The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-21

~ nlno;s nj the time she was admitted into the Union
were also from the South These iacs 40 not Indicate
trely from those Ternones ft as NEXT Inquire
etc, il had upon slavery there The ordinance, II will
be remembered, was adopted IN l7s7the very year,
believe in which the fret settlement was made at the
mouth OF the year before the first house
was erected where Cincinnati now stands in Short when
the whole country was vast unpeopled wilderness. with
the exception Of the small French settlements at Kaskas
kia Arkaka, vincennes, and few other points The
object OF the ordinance, therefore, TO prohibit not 10
abolish slavery in the Northwest Territory. And as
evidence that the ordinance has procured the effect
intended by its trainers, we have repeatedly been re-
ferred 10 those tive free States carved out OF that
Territory Thus these five free States free, with
in all time TO come, But was il the ordinance that
made them free States The census returns show that
there 33 slaves in Illinois in is40 and more than
700 in $780, do not ecollect precisely how many there
were in the other States but remember there quite
number in Indiana. How came these slaves in Illinois !!
There taken there under the ordinance and in deh
ance OF IT, Illinois was slave Territory. The people
were mostly emigrants from the sayeholdng States, and
attached to the Institution by association, habit and in
erest Supposng that the SOIL climate and productions
as ~ Wsle ~ ~ Which thew had
been accustomed during their whole lives, Accordingly
the territorial legislature passed laws, the object and
called system Of ndentures These laws authorized the
owners OF slaves to bring them into the Territory and
there enter into contracts with them BY which the slaves
g sers ns nsay for
Rod reaching beyond the life OF the slaves and IN the
event the slaves should refuse to enter into the ndenture
lowed thirty days to take them back again, not to
lose the right Of property in them Under the operation
OF these laws Illinois became slaveholding Territory
under the ordinance and in utter defiance OF its plain and
palpabe provision The convention that assembled at
Kaskka in 1918. to form the constitution OF the State OF
Illinois, was composed, to considerable extent OF slave
body OF men had become satisfied from experience
that the climate and productions Of the country were un
favorable to slave labor and that the institution pre-
find three important principles established in the consttu
ton which they framed, and with which Illinois was adj
mted into the Union
II, hen x q
3D. That no slaves should thereafter be brought into
Sd. Provision for gradual system Of emancipation,
BY which the State should eventually become entirely
free. This system OF emancipation had been in opera
ton twenty years. at the date OF the census OF ls40
returned in that State Il is to be hoped that Of that
number the Of this year will show that not one
remains a slave.
from South Carolina, that the ordinance Of 1887 excluded
the South entirely from that vast fertile region between
the Ohio and Mississippi riveIs The facts to which
practical effect upon il Under the ordinance slavery
existed there greater or less extent and since the
ordinance has been superseded by the State governments
These facts furnish practical illustration Of that great
truth. which ought to be familiar to all statesmen and
politicians, that law passed by the national legislature
10 operate locally upon people not represented will
always remain practically dead letter upon the statute
book, if it be in. opposition. to the wishes. and
by H. and at the same time charged with its execution
The ordinance OF 17s7 was practically dead letter.
Il did not make The country 70 which il applied Prac-
territory northwest Of the Ohio did not become free by
virtue Of the ordinance nor in consequence OF it. Those
States became free, and must always maintain their free
n he laws Of s
own making and execution. That is the source and the
only safe reliance Of their freedom In free countries laws
hearts and nteecs of the people for whom they are and
by whom they TO be executed trust, therefore, that
have satisfied the senator from South Carolina that the
ordinance OF 1887 OF which he complains as the first IN the
series OF northern aggessons, did the South no harm and
the North no good
The next in the series Of aggressons complained Of by
the senator from South Carolina is the Missouri compro
mise. The Missouri compromise act of northern in
justice designed 10 deprive the South OF the due share
Of the. Territories Why. sit, il was only on this
very day that the senator from Mississippi despair
ed Of any peaceable adjustment Of existing difficult
ties because the Missouri compromise line could not
be extended TO the Pacific That measure was originally
adopted in the bill for the admission OF Missouri by the
union Of northern and southern votes. The South has
always professed to be willing to abide by and
tinue il, as fair and honorable adjustment of vexed
and difficult question In ls45 il was adopted in the res
ouons for the annexation OF Texas by southern well
as northern votes without the slightest complaint that il
unfair to any section OF the country In 1916 II re-
ceived the support OF every southern member OF the
House OF Representatives, wing and democrat without
exception, alternative measure to the Wimot Pro-
viso. And again, in 1885, amendment TO the Ore
gon BILL on my notion IL received the vote III recoect
right (and do not think that can possibly be mistaken,
OF every southern SENATOR wing and democrat, even in
GLIDING the senator from South Carolina himself, Mr.
CALHOUN And yet we are now told that this is only
second TO the ordinance OF 1887 in the series OF aggres
sions on the South.
MIR. BUTLER think you are mistaken about il.
don't think my colleague MIR CAIHousl voted for IT,
MIR. DOUGLAS. Ido not think that can be mistaken
upon this poin-that Mr. CALHOUN voted for my motion
voted for my amendment and then did not vote at all or
voted against the bill on its passage cannot be ms
taken on the material point, which was upon the adop-
ton OF my amendment For, having offered this amend
ment, first in the House Of Representatives and subse
quenty in this body denounced IN certain sections
as slavery exactonist dough- face and many other
kind and polite terms OF similar import applied TO
me, and my was published in certain newspapers
with black marks drawn around it, with the view OF con.
cenaiing popular odium upon and the partyto which
il is my pride and pleasure to belong And now, SIR the
very measure which drew all these anathemas and de-
nuncations upon my devoted head, is represented BY
the senator from South Carolina measure OF dead
hostility 10 southern INTERESTS measure calculated 10
limit and diminish the OF slavery more than any ac
OF the government during its whole history BE this as
may, think that southern gentlemen should not com.
plain Of the measure, after having given II their united
vote several occasions.
MIR BUTLER Will the gentleman allow me single
word Will he do justice 10 the southern gentlemen by
ing that they voted for the Missouri compromise
peace offering, after they had found the country brought
into jeopardy by the Wmot Provisoi The acquiescence