Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-07-07


gress at the time of its adoption. 1t received the
prompt ard hearty sanction and signature of Wash
lngton. Its provisions have been recogni ed adj
hered TO. and carried out, by every administration
from the time the government was organized, until
that of Mr.. Tyler. 1t has been taken as model
and precedent by every Congress in organizing
the government of new territories. "In the laws
for the organization of the territories which now
constitute the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mi
chgan, Wisconsin, and Iowa, slavery was express
| ly prohibited The laws for the or ganization of
the territories of Mississippi Orleans, Alabama and
Florida, contained enactments fully equivalent, in
regard TO the extent of power in Congress the
subject of slavery in the territories to the express
exercise OF IT in the other cases. These acts were
approved by Presidents Washington Adams, (the
elder) Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, jackson, and
Van Buren-all bound by their oaths of Office to
withhold their approval from laws which they be-
lieved unconstitutional. Ifu the passage of these
laws during the period OF hafa century, and under
the administration of so many Presidents there
was anything like sectional divisions, or a greater
or less participation in these enactments by the
presentatlves of the slave holding states or of
the non-slaveholding States, am not apprized
oft" Such is the language of the letter. Bas-
ing It's reasoning upon facts as broad as the his
tory of the Federal Government since its first or
ganzation facts which no one will undertake to
controyert or deny; and facts as pertinent to the
3
I sbly have devised. And for authority, the fore
most among the trainers of the Constitution four Of
whom occupied the Presidential chair during al
most thirty years from the time of lis adoption
And not only they, but every administration, and
every Congress too, during more than halt centu
~. And now in the face of all these acts of the
government and in the face of all this array of au
thority, (the best which American history can sup
ply) the Baltimore Convention, General Cass, and
the slavery propagandists of the South start up and
tell us. 1t is all unauthorized, is all usurpalon Is
all government policy which ought at once to be
discarded and abandoned as unworthy the charac-
ter and standing ofthe model republic IN the mid
die of the nineteenth century. Not single fact or
precedent, or authority, from the whole range OF
our political history can be brought in favor OF the
establishing, or allowing, OF the introduction OF
slavery in free territory under the jurisdiction of
our Federal Government. All evidence, precedent,
and authority clearly and strongly on the other
side Nothing on earth, except the reckless devo-
ton to party which renders certain classes of our
fellow citizens the willing tools of desperate and
rcmorseless ogarchy, an oligarchy whose mum
bcrs all told, do not exceed the population of Wis
consin, nothing else can, with truth, be advanced
IN support OF the position on this subject which
General Cass and his supporters have cho'en to
maintain.
The Northwest territory, young as it is, and
small as il is comparatively in territorial extent,
and with no action on the part of the Federal Gov
eminent to give it u forced or fictitious growth, is
already of more importance to the Union than all
the States southo of the Potomac and Ohio; and will
very soon out number them in free population, and
exceed them in wealth as much as it now is IN adj
vance OF them for the industry, energy and enter
! prize OF its citizens The institution of slavery
bane 10 the prosperity OF a State, Shareholders
| themselves bearing testimony to its character IN
the debates of Congress, must be extended over
the realms W hich we now possess. And this
must be done in contravention of the policy of our
Government uniformly adhered to ever since It's
organization in the face of all evidence and expert
ence as to its unproptous influence upon the pros
perty of communities, in defiance Of the verdict of
the civilized worldin andal opposition to human
progress and the growth of free principles tn this
unexamped period in the worlds history in the
face of all these considerations and influences
even in the bright hour of the triumph of free prn-
ciples throughout more than half of eman ipated
Europc. even then, forsooth, must our glorious
public assume and maintain the position of fore
most and chief of the nations of the earth in the
loathsome and most execrable business Of slavery
Ipropagandsm, Senator Benton coined this phrase
strong and deep convictions ofrght, the cherished
principles the self respect, the reputation abroad,
the good Of the vast population which Is to come
after US and reap the haryests of what we now sow,
ali-aH-to be discarded and lost 81 ght of to graft
fly the shameless cupidity of less than fifteth
OF population VI tueSe CoiiiIOs-
ing the Union 1t is relief to our feelings on this
blessed fourth of July, to read such letter as the
one before US emanating, as it does from the very
highest of living human authority, and vindlcatlng
as it does, the principles and course of those who
oppose the dongs, and refuse their support to the
nominees, of the Baltimore convention. We hail
it as an omen of the return of many ten thousands
of the honest democracy the nation to position
and to principles worthy of the glorious name, and
and worthy of the exalted mission, of genuine De
mocracy.
We have had opportunities recently of learning
to some extent, the feeling OF the people ofWscon-
SIN at least of the south eastern portion the sub
ject of the next Presidency, and we may say the
feeling of dissatisfaction towards the nominees OF
both parties for the Presidency, is almost universal