The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-25
Ordinances OF I1Hz.
Reminiscences-Mr Madison's Opinj,


Mr. Madison declared, in reference to the ordinance OF
1887 and the action of Congress under it, that they had
undertaken to prescribe the conditions upon which the
States shall be admitted into the confederacy; and his
has been done loittou the least color Of constitutional
authority"
There is another opinion of Mr. Madison which has
just seen the light Mr. Wesco has introduced it into
the appendix of his late able and interesting speech,
which the Baltimore American of Monday says has
Just been publshed-not recollectng that the whole
speech and appendix originally published both in
the Union and National Integencer few days before
the meeting of Congress. Mr.. Wescott having an OPP
portunity OF seeing MIR Monroes private papers, in the
possession of his family, has attached to his speech va
rous extracts from them touching the Missouri contro
vesy of 1920; among which is the following emphatic
letter from MIR. Madison to President Monroe:
Extract of letter dated Monpelier february 10, 1920
81 find the idea is fast spreading, that the zeal with
which the extension $50 caled) Of slavery opposed has,
with the coaesced leaders object very different from the
welfare of slaves, the check their increases and that
the real object Is as you intimate to form new slate OF
parties founded local instead Of political distinctions
thereby dividing the republicans OF the North from those
of the South, and making the former instrumental in CIV
ing the opponents of both ascendency the whole.
If this be the view Of the subject at Washington, it fur
nshes additional for conciatory proceeding in
relation to Maine.
50 have been truly astonished at of the doctrines
and declarations to which the Missouri question has led
and particularly at the Interpretation OF the terms mi
grafton Importation &c. Judging from my own i'm
pressons, should deem impossible that the memory of
any who member of the general convention
could favor opinion that the terms did not exclusively
refer migration and importation into the Uwited States
Had they been understood in that body in the
put them, it easy to conceive the alienation they
would have there created in certain States; and
decide better than yourself the effect they would have
had the State conventions, if such meaning had been
avo,vcd by the advocates of the constitution IL susp
bad existed of such construction, it would at least
have made conspicuous figure among the amendments
proposed to the instrument"
"Ihape obscypd ys in Of the taken of the
ordinance of 1897 intsrdiciing savy noihce Of the Ohio
an asio to the that then passed, the Con-
gess had authority prohibit the importation Of Slaves
from abroad all the States had and in the
full of the right to import them and consequently
that there mode Which Congress could check the emil
but the Indirect of marrocing the space oen for the
ception of sklpss
"ad federal authority then erised to prohibit, directly
and totally The importation from abroad 1t be doubted
tsat it ,ood haze been erersd and that regulation
merely effect o. preventing The interior deposition of
sapes actually the UAited States, and creating distin
among the States in the degrees OF their sovereignty,
Uo,dd hare been adopted perhaps thought Of 2"
The free soers have relied upon this precedent of S7
as ustfyng their attack upon the slaveAodng States,
and .screang distinction" between them and the other
States We call to their notice the remarks of Mr. Mad
son and the further reflection that Virginia has suffered
by her dsinerested cesson of the Northwestern Terrific
ry to the confederacy she and the other southern States
have made sacrifices enough in this respect This great
concession ought scarcely TO be pleaded against her
further demand for her unqualified submission to the
peremptory restrictions of the Wilmot Proviso