The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-16

ance Of the principle Of the Missouri Ccmpro
mice by one of those very Compromise acts
which, as he would have us say. superseded IT,
Certainly the Senate, when it adopted the Ma
son proviso without n division, and the House.
when it agreed TO the bill OF which it was a
part, must have intended to keep alive and ai.
firm every provision OF the third article of the
annexation resolution. Ole CT these provisions
prohibited Slavery north Of SO deg. 80 min
That provision preserved the principle of the
Missouri Compromise. The pIoviso. taken in
connection With that provision. makes it clear
beyond all question, that the Compromise acts
preserved that principle, and rejected the con-
sequence which it is now sought to force upon
them
| submit to the Senate if have not CON-
pletely indicated this part of the appeal against
the speech Of the Senator. The crrors, mis-
takes, misrepresentation, are all his own
None are found in the appeal
The third specification OF the Senator charges
the sisners of the appeal with msrepresenta-
ton Of the original policy of the country in re-
| spect to Slavery. The Senator says:
| "fhe argument Of this manifesto ii prcdica-
| ted upon the assumptions that the policy of the
fathers IF the Republic was to prohibit Slavery
in all the Territories ceded by the old States
to the Union, and made United States territory
for the purpose of being organized into new
| States. take issue upon that statement"
| The Senator then proceeds to attempt to
show that the original policy of the country
| was one Of indiifsrcntism between Slavery and
| Freedom and hat, ID pursuance sc IT. geo
| graphical Inc Was established reaching from
tho eastern TO the western limit of the original
| States--that is to say, to the Mississippi river
| Sir, if anything is susceptible of absolute his
torical demonstration, | think it is the PROPOSE
e., -aft n. L
| contemplated any extension of Slavery. Let
| us Tor n few moments retracc the past.
What was the general sentiment of the coun-
| try when the Declaration Of Independence was
| promulgated? | invoke Jefferson as 1. witness
Let him speak to US from his grave, in the Ian
| guage of his memorable exposition of the rights
OF British America, laid before the Virginia
Convention, in August, l774. These arc his
| words:
"The abolition of domestic Slavery is the
greatest object of desire in these colonies, where
it was unhappily introduced in their infant
state"
In the spirit which animated Jefferson, the
First Coagrcss-the Old Congress of I77i-
among their first acts, entered into q solemn
covenant against the slave traffic
In 1776 the Declaration of Independence,
drafted by Jefferson, announced no such low
and narrow principles seem to be in fashion
now That immortal document asserted no
right 81 the strong to cypress the weak, Of the
ajority to enslave the minority. 1t promul-
gated the sublime creed OF human rights. 1t
declared that-ALL MEN arc created equal, and
endowed 10y their Creator with inalienable
rights to life and liberty.
The first acquisition of territory was made
by the United States three years before the
adoption of the Constitution Just after the
country had emerged from the war of indie
pendcnce, when Its struggles, perils, and prin-
cIles, were fresh in remembrance, and the
spirit Of the Revolution yet lived and burned
in every American 0eart, we made our fest
acquisition of territory. That acquisition was
Derived FROM might perhaps, better say con
iirned blythe cessions OF Virginia, New York.
and Connecticut. 1t was the Territory North
west Of the River Ohio
Congress forthwith proceeded to consider the
subject of its government. Mr.. Jefferson Mr..
Howell and Mr.. Chase, were appointed a COM
mittee to draft an Ordinance making provision
for that Object. The Ordinance reported was
the work of Mr.. Jefferson, and is marked
throughout 10y his spirit of comprehensive in
telligencc and devotion to liberty. Ii did not
contine its regards to the territory actually ac-
| qHiTed, but contemplated further acquisitions
tor the organization ct temporary and perma.
nent State Governments in all territory, wheth-
| or - cedcd or to be coded !" from the 3 At par
| allel, the boundary between the United States
and the Spanish province Of Florida On the
south, to the 42l parallel, the boundary be-
| tween this country and the British possessions
| on the north
The Territory was to DO formed into States
the settlers were to receive authority from the
| General Government to form temporary Coy
ornments. The temporary Government was to
continue IN force until the population should
increase to 20 900 inhabitants and then the
temporary were to be converted into permanent
Governments. Both the temporary ard the
permanent Governments were to De established
upon certain principles, expressly set forth in
the Ordinance, as their basis Chief among
those was the important prOvisO to which
now ask the attention Of the Senate:
:" Alter the year 1900 of the Christian era
there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary
serVitude in any of the said States, otherwise
than in the punishment of crimes whereof tie
parties shall have been duly convicted to have
been personally guilty.
Let it be noted and remembered that this
proviso applied not only to the territory which
had been ceded already by Virginia and the
other States. but To all territory cedcd and TO
be ceded. There not ono inch of territory
within the whole limits of the Republic which
was not covered Ivy the claims OF one or onother
OF the States. 1t was then the opinion of MANY
statesmen - MIR. Jefferson himself among
thcHa-that the United States, under tho Const-
tuition, were incapable of acquiring territory
outside OF the orig inal States The Jefferson
proyiso, therefore, extended to All territory
which it was then supposed the United States
could possibly acquire
Well, sir, what was the action upon this pro-
yiso Mr.. Speight, of North Carolina, moved
that it be stricken from the Ord nance: and
the vote stood, for the proviso, SIX Ssates-New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania
against the proviso, three States-Virgiuia,
Maryland and South Carolina, Delaware and
Georgia were not then represented in the Con
gross and the vote of North Carolina, being
divided, was not counted; nor was the vote of
| New Jersey counted, one delegate only being
| present But the Senate viii observe that the
states stood six to three OF the twenty three
delegates present, sixteen were for the proviso,
and seven against it. The vote of the States
was two To one, and that of the dele gates more
than two to oae, for ahe proviso Bat .aa.ler.
| tte provisions OF the Articles OF Confederation
which then controlled the legislation OF m,
grcss, the votes OF majority Of all the States
were necessary to retain it in the Ordinance
lt Hailed, consequently precisely rs proviso in
q treaty must fail, unless it receive tho votes of
two-thrds Of the members of the Senate.
Sir, ii that doctrine of the rights Of majori-
| ties, OF which We hear 50 much and see in act
ual practice 80 little, had then been reccg-
n,scd-Il the wishes Of 4 ma l0rity of the States
and OF the ina jority of the delegates had pre-
vailed-if tho almost universal sentiment of the
| people had been respect'd the question of Sla.
very in this country would have been settled
that day forever. All the territory acquired