We will not insult the understanding OF
the reader by answering this question for him, nor
his moral sense by asking him if under any circum-
Stances, he would be willing to extend the OF
Slavery over any territory now free which may
come into possession of our Government.
The prosperity Of the northwest as compared
with that Of the southwest IS mainly to be attrbu-
ted TO the absence of involuntary serytude in the
one and its presence in the other the existence OF
free Institutions in the one and the existence OF slave
institutions in the other; a system Of free labor
with its happy and beneficial concomitants, in the
one and a system Of forced labor with its degra-
ding and pericious and destructive influences, in
the other Il Is. then matter of no slight histo-
rical interest how the northwest Territory, once
the property Of Virginia, and in which tie system
of involuntary serItude once existed, became cx-
empt from the curse. We append a short history
of the antisIayery clause of the great fundamental
law Of the North Western Territory, (Ae Ordinance
ofI7S7.) to which the attention of the reader is
called. This clause is the same as the WIlmot
Proviso-the last being an exact copy OF the first
When Mr. Jefferson was Governor of Virginia
if our memory serves US, the northwest territory
was ceded to the General Government This ter
ritory comprised what is now the States Of Ohio
! Indiana. Illinois and Michigan, and the territory o.
/ Wisconsin At the time Of the cession, Mr. Jeiler
son proposed the insertion Of the clause prohibit
ing involuntary seTviude or slavery within the lin
I its OF the territory eejed, but without success.
Congress passed. this ordinance before the Consti
| tuition Of the United States was adopted VIXEN !