The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-04-04

subject later in the history Of Congress IL is to bs
| found in the fourth volume OF the House Journals
| page 3Sl second session Of seventh Congress under
date of March 2 1903 and il il, sir, case in point
The Territory of Indiana then being under The pro
visions of the Ordinance Of Freedom OF l1SI III,
people OF Indiana through public meeting, q
| which William Henry Harrison was President, pe
toned that this article of the Ordinance OF 81 pro
hibiting slavery in the Territory might be suspended
| for given number of years-about ten believe Il
was. The petition was referred to committee, o
which the celebrated John Randolph, Of Virginia
was chairman. desire TO read an extract from his
report because II shows wha, senments obtained in
Virginia on this subject, in 1903
House yourna Val T. Page 3sl2d Session IN Congress
March 2. 1919
"Mr. Randolph from the committee TO which were re,
ferred letter from William Henry Harrison, President OF
The Convention hedat Vncennes declaring the
the people Of Indiana To the suspension Of the sixth article
Of compact bewee the United states and the people OF
that Territory also memorial and petition Of the nhabit
ants Of the said Territory. made the following report
THAT the rapid population of the State OF Ohio sufficiently
evnces in the opinion Of committee that the labor oil
slaves necessary promote the growth and settle
of colonies in that region thai this labor demonstra
bly, the dearest OF any, only be employed 10 advantage
IN the cultivation OF prtfucs more valuable than any
known that quarter OF the United States that the com
mtee deem highly dangerous and nexpedient TO impair
provision wisely calculated TO promote the happiness and
ybsefiy US,Ie ce.frs snt ~ strez1th
security thai extensive froaer In The saiuiary OPP
OF this sagacous aud benevolent restraint 10 be-
leved that the Inhabitants Of Indiana will at very dis
day find ample remuneration for temporary priva
ton of labor aud Of emigration.
From such consider they have been enabled
bestow the subject at this late period Of the session
and under the pressure Of accommodating business they
rec ommead the following resolutions, which respect
fully submitted TO the judgment oil the House.
~. Resared, That s inexpedient TO suspend, Tor
limited time the operation Of the sixth article III compact
the original States and the people and States west
OF the Ohio.
40. &c, Ac."
And. sir, is there citizen of Indiana to-day who
lx.,il rice nm and do credit fn snpacfy and
philanthropy of John Randolph, when he told them
that in the wisdom and sagacity OF that exercise OF
power, they would find ample remuneration for any
Temporary grievance they might be suffering under,
by the present application And, SIR here was case
stronger than any which has been can be presented
here-a of Territory Of the United States set
tied by freemen with slavery inerdicted, who come
forward and ask Congress 10 relieve them from That
interdciion-to relieve them from that prohibition
and Congress refused TO do ". And they refused 10
do it upon the report from which have Just read
that made by Mr.. John Randolph, of Virginia
- - re -:falp leave thstHa-. 'Ss'l~
subject, the Ordinance of 1881 having shown that 1t
was not imposed by part but that IL the act Of
the whole country. 1t was impressed upon tho legs-
aon of the country al its earliest period IL has con-
tinued there since, and II remains there now.
| What do gentlemen wantl On the principle that
they contend for that IL is an insult, do they want
10 repeal the bill establishing the Oregon Territory
Do they want IL obliteraed from the history of ouI
1 legislation They speak for themselves, sir on
that point.
The second matter which has disturbed the equi-
librinm, according TO the arguments OF Senators, is
the Missouri Compromise. Sir, l can tell these
| gentlemen that the Missouri Compromise disturbed
the equilibrium of those Northern Representatives
that votei for it, more than anything else that ever
| happened and that is the only equilibrium ever
heard of as being disturbed by that Compromise.
Not only did it disturb their equilibrium, but IL threw
them entirely Oft it, and with but very rare excep-
lions these politicians have not yet recovered th.lr
equilibrium, and, what Is more, they never VIII.
Well sir IT, according TO the argument OF the Senn-
| tor from South Carolina, the Missouri Compromise
was such an odous measure, and has had such an
injurious effect upon the South, Is II not singular
| that we find nearly every Southern man voting for
il, and every Northern man voting against It, when
ever IL ls offered AT the last session. when mo-
| ton WAS made to insert the Missouri Compromise
| in Territorial bill, nearly every gentleman repre-
senting q Southern State on this ioor voted Tor H.
and the Northern men, as a body, were against IT.
| Then sir IL is the South who were aggressive and
| who were destroying the equilibrium; and II Is III,
North who have resisted IL. And further, has no
every other Southern gentleman VITO has spoker
here of that Compromise characterized IL as grea
healing measure, and as one that gave quiet, peace
and security to the country, and will do II again,
| sr,ohld thus ask return and settle dow
on one of the very measures lhat In the opinion
! the Senator from South Carolina has been so pc
tent and efectnal In destroying the equilibrium
{ Yes, sir the Missouri Compromise, which Isl sig
mated by the Senator from South Carolina the grea
equilibrium destroyer, has been Landed In our pres
ence a measure of peace and concord, and as on
that the South is willing TO take and abide by now
Yes, sir, this measure which Southern gentleme
express their readiness 10 receive and abide by
the Senator from South Carolina puts second in hi
list of the measures which have destroyed the equi
librium and produced discomfort In the South
That is all, sir
Well, sir the third measure of which the Senate
speaks as destroying the equilibrium between tn
sections and producing this great discomfort II
the South, is the Oregon bill II this be So Il must
indeed, have had wonderfully rapid influence, for
was only passed in August, lS4S, has been but abOu
year and half in operation, and, indeed, do moi
know whether any dispatches have been received
by this Government, informing us OF the organiza
ton of the Government instituted at that time Il
they have been they have not been laid before Con
gress Is IL possible, ihen-can the Senator from
| South Carolina be serious, when he mentions the
Oregon bill rs Of the three measures OF the Gov
eminent which have produced such universal dis
content AT the South that they can no longer remain
in the Unonl What possible influence can the
| Oregon bill have had on the South within the brief
time that has transpred since IFS passage3 will
not spend more time on this subject The charge is
| preposierous.
| ! have another document TO which / will here
refer as IL shows that there was discomfort and Talk
of disunion in the South long before this Oregon bill
| was thought of. The Senator from South Carolina
speaks Of the abolition fanatics In 1885, (Which Is
| the time, he says they commenced their opera
| tions) as beng small and contemplate, and us
having no sort Of influence and consideration. Now,
| what tho declaration of the Senator In 1885,
| the very time when he states this faction was so
| small and contemplated In Niless Register Of
1885, 49th vol, 49th page Is an extract of letter
| from John G.. Calhoun to the editor Of the Wash
| ington Telegraph lie says
"Since you passed through the South the excitement In
relation to the Northern fanatics has greatly Increased
The Indications that the South will be unanimous IN
.sF nd that the he
most determined character even 10 the extent Of dsuio,
II that should be necessary 10 arrest the evil Iirs how
ever, II may be arrested FAR short Of such extremity"
From this II appears that long ago 1885, the
! Souih-all the South he speaks for-had come 10
such unanimous determination 10 resist the North
crn fanatics that, II they could not put them down
| in any other way, they were ready TO dissolve the
| Union "Small and contemplate this faction
then was" 10 use the language Of the Senator from
South Carolina. II was potent enough, II seems, to
work up the whole South TO determination 70 dis
solve The Union If they were not put down
| wish to call the attention OF the Senate to an
other view Of this question OF the equilibrium The
Senator from Georgia. Mr.. BERRIEs, In his speech
the other day, puts this significant question 10 Sen
alors from the Northern States. He says:
SNOW sir revert the period when thus Constitution
was entered inlo-wheD thirteen Conederaied States,
loosely connected together, mutually Rrssplng hands drew
closely the bond Of union; aud now tell me, do you
believe does man believe, that consists with the tpr
and intention 81 the trainers Of that with The
feeling moment bai you should crcumsc rbe slavery
within limits within Which, In process ~ lime, could no
longer That 20 deny 10 the privilege 81 eh
ercisng the rights with which into the CoDsiitu
iion IN the in which had exercised and were
| exercising them when the Constitution was formed. u
would be IN effect 10 say 10 ms, we viii allow you 10 hold
slaves, II you will keep them within your present limits ;
but la the future acquisitions which we make 81 territories,
by our joint and equal Efforts oi such btied 10
your own peculiar kind Of labor. hands Qf-slayery shall
be extended with our consent the banner OF this free
Republic shall another slave Stale, whether
IL were originally free slave tbs proposition had been
made 10 fathers ~ that Convenon what tlnk you
would been their answer will not trust myself 10
express it DO believe that this Constitution would
have been formed under such crcumsisncesi 2"
Now, sir IL seems 10 me that an all sufficient
answer TO this question IN TO be found In the fact
that the Constitution was formed under precisely