Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-07-19
v.x arRENx GREAT LETTER.
aaaSacRSER's CONVENTIONS.
fCeweluded.'

nARyDCRNER'S CONVENIION'
fCsnelsded.,
! You desire also my views IN regard TO
- orohibition, by Congress, II Slavery
!. ,.rritories where il does not exist, and
~ shali be given in manner. which
al not. I hope. increase. if IT does not
Ea,inish. the existing excitement IN the
scblic mind.
The iilustrious founders Of our Gov
s-..,.o, were not insensble to the appa-
s.nt inconsistency between the perpetual.
son Of slavery in the United States. and
- principles of the Revolution. as de-
rreafed in the Declaration Of lndepen-
ience; and they were too ingenious i'll
he;r dispositions to attempt to conceal the
;moressions by whichthey were embarras-
"a But they knew also, that its speedy
ssol;fion IN several OF the States was i'm
s,.s;blc. and its existence in al, without
ku}t on the part Of the present generation.
fhey were also too upright, and fraier-
"a feelings which had carried them
through the struggle for independence
scse too strong to permit them 10 deal with
,uch matter upon any other princi pies
thsn those Of liberality and justice. The
bdicy they adopted, wos, to guarantee TO
ire States in which slavery existed an ex-
exclusive control over the subject within
sbeir respective jurisdictions. but to pre-
vent. by united efforts. its extension 10
territories Of the United States, in which
X did in fact exist. On all sides the most
eSpedicnt means to carry ou' this policy
we're adopted with alacrity and good feel
ing. Their first step was TO interdict the
introduciion Of slavery into the North
western Territory. now covered by the
States Of Ohio, Indiana. Illinois, Michi-
gan and Wisconsin. This may Justly be
regarded as being in the main southern
measure. The subject was first brought
6rward in Congress by Mr.. Jefferson
Virginia made the ccssion Of the territory
upon which the ordinance was intended
10 operate, and the representatives from:
~ the slaveholling States gave il a unan-
inous support. Doubts having arisen in
the minds Of some whether the ordinance
Of 1857 was authorized by the arti les Of
Confederation, bill was introduced in the
rev Congress, at its first session under
the Constitution. recognizing and adapt.
ing il 10 the new organization, and il has
ever since been treated and regarded as
4 valid act. This bill received the con-
situ,ional appreciation of President Wash
iagton, whose highest and sworn duty it
vas to support the Constitution under
which il was enacted. Nor was the North
backward in doing lis part 10 sustain the
tpIicy which had been so wisely adopted
They asscnted to the insertion Of provis-
lGns in the Constitution necessary and
81, 81.
States, and they did more.
They trouble appreeended at the COM
MANAGEMENT Of the Government from this
source, began to show itself as early as
the year 1890, in the form Of Petitions
presented to Congress upon the subject OF
slavery aud the slave trade by the Qua
kers of Philadelphia and New York, and
by DR.. Franklin as President OF society
for the promotion Of its abolition. These
petitions were. in the House Of Represent
tafivcs referred. 70 Il committee Of seven.
Ill but one OF whom were Northern mem
bcrs, whose report as amended in commit
Tee of the whole affirmed ..that Congress
had no power to interfere in the cmanci-
patton Of slaves, or in the treatment OF
them within any of the States. it remain
vide any regulation therein which human
iiy and the true policy might require"
The perseverance and good faith with
Which both branches of the policy thus
adopted have, until recently. been recog-
nzed and carried out. are highly honora-
lle 10 the whole country. The peculiar
liability Of the subject TO be converted in
70 an element Of political agitation. as
well in The slavcl,olding as in the non -sla-
veholding States. may have led to occa-
sonal attempts SO to employ it. but these
efforts have been very successfully frus-
frated by the good feeling of the people in
every quarter Of the Union. A detailed
accoun, Of the numerous acts Of the Fed
eral Government. sustaining and carrying
into full effect the policy Of its founders
upon the subject OF slavery in the States
md its extension to the Territories. and
the steps taken. in the non-slaveholdine
Mates. to suppress or nuturalize undue
agitation in regard TO it. would be alike
Instructive and honorable to the actors in
them. But it will be readily perceived
that this could not be given within the ne.
cessary limits Of a communication like
the present.
Il must. therefore, suffice to say. tina,
rom 1857, the date Of the ordinance for
the prevention Of slavery in the North.
western Territory, down 10 and including
1888, At least eleven acts ofCongress have
been passed. organizing territories which
have since become States, in all Of which
the Constitutional power Of Congress :,
interdict the introduction Of slavery int
the territories Of the United States, j
elmer directly exercised. or clearly asscr
tea oy enacunents, which. as matters O
authority. are tantamount to its exercise
and that at the only period when the peac,
OF the s!aveholding States was supposed
70 DC seriously endangered BY abolition
sg''ation' there was = spontaneous upris
nag Of the North Of both parties. by which
agitation was paralyz ed, and the South
Treasured Of our fidelity to the comprom
ises Of the Constitution,
In the laws for the organization Of tn
territories, which now constitute tine State
Of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wis
consin. and Iowa. slavery was exDrexsl,