The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-16
CONGRESSIONAL.
UNION AND FREEDOM, wITAoUr COMPROMISE.
sPEEcH OF MIR. CHASE.


UNION AND FREEDOM. wIraoUr COMPROMISE.
sPEEoH OF MIR. CHASE.
OF OHIO,
On Mr. Clays Compromise Resolutions dsliuersd in the
Senate, March 26, 1850
IcoNcLuDEDl
In ls02 Georgia ceded 10 the United States the country
lying between her present western limit and the Misss
spp stpulatng that the ordinance OF 1857 in all It's pro-
visions should extend 10 the ceded territory. that article
only excepted which forbids slavery" This cesson was
accepted and the territory placed under territorial gov
eminent, restricted from all interference with slavery.
This was the second chapter IN the history OF reaction
In 1903, we acquired Louisiana by purchase from the
French republic There were at that time about forty
thousand slaves held within its limits under the French
law, The treaty contained this stipulation:
The nhabIaa.' q he eeded tsrrl,oy shall Be- aso5po
possbe according the principles OF the federal
sad %%nsss Il Il The III Unea sasss and
the mean time they shall be aina,ned IN the free enjoy
Of their liberty, property. and The religion which
they proess."--lS STAT at Large, s., 2o2)
This stipulation, interpreted according to the plain
sense o its terms, and carried into practical effect would
have enranchsed every slave n louisiana for no one,
Iapprehend will venture 10 affirm that the slaves
not inhabitants. Independently OF this stipulation, 1t
the duty Of the governmen--even more imperative
than in 1857 for since then The whole country south q
the Ohio and east OF the Mississippi had been formed
into slave States and slave Teroresto establish free
dom the fundamental law OF the new acquisition. But
this duty was not There e ro esos o
egn countries, and OF slaves imported since 179s from
the other States but that all and that was useless
Then came the cession OF Florida by Spain in 1920.
The stipulation in the treaty was substantially the same
AZ in the treaty with France Il the duty OF the govern
ment in respect to the acquisition was the same and there
the same failure to perform It.
Finally, Texas in in 1885, not as Territory, but
State. Within her limits, slavery was never under
the control Of Congress- The existence Of slavery there
was an objection 10 her admission inlo The Union; but
once admitted and admitted State, her internal e
gsation that subject was much beyond the reach
OF the national government as before.
Now sir what would have been the result if the poll
cy which formed the cessios OF North Carolina, Geor
ga, France, and Spain, into slave Territories and finally
admitted slaveholding Texas, had prevailed in l7s7l
Slavery il is well known, existed in the Northwestern
Territory. The honorable senator from Illinois Mr.
DoUGLAs has informed that slavery continued in
lection OF the State constitution. We know what perse
veng eorts-contnued from 1902 to 1907, and until the
final rejection oil the application herewere used to in
duce Congress TO suspend the operation OF the slavery
prohibition in the ordinance in respect to all the territory
moi included within the limits of Ohio. We know what
arguments were empoysd-thse i same precisely which
ce the people to the extension OF slavery--he same,
doubtless, which urged with too fatal success TO
persuade the national legislature 10 its first departure
from the policy of 1774 and i7s7 was said that sla
very would not be increased by the proposed extension,
its only effect being change the locality OF persons al
ready slaves that the happiness OF the slaves would be
promoted by increased comforts OF their abodes
and, finally. that emancipation would be promoted by
spreading the slaves over the largest possible extent OF
These facts furnish conclusive proof that but for the
positive prohibition of slavery by the ordinance OF 17s7
every foot Of land west OF the Allegheny mountains
would have been at this day slave soil No law OF phys
ical geography or formation OF the earth no want OF
adaptation Of soil climate 10 the great staples OF slave
labor, no imaginary barrier in degrees OF latitude. would
have arrested the progress OF the fatal blight
Let us be thankful that the wisdom OF the founders OF
the republic foesaw, and by positive prohibition prevent
those who followed t6em though they failed to initiate
their example, yet unwilling TO undo their work
Let now, sir sum the results OF this policy OF
adding slave Territories and slave States to the
Union which was substituted for the original policy OF
free Territories and free States.
make no remark here upon the admission al Keni
lucky That State district OF Virginia and
Territory OF the United States. But out of Territories
ceded the Union, and actually organized under national
jurisdiction, since the adoption OF the constitution seven
slave States have been erected and admitted Tennessee
out OF the cession OF North Carolina; Alabama and
Mississippi out OF the cesson OF Georgia; Louisiana.
Missouri, and Arkansas out OF the cesson o France
and Florida out OF the cesson OF Spain Besides these
States, have annexed savehodng Texas vast IN her
undisputed limits, and with vast claims beyond them
Here eight slave States created and admitted out
oil Territories not foot OF which had been ceded 10
the Uned States prior 10 the constitution, and five OF
them 4 foreign territory acquired By purchase
nexafon since It's adoption
into the Union out OF these TerTlories There is but
Iowa is the single State yet admitted out OF all the
vast Territories acquired since the organization oil the
Thus, sir we see that while the orgi nal policy OF the
government secured 10 freedom all the territory acquired
before the constitution, and all the States erected OF
IT, the reversal OF that policy secured 10 slavery Of
the territory subsequently, acquired and all the States
formed out Of il except one.
Now, sir, desire TO ssbmit TO the Senate a COMPARE
son Of the which belonged respectively 10 freedom
and 10 slavery al The date OF the constitution, aud the
areas which have been devoted TO freedom and 10 sla
very, respectively IN States created out OF Territories and
admitted into the Union that date have compiled
from the reports OF the Commissioner OF The Land 0ce
statement exhibiting this comparison, which will read
STATES 81. ms.
States ia 1857, including Vermont and Maine l6i OSI
States OF Northwestern Territory vizs Ohio, In.
diana, llnnois, Michigan, snd Wisconsin 2S9. .9Ij
State out OF foreign territory acquired, viz Iowa 5O.ei
a5a,3i0
STATES.
States In 1871, including Kentucky = 2i3.6i2
States out OF territory within original limits, Wis
Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi 4I,eSo
Texas within her undispuied boundaries aa7s6
; 759 so7
Difference favor slave States 10 square miles BOZ s67
Add TO this. paris of Tamaulipas and Coahula, be-
tween and Rio Grande, CLAIMED by Texas 520Ie
claimed by Texas I2Ig3s
And the aggregate difference would swell to 4sl 9is
Upon inspection of this table, ii will be seen that bad
the original policy Of the government been peseyered IN
and no new slave States created out OF Territories, the
difference Of favor OF freedom within the original
miles; and all territory acquired beyond those limits
hnon fraa xrfl ho aaon a