The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1850-03-27

Z
this concurrent, and con,emprrh. sous-is
another important consideration mi sutIicl.
emily attended to. The Convention inr tram
ing this constitution assembled IN Ph adel.
pha 10 May, and sat until September, 1877.
During all that time The Congress OF the u.
States was in session at New York. 1t was
matter OF design, as We know, that he Con
senlion should not assemble in the same city
where Congress was holding its sessions
Almost ali the public men of the country,
therefore, Of distinction and eminence. we're
III one or the oiher Of these two asse emblies
and think il happened in some instances
that the same gentlemen were members Of
boh. II mistake not, such was the OF
Mr.. Rufns King, then membrr of Congress
from Massachusetts, and a, the same tune
member of the Convention to frame The con.
st'uilon from that State. Now, i, wa. IN The
summer Of 1877, the very time when the
Convention IN Philadelphia was framing this
constitution, that the Congress in New fo,k
was ffaming the ordinance Of 1857. They
passed ,ha, ordinance on the 18th July 1877,
at New York, the very month, perhaps the
very day, on which these questions about the
importation Of slaves and the character Of
slavery were debated in the Convention al
Philadelp phla. And. 60 far We can now learn,
there was perfect concurrence Of opinion
between these respective bodies; and II
sulled in Ibis ordnance Of 1857, excluding
slavery as applied to all the territory over
t which the Congress Of the United States had
{ jurisdiction, and that was all The territory
northwest Of the Ohio. Three years before
Virginia and other States had made cesslon
+, Of that great territory to the United States.
And a most magnificent act i, was. | never
reflect upon it without disposition to 90 hon.
A or and lustice-aud justice would BE- The high.
. est honor-to Virginia for that act Of cesslon
Of her northwestern ,es srltofv. Will say,
sir, il is one Of her farest claims TO the res.
pecr and gratitude Of the Uniled States, and
> rha, perhaps il is only second 10 that other
}. claim which attaches to her: that in her
;, counsels, and from the intelligence 'ond pntfi-
:, o!lsm of her leading STA esmen, proceeded he
!, first idea put into practice for the formation
:, Of a general constitution Of the U. States
:. Now, sir, the ordinance Of l7S7 applied thus
4 ~. s',~ -,,"ir terrttury over WINCH the Ian
~ gress Of the u S'aes had jurisdiction. |
was adopted nearly three years before III
Constitution Of the I. States went into ope
= ration; because the ordinance took eH-c' III
!. medaely on Us passage, while the ConshIt
- lion Of the L. States, having been framet
~. was TO be sent to the States to be adopted b
theIr Conventions. and then a Gover1meT
y" had TO be organ zed under it. This ordinance
=, then, was in operation and force when III
-, constitution adopted and this Govern
:. ment put in motion, 10 April, l7e9.
~. Mr. President, three things are quite clea
-, as historical truths. Oae il, tha' there VI
ION an expectation that on the ceasng Of the IN
he porlation Of slaves from Africa, slavery wou
ere begin - run out. That was hoped and e
q, pected Another s, that as far as there vi
IN. any power in Congress 10 prevent the spree
mi. of slavery in the Uuied States, that pow
was executed IN the most absolute mann
and to the fullest extent. An honorab
%. me mb-r whose health does nol allow hun
, be here to. day
ach A Senator. He is here. (Referring
ea Mr.. Cslhoun.)
uch Mr. Webster. !an very happy 10 he
see, hat he is--may he loug be IN health and
nly enjoy ment of il to serve his country--sa
, al The other day aat he considered this as I
first in the series of measures calculated
am enfeebe the south and deprive them OF ,h'
ven. Jus, partlci patton 10 the beneh's and pr
the leges Of this Government he says We
II of properly that it was done under the old c.
nse federation and before this constitution WI
re. into eff'.cl; but, my presen, purpose IS OF
hese to say, MIR. p esident, that II was done W
h Of the entire and unanimous concurrence of
was, whole south. why mere y s's"os
he | InIn "a
70. NOUS in favor Of the ordinance, with the
no, cepnon Of a single individual vote, and t
orta. individual was northern man. But sir,
,ere. ordinance aboshing or rather prrhibl'
.r,od slavery northwes, Of the Ono, has the h
, the and seal Of every southern member IN
ears gress.
orth This was the state of things, sir, aud
tho is the stale of opinion under which those
:, too yery important matters we're arranged,
ONE. those two important things done tina, Is,
,ould establishment, Of the constitution with a
,o,n. cognlion of slavery as il existed in the sta
snch aud the establishment of an ordinance
with hlbiling, to tho full extent of all terri
N we owned by the United States, the introduc
mons of slavery into these territories. And h
Gina. sir, we may pause. We may reflect f
that moment upon the entire coincidence and
white currence oil sentiment between the norm
black the south upon this question at the perl'
grad. the adoption OF the constitution. bu'
o, be ions, sir, have changed-greaty change
'mos, changed north and changed south. Sla
on.- is not regarded in The south now as 1t
II sla. then. see an honorable member OF
The body paying me the honor of listening tc
gitive remarks he otingsto ms, s'f' ''esn'y d"
luires v'dly the sentiments OF ms gfea' a"ce
State, so much distinguished Ia ms aay aho ger
vered tion, so worthy to be succeeded by so
.at;an Inv a nrandson. with all The sentiment