Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-09-06
1T1 - ~, -
RAVENNA, OHIO WEDNESDAY, SEPT. g. lS8

prohibits slavery, as that he can bring them into
territories where slaveryis prohibited by Congress
If his slave away and enters one of the nom
slaveholding States, he does not thereby become
free, but shall be delivered upto the claim of the
person entitled his services. But this is not in
consequence of the recognition of the right of pro-
/ pery III such person Notwithstanding the State
laws, but i'll virtue of express article in the con-
stitution which constitutes one sof its compromises
upon the subject of slavery. This view of the
matter was placed in clear fgia in the recent
debates, by of the Oldest and raest distinguish
ed members of the Senate, when he insisted that
the claim on the part of the Shareholders, though
nominally to removether property, was in reality
to transneEt thair Laws srsitsiss. QMs
has thersure 6H4v to imagine territory governed
by the various and conflicting laws of thirty inde-
Pendent States, to appreciate the absurdty of such
a pretension.
But it is insisted that the prohibition carries with
1t reproach to the slaveholding States, and that
submission to it would degrade them. This is OBJ
viously the principal, if not the material, ground
OF opposition to the measure that is persisted in,
and most assuredly if it=.were well founded, we
would have no just ground to take exception to
the earnestness with which it is sustained. Let
the objection, therefore, be fairly and dispassion-
ately considered. Very erroneous opinions of the
dispositions of the northern people are entertained
by those, who think them capable of desiring the
degradation of any of the States of the confedera-
cy whether they would be slaveholding Or other
wise. They entertain too enlightened sense of
their interests; they have too Just conception
OF the true glory of the confederacy, and of the
extent to which the humiliation of part would
tarnsh the lusre of the whole, and they are above
all, too national in their feelings not to cherish
deep solcitude for the honor and welfare of all its
members. If they could therefore believe that
the success of this measure would draw after it
such grave consequences, they would be among
the last to uphold it. II it can have such tend
ency, it will certainly not be owing to any want of
generality in its application.
The restriction will of course be obligatory on
all who settle in the territories, from whatever
state or country they may have emigrated. They
will all, IN this respect, stand upon an equal foot
ing. If any inhabitant of the non-slaveholding
States, who to the territories has his capi-
tai invested in business transactions which are not
permitted by the laws of the territory, he must
change the investment If STAKEHOLDER desires
to move there, he must dispose of his slaves, and
employ free labor as his countrymen and neigh
bors did, when they removed to different portions
OF the north western territory, and in doing so,
made themselves prosperous and happy.
Let lis for a moment look at the character of
this measure and compare it with others that have
gone before it. 1t is a e-enactma mt of the ord-
nance of 1887, which prohibited the introduction
of slavery into territories that have been ceded by
several of the States to the United States The
difference between the effects of the two measures
consists only in the fact that the territory to which
the ordinance 'S7 was applied, previous to its
cession, subject to the introduction of slavery
whilst the territories to which is sought to be ap.
piled, had at the time of its cesson to u.s. been al
ready exempted from it by law. Who first pro-
claimed the principle which trfumphed in the en-
actment of the ordinance of 1857? Thomas JEFF
ferson. Who promoted and secured its passage
through the continental Congress? All the dis
hngulshed and patriotic men who that wear repre-
sented the slaveholding States in that bodv with
out solitary exception. Who gave the measure
his official sanction, by approving bill to carry
it into effect, under the new government? George
Washington.
Within the last sixty years, and down to 1888,
the same enactment has been again and again re-
peated, with the general concurrence of the SOUTH
ern members, and often through their particular
instrumentaity. A full fifth of the States of the
Union have been organized as territories under its
restrictions In respect to Ohio, the oldest of them
conformity to this principle in the ordinance of '67,
was required, even in the state constitution and
government and the bill giving to the ordinance
this application, was reported by a committee of
which William B. Giles, of Virginia, was chair
man, and John Rutledge, of South Carolina, a
member. 1t was passed in the Senate by a vote
of sixteen to five, and among the ayes will be
found the respected names of Baldwin and Jack
son, of Georgia, Breckenridge and Brown, of
Kentucky, Franklin and Stone of North Carolina
Stevens, Thompson, Mason, and Wilson Cary
Nicholas, of Virginia, Sumpter, of South Carroll
ma, and Wright of Maryland
The States which have grown up under and in
conformity to that ordinance have, in very great
degree, been settled by emgrants from the slave
holding States. Thousands of these hardy and
AZ
most respectable of their fellow citizens for series
of years in succession, left their friends and neigh
bors in the slaveholding States for what was then
the far west, accompanied by their prayers and
benedictions; it never entering into the imag
ton of either that in doing so, they submitted to
any personal or sectional reproach or degradation.
Prosperous and happy in their new abode, they
and their associates, and the great enterprise they
accomplished, have been honored aud admired by
all who have witnessed their success.
One of those very settlers, after assuming and
for many years dschargng the responsibility of
enforcing the ordinance of 1887, and after en- joy
ing a large share of his countrys confidence and
respect in other forms, was finally elevated to the
to the Presidency, and died in that exalted station.
Another highly distinguished inhabitant of one of
the territories, subject to the same restriction, af
ter having also, for long series ofyears, borne the
responsibility of seeing to the execution of this
now derided ordinance, as Governor of the terrific
nv, is at present, the favored candidate for the
same high office, of portions of the citizens of the
slave-holding as well as of the other States.
In the face of facts like these, is it posi-
bic that the application Of the restriction to
New Mexico and California can operate to
the disparagement of our brethren of the
slaveholding States? No impartial mind
can, I think, regard it in this light; and if
there be any other objections insisted on
that are worthy Of notice, I am not apprised
of them. None that are tenable, can in my
Judgment be offered. The measure is right
in itself, and what is right may always be
done with ultimate safety. The present
generation stand in the same relation to-
wards these very extensive territories, in
which the sages Of 1881 stood towards the
northwestern territory. If we act as wise
as they did, results not less glorious than
those which reflect such undying honor on
the policy of that day, will follow the labors
and perpetuale the memories Of those by
whom it is now upheld
The sixth resolution embraces the sub
iect of slavery in the District of Columbia;
and observed in it generality Of express
sion, in respect to the time when, and the
circumstances under which, it was the opin
ion of the Convention that it should be abol-
ished which has not been usual on the part
of the friends of immediate action. Most
rejecting and philanthropic minds live in
a. bo,,o that thew will one day see slave