The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-18

INTO the Union with about eighty thousand; Il speak IN
round numbersD Ohio with absu sixty thousand llli-
nois with forty thousand Michigan with one hundred and
fifty thousand; and Florida with perhaps thirty thousand
white Perspns Where is the criterion Of proper mum
bets to be sought for Is in the ratio of representation
in Congress Why not say so, if il be intended The
greater portion Of the territory is nearly appropriated. 1t
mol likey either from its position or physical charac;
ter to be populated rapidly What is to be its political
condition until it has the proper number of inhabitants
II cannot be admitted into the Union until then What
is to become OF It in the mean timer To what political
category Is II to belong! Ii is not to be territory. The
bill makes no provision for il such. We merely cut ii
of from California, and leave TO the uncertain progress
OF events and the still more uncertain phraseology of our
own statute. We cast it away, TO a barbarous law
phrase. ga iosam' the ocean of politics. ncer
tun quo tata teranr-to reclaim it ourselves at some
future day, if we find it first and agree afterwards
on the meaning OF our own enactment
am opposed to this whole scheme; it seems TO me TO
have been dictated by desire to avoid embarrassing
questions trust appreciate rightly the motives of
honorable senator's But hold that there is always more
embarrassment in postponing or evading troublesome
questions than m meeting them boldly and disposng OF
them promptly when they present themselves propose
to myself but two in reference to the
ought to adopt /. What does the interest of the coun
try, and, g What does the interest of California and
New Mexico require The answer seems to me 10 be
too clear to he mistaken. have already given it, Both
considerations point TO territorial government framed
on proper principles
What shall these principles be- This is the only ques
ton which remains to be considered Recognising,
do TO the fullest extent, the democratic doctrine of in
sructions, am not altogether free agent in this mat
ter During the last three years resolutions have been
many times passed by the legislature of New York, and
presented here by myself declaring that any territories
acquired from Mexico slavery ought 10 be prohibited
have endeavored to carry out the instructions by which
those resolutions were accompanied have done so
with the more cheerfulness, because, apart from all ob
cation of obedience, believe them just
hold, then, that Territorial governments ought to be
organized for California and New Mexico and that the
act establishing them should contain prohibition Of
slavery. believe there never was an occasion in which
such prohibition demanded by higher obligations
| VOr IN IN
the Judgment of the Senate and for this reason shall
be under the necessity OF catering into brief review OF
the origin and progress OF slavery in the United States
and | shall begin with the condition Of the American
colonies before the establishment OF then Independence.
Slavery, believe, was never originally established BY
law in any state in this Union, it established
in the British colonies in America The relation of
ter and slave, in modern times and in civilized States,
usually springs up the transactions of commerce, with
positive authority, and the law afterwards
to regulate it. 1t was so in the American colonies 1t is
curious fac that the same year Q620 which witnessed
the landing OF the Pilgrims on the rock OF Plymouth saw
the first ship enter the waters OF the Chesapeake bay and
the James river with Africans, to be sold into slavery
1t is still more curious that the ship eghted with free
men, and the ship freshted with slaves, commenced their
voyages from the same counlry-Holland In the same
year the monopoly of the London company was over
turned and the commerce of the colony of Virginia
thrown open to tree competition
The Introduction of slaves into that colony OF
the first fruits of this commercial freedomnot necessa
rily but OF those incidents which the chances of
life bring with them TO illustrate its uncertainties and IL.
time authorizing the existence of slavery; NOR there
any such law in England. |! gained a ioothod without
law. Indeed, the early enacments OF the colony OF
Virginia had for their objects to restrain the introduction
OF slaves, and to limit the control OF their masters
them Before the revolution she Petitionel the British
King to sanction The measures she had adopted for the
suppression of the slave trade. The appeal was vain
1t was the interest of British traders, who derived
cenary profit from this detestabe traffic, that should
continue and down TO the period OF the revolution every
effort the part OF Virginia and the other colonies to
put stop to it frutess Slavery thus forced
upon us by Great Britain; not responsible for its
origin. In the North it has been abolished IN the
South, peculiar circumstances have continued in exist
ence. make no inquiry into those circumstances, or
their necessary influence upon the result The respon
sibty which rests upon is to that it is not further
extended-that it shall not, far depends us, be
planted where it has never existed or where 1t has been
abolished
| After the termination of the war of Great Britain,
when the American colonies TO the language of the
Declaration of Independence, had " assumed among the
powers OF the earth the equal and separate station
which the laws of nature and of natures God entitled
hem the attention OF the great men of the country
turned to the subject OF slavery not only with view to
but with view to its extinction IN the States where It
existed. The dehnitive treaty of peace with Great Br-
tain, acknowledging our independence, was signed in
September, 1888 In March, 1884, Mr.. Jefferson intro
duced into the Congress OF the confederation plan of
temporary government for the territory northwest of the
ONO river containing a provision aboshng slavery
after the year 1900 that territory, comprising the
States of Olio Indiana Illinois, Michigan, and Wscon-
sin
The anti slavery clause received the votes OF States
out OF the ten present in Congress Under the articles OF
confederation the delegates voted by States and by the
articles majority of the thirteen States requi-
site to carry any proposition Mr. Jetfersons proposition,
having received only six votes not adopted.
hold in my hand, MIR President copy of his plan for
temporary government for the Northwestern Territory,
made from the original, which found few weeks ago,
among the archives of the confederation in the State De-
partment where they deposited. [Appendx No. ]
The original is IN the clear, careful handwriting of Mr..
Jefferson, and settles the question of authorship 1t
divides the territory into ten States instead of five,
was finally determined and il contains the anti-slavery
clause which have referred, and which has hereto
formation of the Senate Like some other propositions
of kindred character and OF later date, it is the form
OF a proyiso:
"Afie the year 1890 of the Christian there shall be
neither slavery involuntary servude in any of the said
States, otherwise than in pnnshn M OF crimes whereof
the party shall have been duly convicted to have been
sonaiIy guilty" [Appendix No. 81
am happy TO have had it in my power to refer this
declaration TO the author OF earlier declaration favor
of human freedon-l mean that of our independence
and to have found it in his own handwriting. Without
this testimony, could doubt, reading the whole
dences of authorship which, to any familiar with his
style OF composition and his peculiarly OF thought, must
be conclusive. Let it be known henceforth the JEFF
ferson provso AS SUCH it will at least escape the i'm
pua,ion OF selfish molives from which, in the prevailing
heat of party contention, follower the field
attributed TO him have already said that this PROPOSE
lion failed for the want of single vote. 1t renewed
in 1855 by Rufus King, then representing the State of
Massachusetts,; and 1t was referred to committee,
though it was not finally acted upon at that time. The
reference made by the votes of eight States out of
eleven present. State being absent and another rep
resented by Single delegate, and therefore entitled
accO n nj IN votp