New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-05-18

psre as the author Of Legislative measure worthy
OF more than the fame OF Scion or Lycurgus
M Benton, in bis account Opp. 1855 gives what
rurIorts to be ell extract from Mr.. Websters speech
in which tits u,s,on about tie Ordinance OF ~ was
first introduced hut which in fact contains WHIST Mr..
Webster said OF this subject in both of his speeches
Mr. Benton states further. in reference 10 his own
r.rly. that Mr.. Webster was pr.sent when he read
the extracts from TIE Journal of Congress land sad
nothing" According to the report in The National
Irtiiseneer Mr.. Webster was not present when these
extracts were read but came in afterwards and as 10
he saying nothing. part OF what Mr. Benton s'e'
tie sreeeh OF Mr. Webster, which he replied was
in fact the reply of Mr. Webster TO the very qao'"'
,;ors IS 70 which be is represented saying nothing
Mr. Benton charges Mr.. Webster with Saying 'na' INC
oro;nance r,vort.d by Mr. jefferson in ia did not
pass into a law. Now, Mr.. Webster says nothing VI
n sor,. and what is more Mr. Jefferson did not re-
rort any Ordinance in l7e4 nor was there al! su'n
0r6ipsree; and Mr. Benton conveys altogether false
IDEA in speaking of the Ordinance oil 100 as re-
,,ocfm,nt of what he chooses to call Mr.. Jefer-
sons Ordinance. What Mr.. Jefferson reported was
not al Ordinance, but set OF resolutions Tor the
government of the Western Territory which resolu-
tons were adopted by Congress alter the Slavery
prohibition was struck cut and perhaps thereby OBJ
tanned tie force of law; but do not find any denial
OF that By MIR. Webster; nor. indeed do We see any
reason why he should have denied IT, especially the
r, resolutions as adopted had but very slight resem-
tlarce to the Ordinance of lis1. Mr. Benton adds
that Mr. Webster did not aterward correct the errors
his speech and that they remain in It, IL Is true
tlat Mr.. Websters FIRST speech on Foots resolution
riensly published, and IN all The republcatons OF
il down to the recent edition OF Mr.. Neesters
Writings under the editorial charge OF Mr. Everett,
dG contain the following passage. already referred 70
as coutloyered by Mr. Benton at the time of is utter
anco: "Noc, s,r, hS graf MEASURE again the anti
slavery clsuse in the Ordinance ofic1 ras carredby
"he Morrill, and By tie North alone There cere iadeed
cls eserer 1rO5abieto IT. but uras supported
"G,a mGasne entirely byhe rotss Of tie northern Staes.'
In Mr. Everets edition tits passage is lett out ani
the following is substituted in its place. " Nor, SIR,
"hare stated that his grat was brought Jor1and
"Jp the North ,cqs sustained indeed, by the rOtes Of
"he South tm il mus, hare tailed uiiom the cordiH
"support of the Neu-EngiaRd Sidtes.' Mr. Benton
will thus perceive that Mr.. Webster aid at the end OF
twenty years through the agency of Mr. Everett cor
rect ne of the historical mistakes OF which he con-
plains Whether il was wholly juethable TO Intro
duce such change without any notice to the reader
that for twenty years previously the speech had read
differently Mr.. Benton may perhaps question: espe-
osly as it may subject him TO the charge on the part
of those who msy know Mr.. Websters speech only
through Mr. Everers improved version OF 1t OF haV-
ing himself interpoated into bis extracts from that
speech 4 statement which Mr.. Webster did not make.
Tie other mistake of sIr. Webster that contained
/ IL in al La. lb,I
of Mr.. Jefersons antSayeiy provision, and the
desy in adopting it as re-proposed by Mr. hing to
its failure to obtain the support of nine States still
stands uncorrected: omission the more 70 De Ia
mented as tbs ms.statemcnt has already mised sew
eral historical writer's and on account OF MI. WEB
sters high reputation as constitutional lawyer viii
be likely to mislcad many more. Andyet by chShge
mot more material and not much extensive than
that made in the previous speech, this error might also
have Leen got rid OF and the claim Tor the North ana
for Massachusetts, particular of the honor OF
slavery prohibition still have been left to stand on
ground quite as strong as that on which Mr. Webster
had originally placed it, The passage of that proyi-
sion into law grew out of sre-proposalby Mr.. King,
MIR. Jefersons attempt having proved talure'-nor
was il till after eight States mOre than the requisite
number and OF which Mary land was one) had slgni-
fed disposition to assent to it, that Mr. King pro-
ceeded in common with his colleagues, to execute
the cessn which they authorized tomabe, OF the
claims of Massachusetts to the North Western Terri
tory As finally embodied by Mr. Dane into the Ordi-
nance of l7s7, the prohibition was even presented
in such shape, that though more peremptory IN
point Of time than Mr. Jetiersons original PROPOSE
t,p il yet obtained the votes of the four southern
States which had before at all times voted in body
against it. This unanimty, every State In the Union
having thus first last assented to IT, gave to the Or
dinance solid and permanent character which 1t
never would have possessed had it been carried, rs
under the articles OF the confederation 1t might have
been by the votes Of the northern States only
BY which it was favored from the beginning, and to
whose perseverance the honor Of its adoption may
still be very plausbly ascrbed And this may serve to
explain fact pointed out by Mr. Benton appearing
On the Journal that although in the interval of five
days between the striking out Of Mr.. Jeferson's
Slavery prohibition and the adoption of his resolutions
as thus amended another NewJersey delegate APP
pesred on the floor thus enabling that State TO vote,
10 attempt made to revive the proposition,
though the northern States then had votes enough to
have carried it without any help from the South 10
have carried it by the votes Of the northern States
only might have been nothing more than the COM
mencement OF q quarrel; whereas, what irs friends
seem to have wanted, aud what they finally obtained
was the concurrent and unanimous establishment OF
an irrepealable principle
But while thus correcting Hr. Websters mistakes,
Mr. Benton in bis argumentative eagerness, runs into
others of his own Of Il stl more serious character.