The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-04-18
Extract from sna. wright. Grafton,
D,lipsr,d on he an or July, 1889.

cacy met our venerable fathers in the convention OF 1857
al the threshold OF their most responsible labos. One OF
The earliest features IN the policy adopted by Great Britain
towards her American colonies was The hIm and extern
sve establishment within them OF the institution Of do
nesc slavery Al the time OF which we speak, the in
siution existed in large majority of the northern and
middle Sates and, from the circumstances of climate
pursuits, habits, and various other accidents OF eslab
1shed and settled society, much extensively and
firmly incorporated with the existence and prosperity OF
the southern States. Hitherto the slavery existing in
the colonies had been subject which the coonlsts
had had no CONTROL and Tor which they could be held IA
no way responsible The policy OF the mother country
was marke and settled, and lis pursuit determined
and unyieldlng Every attempt, on The part OF any one
oil the colonies, 10 check the growth or ameorale tl
condition OF the institution, TO demonstrate against
the policy, met the rebuke and The indignant own
OF power at home This state OF things had continued
for than hundred years, when the termination OF
the OF the revolution made the colonies Tree aud IN
dependent Then, for the first time, II deyoged upon
them to manage and direct Tins lastly fooled hrmlyes
tablished, and widely disseminated evil forced inner
itance from unkind mother was upon their hands
was incorporated with the very organization OF their
society, habits, and pursuits. II was thus placed as
much beyond the reach OF sudden and violent remedies
as is that disease OF the human body which has lis
in the heart, and is diused with the blood every
portion OF the system The idea OF a republic, therefore,
must be entirely abandoned, or The seeming anomaly
must be encountered OF organizing Tree republican
fedeIacy with the extensive existence OF slavery within
the States which should compose H. This the alter.
native presented to the convention Of 1887 Could the
patriotic delegates who composed that body men whose
devotion 10 Liberty had made them the principal and
the Independence OF the coones-most OF whom had de-
voted themselves 10, and encountered the pers of the
public service throughout that prolTacted and desperate
struggle-and many Vi whom, with their nsrous Pres
den at their head had followed the fortunes OF the
and freely offered their lives the price Of the liberty
they conlended for-could such doubt what was
their duty-what choice they should make! The fact
OF the slavery, or the extent Of It's existence in the
try TO be affected, certainly not Strengthened
magnlted By the plain OF RICH and The
opposite aternatyean abandonment OF all efor,
organize repubic-migh, indeed, have avoided The APP
parent contradiction OF Tree government with the toer
alton OF domestic slavery, by continuing the white race
endless subsection to despoNc and arbitrary
power, similar 10 that from which they had Just dis
charged themselves by the force OF arms and immense
expenditure OF blood and treasure; by making them the
enduring objects OF the expressions, exactoDs, and
tamey OF such power, aud thus constituting for them
slavery not perhaps as perfect, but considering the
condition OF the two races, fer CALLING and
durable TO them than is that 10 The African which holds
him in involuntary servltude Then, too, might African
slavery have preserved lis existence ia its full extent and
vgor 10 this day in all The States where was Instituted
Were our revolutionary fathers to be the authors OF
peradded evils like these 10 their country and their fellow.
citizens Never The delee assembled convention
did choose, and our present free and happy institutions
OF government are the result oil their choice. The pres
ent greatly increased and rapidly increasing population
and wealth. and power OF states are the fruits OF
that choice And does any one who hears me-does any
American who loves his country, her institutions, and
her proserl'y-beeve or feel that the choice thus made
was unwlse or rnpariotc! Can any one make himself
believe that the venerable trainers the constitution OF
the United Stats less lovers OF their country and OF
liberty than their descendants of the present genera
on!-hat they were less pure, and patriotic, and
sclentous Than we are? And yet, under the circun.
stances in which they found themselves placed they did
consider it fatal impeachment OF their republican
principles or violent outrage upon their Conscience IL
tolerate domestic slavery when became essential 10 The
establishment OF Tree government for the tree citizens
oil their country.
This al that time great and commanding inter
est in the States OF the conieieracy Our own proud and
powerful and now free State then an extensive
holder Of domestic slaves. Such al that period was the
he Irpp Stale
interest, therefore, was 10 be compromised by the
convention, or their abors must useless ter
minaton. They did compromise II and how
The nature OF the institution such as required tha,
It's police should be left Internationally with The States
where II existed II was 50 left Its continuance or
oition was purely matter OF State interest, when the
police was devosed upon their local governments and
when all questions OF private property were OF course
questions between the State and it's citizens and were
ike all other questions IN reference 10 all descriptions OF
property in all The States TO be lett the State admins
traons SO far therefore, The only duty OF the convention
was not TO interfere with The Stale sovereignlies Yet
there were other considerations connected with tins DEL
cae and troublesome subject which could not fail TO be
pressed upon the convention, and to require their action
The laws OF The slave States recognised the slaves moi
only property, but persons and SO far as they par
took OF The latter character they necessarily formed an
ingredient IN that basis OF representation which was
tabshed upon population alone, without reference Ia
properly recognition, too, OF the institution in lis
anomalous iorm IN the provisions Of the federal COMPACT
was matter OF vital interest with the States OF the South
where slavery existed most broadly, and was most deep
interviewer with The existing organization of society
The basis OF federal popular repre- and ayaGn
adopted IN the constitution is the compromise OF the con-
venon upon these points; and il will not fail 10 be re-
marked thal while The Tree States may feel that the Iue
oil representation Is unayoable them the slave States
cannot forget that they pay for any advantage they re-
oeive IN The rule oil taxation The terms OF the provision
are-
Representation and direct taxes shah be npportoned
among the several States which may be included who
this Union according TO their respective hunters viii. Il
snail be determined by adding The whole number Of l
persons, including those bound service ior term III
years ana excluding indians not taxed bfee.ffhs OF all
other persons" "
further concession yielded by the convention to
ths great interest for most valuable equivalent Il was
vitality essential that the power "to regulate commerce
win foreign nations" should be conferred upon the
hahona government, as neither internal peace and har
mony nor external quiet and prosperity could be reason
aoB hoped 10 be secured without this grant The appre
hensons OF the savehodng interest formed strong i'm
pedment 10 success and compromise with that interest
was effected III the following provision;
The migration importation OF such rerson. "a ,nv M
me states now existing shall think proper to admit
not be prohibited by the Congress prior TO al. yea
thonand eight bundled and eight but tax or dntv
- imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars
foi each person."
Here, again. il will be that the power OF tayation
10 limited extent, given for the temporary puy
leges conferred limiting the force and effect of The clause
70 the strict letters OF It's terms. Bot IL is now matter al
hls'oy and universally conceded, that HE fair
uon OF The provision gave Congress The power after
he hne limited ts0s TO prohibit the importation OF per
and thus to cut the foreign slave trade altogether
nou. oelng compelled 10 resort, for that important
pwei 70 me general OF power "to regulate com
eee WIN ioreign nations" The practice OF oar pov
einpent under the clause has been since The e,n;o,
st,as,;, ~ y limitation, IN conformity with the con-