Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-07-18
From Tho N. Y. Journal OF Commerce:
THE SLAVERY QUESTION,

me SLAiEkl gUESTlJI,
When, few months since, objection
was made to the purchase of New Next
CO and California, on the ground that ii
would cause the introduction of Slavery
into territory now exempt from that cause.
we stated our belief that the objection
would be found much less formidable in
practices than it appeared in theory; be.
cause, in the first place, We had no doubt
but thF eth would consent to an exten.
sion oi4She Missouri compromise line
(Int. Sdi) to the Pacific ocean; and, sec.
ondly, because the territory lying be-
tween that parallel and the southern
limit OF the provinces mentioned, was Of
such nature as TO forbid the introduc.
ton Of slavery TO any extent; and, con.
sequently, whenever it should be erected
into State or States, large majority
gifts inhabitants(as In the case Of Iliinois)
: 'gtt be expected to decide against the
system, and provide for its extinction
We have seen, as yet, no reason to
Change our opinion on any of these points
notwithstanding the hue and cry which
has been raised, as fall California, New
Mexico, and Oregon were in danger of
being given up 10 the dominion of slavery
nay, were to be settled and overruu with
slaves and Shareholders, so that there
would be no chance for free labor, ex.
cept on terms Of degradation which ought
aet TO he submitted to by honorable men.
N0sv just look at the facts.
The southern line of Nay Mexlc;, and
Upper California, os established by the
recent treaty with MEXICO, is, ON an av
eTage, about equivalent to latitude 80.
The nohhern boundary Of Oregon is lat
itude ~. Here, then, is a territory
(wesi ofthe Rio Grade and the Rocky
mountains extending through IL degrees
81 latitude. If the Missouri compromise
line(lat. 363) is adopted, it will leave
l2i degrees of latitude forever exempt
from slavery, while in 81 degrees of lat.
itude slavery may exist. II we take into
view the greater breadth of the country
at the north, the proportion against sla.
very is more than four to one. But what
STAKEHOLDER would take his slaves into a
narrow strip Of territory bounded on both
sides by free territory, and adapted Meth.
er 70 the cultivation of cotton, rice, or
sugar. and much of it not adapted to the
eulture OF anything! Surely the danger
Of any great prevalence of slavery in that
territory, under any circumstances, is
extremity small.
But we may be asked, what assurance
have we that the South will consent to
adopt lat. 36 80 as the northern limit
Of slavery? In The first place, several
southern memb rs of Congress have
publicly declared their willingness to do
60. 2. This identical proposition was
presented in the Senate on Tuesday last.
hy Mr.. Bright, democratic member
from Indiana, probably with the approba.
ton of his political associates. 3. The
connection of the subject with politics.
renders it very desirable to the democrats
north and south, that it should be dispos-
cd Of at the present session. 4. The
pressing nature Of the Oregon Territorial
Organization bill, which involves the
same question, urges to a speedy com.
promise. 5. Private information as to
toe views of certain southern members,
who have not expressed them publicly,
justifies such an inference.
We do not say that the South consider
the proposed line fair one-they do not.
They did not generally vote for the Mis-.
souri, compromise line; but as comprom.
ise they have acquiesced in it. 1t is with
the same view, if at all, that they will
consent to the extention of said line to
the Pacific. When territory is acquired
by the nation, they consider that it is &C
quired equally for all; not for the north
alone, nor for the south alone, but for the
whole country. Accordingly, they regard
a law Of Congress excluding any class of
citizens from the new territory as une
quail and oppre ssive. Still, they love the
Union, and are willing to make great
sacrifice :, if necessary, for its preserva.
ton. Would that the same spirit as
generally prevailed at the north.