The daily union., 1854-02-15
From uas Boston Post FEB. II.
Jefferson and the wiimot Proyiso.


mot proviso than that OF the llustious Jefferson From
his earliest entrance into public life until its final close
he declared himself opposed to slavery; and his great
mind was continually dsvsing ways TO rid his eounry
Of it, II Twas his wide philanthropy and love for freedom
that prompted bis early and bold in relation to
10 the assembly OF Virginia in the Congress that made
the declaration Of independence and in the action on
The ordinance Of 1857. Iwas the latter action that sup
plies the ground for alleging that he was The author OF
the Wmot proyiso. That action took place before the
constitution was adopted; and however much it may
seem TO favor the later prohboy measure, yet subse
quent opinions show clearly where, when the assertion
OF il endangered the Union, the great patriot stood u
We allude 10 the Missouri question OF ls2o This
question was, whether Missouri should come into the
Union with without restrictions prohibiting slavery.
1t thus application. in single case, of the gem
eral power Known the Wlmo proyiso. To the exer-
else of such restriction he strongly opposed. His
letters OF this period-and democrats we are sure will
read them with deep interest-will show concusyely
that no could be deadly hostile the restrict
i've principle or the exercise OF this unconstitutional
power, than Thomas Jefferson. 4.te ...e .f. 81.
The fret allusion we find in his letters is under the
date OF December 10, 1919. in letter addressed John
Adams. He says: ss.
"The banks bankrupt law. facu,res Spanish ea
ty nothing, These which, like waves
In storm, will pass under the ship. But the Missouri
question is breaker which we lose the Missouri
Try by revolt and what more, God only knows From the
battle of Bunkerk Hill 10 the treaty OF Paris had
ominous question. II even damps the Joy with which
hear OF your high health and welcomes the
quences OF my OF H. thank God that shall not
live TO witness its Issue. Sed rsse hsettnus," #as
| On the 18th of April 1920, he wrote to William
Short aaU san
'The old sohism OF federal aud republican threatened
nothing because il existed in every Sate and united them
together by the fraernsm Of party But the coincidence
of marked principle, moral and political, with geo.
graphical ne once conoetved feared would
be oberaed from the mind that it would be recurring
every ason and renewing nitaons until 1t would
knde such mutual and mortal hatred render separa-
ton preferable 10 eternal dscod. have been among the
sangune in believing that Union would be Of long
duration. ! now doubt IL much, ard the
great distance and the direct OF this queson
not by the lIne which has been confidently counted
the OF Nature control tnsbu, by the Poonac. tho
Ohio and Missouri, probably the Mississippi up
wards northern boundary My only comfort and
confidence is that shall live to this and envy
the present generation the glory OF throwing away the
fruits ol their fathers sacrifices OF life and ortune and OF
rendering desperate the experiment which decide
ultimately whether man is capable OF sefYovernMsnt
This against human hope will signaze their epoch
in future history, as the counterpart OF the medal OF their
predecessors.' " @3&8
Nj Holmes, Of Maine, member Of Congress-. addressed
Jefferson letter. which drew from him the following re-
markable reply: IL aHa
"MorrcELLo, April 22. 1890
thank you, dear sir, for The copy you have been
kind send of the letter your constituents hs
Missouri question. 1t is perfect justification to them
nad for long time ceased TO read newspapers pay any
attention public affairs, confident they in good
hands, and content be passenger In bark the
shote from which am distant. But this momentous
question, like fre-bell in the night awakened and
blied me with terror. I considered it as the
kne of the Union is hushed indeed, for the moment.
But this. is rcpreye only not final geo
graphical line, coincidng with marked prime ple moral
and POLITICAL conceived and held up angry pas
Of men, win be oberaedj every new irri
taon Will mark IL deeper and deeper. can say, with
conscious TRUTH that there is earth who would
sacrifice than would relieve from this heavy
reprosch, in any practicable way The cemou OF thar
kind of property {for il is misnamed) is bagasls
which would not second thought if In that way
general emancipation and expatratior could be effected
and gradually and with due sacrifices, think IL might
be. But as is, have the wolf by the ears, and
we can neither hold him safely let him 70. JUS
tce is in scaie and selfpreserva,ion ia the other
OF one thing certain, that the passage OF slaves
| from one State 10 another would make a slave
of single human being who would no, be 10 with
it, their diffusion greater surface would make
them individually happier, and proporiionay facilitate
the accomplishment Of their by dividing the
burden greater number OF CONDUCTORS An abstinence
from this act Of power would the jealousy
cited by the undertaking OF Congress regulate condi-
tion OF the different descriptions OF posing State
This certainly is the exclusive light of every State which
nothing in the constitution has taken them given
the general government Could Congress- for example,
say, that the noneemen OF Connecticut shall be free
that they shall emigate into any other State
81 regret that TO die In the belief that the use
less sacrifice Of themselves by the generation Of I76
quire sefgoyemment and happiness their country Is to
be thrown away by the unwise and unworthy passions of
their sons and that my only consolation be live
not weep over It. II they would but dispassona tey
weigh tho blessings they will throw away against an ab
principle likely be effected by than by
SESSION. they would pause before they would perpetrae
this OF suicide themselves and of treason against
the hopes Of the world To yourself as the faithful advo-
cate OF the Union tender the offering Of my high
| and respect. TIL. JEFFERSON
| He wrote December 90 Is20; #a0H $3.50 Ya4
Nothing has presented threatening an aspect
what Is called the Missouri question Tho federalists
completely put down, and despang Of rising again
onder whg aud tory, devised new ons of .aveholdng
and nou-ssveholdng States, which, while 1t had
bance OF being moral, the time geogra apbics
and calculated 10 give them ascendenoy by debauohing
their old opponents coalition with them. Moral the
question certainly is not because the removal Of slaves
from another, than their from
one connry to another would make slave of one
human being who would be without IT, Indeed if
there be any morality the question: Ii is on the other
side because, by spreading large surface
he ha ppiness would be Increased and the burden of
their future liberation lighened by bringing greater num-
Der Of shoulders under However seemed to throw
dust into the eyes OF the people, fsnnticizs them
while 70 the knowing ones i gave geographical and