Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-07-14

legislation OF the country, and out of
which the States Of Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin
were made. No sooner had this deed
been placed on the files of Congress,
and the government thereby become
the legal owners of this vast terrific
~, than the active, far reaching mind
Of jefferson, cast about Tor some Of
the great principles by which the fu-
lure legislation of the nation over
this extended domain should be reg
ulated. The first great subject which
seems to have arrested his attention
fand shaped his thoughts, was that of
slavery. Before his departure for
France, he presented resolution TO
the Congress of 1884, to exclude
slavery from all territory "ccded or
to be ceded' by the States to the
Federal Government. This resolu
lion, though lost by single vote,
caused the first action of the nation
al government on that antl-slavery
extension policy, which was in accot-
dance with the sentiments of large
part of the country, and which was
subsequently adopted in the ordi-
nance of the Northwestern territory,
and in the Federal Constitution, and
became the established policy of the
nation on this subject. This resolu-
ton was fundamental in the mind Of
Jefferson. 1t was the first sugges-
ton of a great principle by which
the government should he regulated
IN leglslallng for the territory then
" ceded," and for all thereafter to
be ceded' by the States
The idea of the United States ac-
curing territory by purchase from
France, by conquest or purchase from
Mexico, or IN any Other way Than by
cesslon from the States, was not then
IN existence, nor could 1t possibly be.
Any person who will look on map
will see that the two charters OF Vrr-
glnla and Carolina, To say nothing of
others, touched the Gull of Mexico
on the south, extended TO nearly the
northern boundary OF Maine, took IN
a portion OF Canad East, nearly the
whnlc of Canada West; and, after
the limitations made by the treaty OF
Paris, 1868, stretched from the At
lauuc 10 the Mississippi River. Ey-
/, cry square mile of Tbs territory, not
now all covered by the United States,
: which had come or should come into
The possession of the government, II
was supposed, must necessarily come
from the cesslon Of the States. TC
, erect Territories and States west o
the MIsslsslppI was not an idea Of
3 those days. TO do justice, then, tC
the acknowledged English charters
/, 10 the existing state OF things, to JEFF
o ferson as man of that age, we are
compelled to admit that he mean
" b, ms resolution to include all lh,
. territory which hdd, and all which
= should thereafter in any iody, CONT
into the possession OF the govern
ment.
An Interpretation of any resolu
ton, or OF any written instrument
which does not accord with the his
tory of knowledge, and Of facts, al
they existed al the time II was writ
.. ten, is necessarily false. No oihe
construction Than the above can pos
F.. sibly be put on the meaning of thu
resolution of Jefferson, who is ad
miued To be one of the most lllustri
d Gus founders of our Republic, anC
one OF the proloandest statesmen o
> that or any age. Though this reso
luton slumbered for three years un
l. der one negative vote, II was not lost
a The thought was in the mind OF lh'
nation and that mind was prepar
ing to give the substance Of 1t a full
and permanent triumph.
The " ordinance for the govern
{. ment of the Territory northwest o
the Ohio River" was passed by Con
= gress July l3, 1887. Art. g read
e thus -" There shall be nelthe
slavery nor involuntary serviiude II
~ the said territory, Otherwise than Il
the punishment of crime, whereo
the party shall have been duly con
% vIcted Provided always, that az
nd person escaping into the same, iron
whom labor or service is lawful
," claimed IN any one of the Orlgino
"a States, such fugitive may be lawful
~ reclaimed, and conveyed 10 til
person claiming his or her labor &
service as aforesaid. Jour. Cong
original papers, Philadelphia Libra
~, vol. XII. p. IS.
This ordinance was adopted by a
unanimous Uote Of all the States
IN MIR. Yales, of New York, only vo
he ing M the ne alive. II required III
M rendition of slaves only from an
one Of the original States" HeI
is a perfect non-extensIon pnnclp
beyond the slave states already exI
ting. BY this ordinance the pole
of the country to exclude SLAYER
n from the national domain became e
of labllshed. The two Carollnas an
H. Georgia, which would not then col
n sent 10 the suppression of the sla'
,ly trade, freely joined in the vote not
'e- extend il beyond the limits Of Il
X 4" original States" This was at III
10 time the sentiments and policy OF Il
a. entire nation as expressed by Il
on votes of Congress.
,u rnNVENTION Of 1887