Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-01-11
MISCELLANY.
Slavery and the Union.


present Congress is tina. ot Domestic
Slavery. The question is as old as the
formation of the fe deral constiiuiion,and
whenever il has arisen great excitement
has preva lied, especially at the south,
which is more directly interested than
the north. The Trainers of the constitu-
ton regarded slavery as proper sub
ject for compromise; and although they
made an un fair compromise in allowing
an extra representation in Congress to
the slaveholding Sta tes, the north has
ever been and is still! willing TO abide by
that compromise. We wish to be fair
towards The south, and TO yield them ev-
cry privilege they are justly entitled to
claim under the constitution. If there
were no such compact we should con-
ceive it solemn duty TO use every effort
TO abolish slavery in the slave S,ates.-
But as the compact exists we stand TO it,
but we will not give single inch beyond
il. The intention of the convention
which framed the constitution was TO
guaranty. TO the States IN which slavery
then existed sole and exclusive jurisdic-
ton over the subject within their own
borders, or at most to extend his privil-
ege 10 slave States which might be form
ed out Of territory then composing part
of the territory of the United States
Nothing was said, nothing was intima-
ted, which could by the most remote i'm
plicalion apply 10 territory to be AFTER
wards annexed to the Union by purchase
or conquest. But Louisiana Territory,
embracing st. Louis as well as New Or
leans, was purchased Of France, and that
two Floridas were purchased Gom Spain,
in both OF VIII ich slavery existed at the
time Of their acquisition. When these
vast regions became sufficiently settled
to be divided into half dozen States
they were admitted into the Union as
slave States, and thus the true intent of
the constitution was de (eated, and the
slave States triumphed at once over the
rights of The north, an d the rights of man.
There was one point at which the spirit
of freedom took stand and ba,lled
stouly against the further encroachment
of slavery. We allude to Missouri,
which might now, had her people heed
ed the voice of norihen freemen, have
been one Of the mightiest instead of one
Of the most insignificant States of the
grea, West. When she applied for ad-
mission slavery was one of her recogni-
zed Institutions; yet the moral sense of
the north was shocked al her constitution
which continued the curse in full opera
ton, and hard struggle ensued ere she
was admitted. 1t is probable that moth
ing could have prevented the continuance
of slavery in Missouri as a slave State;
hat had she been admitted with The anti
slavery proviso annexed to her conslitu-
ton she would have Immediately re-es-
tablished slavery, because she had grown
accustomed to il. During the agitation
The south became infatuated, and talked
loudly about the dissolution of the
Union; after along struggle Mr.. Clay
came forward with a measure of CON-
promlse-lhe best that the circumstances
admitted of--the effect Of which was to
exclude slavery forever from the great
State of Iowa, lying north of Miss ouri,
and now rapidly outstripping her in
wealth, enterprise and population. The
rescue OF Iowa from the dominion Of
slavery was the first and only decided
triumph of the cause of freedom. Had
mol the Missouri compromise been a.
dopted slavery would have grown up as
familiar institution in Iowa territory,
and would naturally as matter of course
have passed into her constitution and be-
come perpetual. a
The great game of the slave States
was to retain at least an equal share of
political power in tie Senate of the Uni
ted States the growth Of the free States
enabling them, in spite of the unequal
representation allowed without constitu-
tional warrant to the new States, to con.
troll the House Of Representatives. In
order to maintain their power in the SEN
ate, the South adopted the precaution of
always having slave State ready for
admission as often as free State applied
10 be admitted. Thus up TO the present
time the Senate is equally divided be-
tween the slave States and the free States,
but with this distinction:--that by means
of political management several northern
members belonging to the democratic par