Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-07-06
Martin Van Buren, on Slavery Extension

You desire also my views in regard to the prohibit
ton by Congress, of Slavery in territories where it
does not now exist and they shall be given in few
words, and in Il manner which will not hope, in
crease if it does not diminish the existing excitement
in the public mind
The lustrious founders of our government were not
nsensibe to the apparent inconsistency between the
ptrpetuaton of slavery in the United States and the
principles of the revolution deIlneated in the Dec
laraton of independence; and they were too ngenu-
Gus in their dispositions to attempt to conceal the inn
pressions by which they were embarrassed But they
knew, also, that its speedy abolition IN several of the
states, impossible, and its existence in all, with
out fault on the part of the present generation They
were also too upright and the fraterna feelings which
had carried them through the struggle for independ
cnce were too strong permit them to deal with such
matter upon any other principles than those of liber
atty and Justice. The policy they adopted was not to
guarantee to the states in which slavery existed an
exclusive control over the subject within respective
Jurisdictions but to prevent, by united efforts its
tension to territories OF the United States which it
did not in fact exist.
On 2l sides the most eXpedient means to carry out
this policy were adopted with alacricy and good feel
ing Their first step to inerdic the introduction
of slavery into the Northwestern territory, now cover
ed by the states of Ohio, Indiana Illinois, Michigan
and Wisconsin. This may justly be regarded as be-
ing, in the main, Southern measure. The subject
was lSJ Drought forward Ill congress DY MT JeneT-
son. Virginia made the cession of territory upon
which the ordinance was intended to operate and rep
resentatves from all the slaveholdng states gave it a
unanimous support. Doubts have arisen in the minds
Of some whether the ordinance of 1857 authoriz-
ed by the articles of confederation. A bill was intro
duced in the constitution recognizing and adapt
ing it to the new organization, and it has ever since
been treated and regarded as valid act This bill
received the constitutional appreciation of President
WI nOdc I m
support the constitution under which it was enacted
Nor was the North backward in doing its part to sus-
tain the policy which had been wisely adopted. They
assented to the insertion Of provisions in the consu-
ton necessary and sufficient to protect that interest in
the states, and did more.
The trouble apprehended at the commencement Of
the government from this source, began to show Itself
rs early as the year 1880 in the form of petitions pre-
scented TO Congress upon the subject of slavery ant
the slave trade by the Quakers of Philadelphia anC
New York, and by DR. Franklin as President Of a So
cctv for the House of representatives. referred to
committee of seven all but one ofwhom Nolther
members. whose report as amended in committee O.
the whole, affirmed that Congress have no power t
interfere in the emancipation Of slaves, or in the treat
ment Of them within any of the States it remaining
with the several states alone to provide any regulation
therein which humanity and true policy might re
qpire'
The perseverance and good faith with which botl
branches Of policy thus adopted have, until very re-
Gently been recognized and carried out, ar highly
honorable to the whole country. The peculiar liabl-
y Of the subjcc to be converted into an clement Of
political agitation, as well in the slaveholdng as il
the non-saveholdng states may have led to occasion
al attempts to employ it, but these efforts have beer
very successfully frustrated by the good sense anC
good feeling of the people in every quarter Of the u.
MON. detailed account of the numerous acts of the
federal government sustaining and carrying into full
n Il = !, Al. L
slavery in the staas and its extension to the terrific
ros, and the steps taken, in the nonsluvehodin9
states to suppress neutralize undue agitation in
gard to it, would be alike instructive and honorable t
the actors in them But it will be readily perceived
that this could not be given within the necessary lin
its Of a communication like the present 1t mus
therefore suffice to say that from 1884, the date of thu
ordinance for the prevention Of Slavery in the North
western Territory, down to and including 1888 q
least eleven acts of Congress have been passed, OF
ganizng Territories which have since become States
in all Of which the Constitutional power of Congress
70 ncrdict the introduction of Slavery into the terri
tories Of the United Satess is either directly exercises
or clearly asserted by enactmcnts which, as matter
ofauthority are tantamoun to its exercises and tina
at the only period when the peace of the saveholdn
States was supposed to be seriously endangered b.
Abolition agitation, there was a spontaneous uprising
the people Of the North of both parties, by whic
agitation was paralyzed and the South treasured
our fidelity TO the compromises OF the Constitution.
In the laws for the organization of the temitorie
which constitute the States Of Ohio, Indiana
Michigan Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, Slavery wa
) expressly prohibited The laws for the organization
the Territories of Mississippi, Orleans, Arkansas
Alabama and Florida, containing enactments full
equivalent in regard to the extent of power in Con
gres3 the subject of Slavery in the territories
the express exercise of it in the other cases. Thes
acts were approved by Presidents Washington, tn
elder Adams Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackso
and myself, all bound by our oaths of office to with
hold our respective approval from laws which we be
lleyed unconstitutional Fin the passage of these law
during period of half century, and under the ad
mnlstration of so many Presidents there was anythin
like sectional divisions, greater or less parcipa
ton in their enactment on the part of the Represer
tatyes of the Savehoding Of the non-Saveholdin
? States am not apprised of it. | believe the pla
devised by the founders of the Government incudin
the Fathers of our political Church. for the treatmer
Of this great subject and which has hitherto been
r. faithfully sustained, and which has proven so success
iul i'll preserving the Union of these States to be NJ
only the wisest which the wit of Man could have dc
vsed, but the only one consistent with the safety an
prosperity of the whole country do therefore desir
to see it continued so long as slavery exists in the
= nited States The extent to which have sustaine
= it in the various public stations have occupied
knownto the countryI was at the time well aware thu
. went farther in this respect than many of my be-
a friends could approve But deeply penetrated by til
IS convection that slavery the only subject that coul
endanger our blessed Union, was determined that
t. effort on my part within the pale of the constitution
should be wanting to sustain its compromises as the
- were then understood,and it is source Of consc
laon to me that pursued the course then adopte
The doctrine which the late Baltimore conyentic
has presented for the sanction Of the Nation is in sui
c stance, that the laws have referred to were but
', many violations of the constuon-that this instr
# ment confers power Congress to exclude sav
ry from the territories, as has often been done wi
>, the assent of ALL This doctrine set forth in the pu
=, llshed opinion of the highly respectable nominee
that convention. who it is well known, received tn
I, distinction because he avowed that opinion, and VIII
s. it is equally certain would not have received it if
had not done So 1t is proposed to give this doctr
t. the most solemn sanction known to political sy
tenn by the election Of its declared advocate and su
- porter to the Presidency If it receives the propose
sanction of the people Of the u States the result ca
not be doubtful. The policy in regard to the exte
h sion of slavery to the territories of the United Stat