New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-02-18

AFTER yhifs be went on to sPsaS IS follows
NR. SCENARIOS SPEECH.
Mr. pRr4oFST-The United States, ST the close OF
the Revolution rested southwark on the II. Mary =
and westward on the Mississippi, and possessed
broad uncccupisd domain circamscreed by those
rivers the Allegheny Mountains, and tie crest North
err Lakes The Constitution anticipated the division
of this domain into States to be admitted as members
OF the Union but it neither provided for nor astci-
pat.d any enlargement Of the national boundaries.
The people engaged in re6rganizng their govern
ments improving their social systems. and establishing
relations of commerce and friendship with o-heT
nations remained many years content within their aP
pnrenty ample limits. But il was already foreseen
that the free navigation of the Mississippi would soon
become an urgent public want
France although she has lost Canada in chivalrous
battle on the flights of Abraham, in 1859, neyerthe
less still retained her ancient territories on the west
ern bark Of the Mississippi She had also just before
the breaking out of her own fearful resolution reac-
CURED By secret treaty the possessions on the Gulf
of Mexico. which in recent war. had been wrested
from her by Spain. Her first Consul, among those
brilliant achievements which proved him the first
Sts suan well the first Captain Of Europe sagaccusy
sold the whole Of these possessions 70 the United States for
liberal sum ard thus repenished his treasury while he
saved rm his enemies and transferred to friendly power
distant an vast regions which for want Of adequate naval
force. he was unable TO defend
This purchase of Louisiana from France by the United
States involved grave dispute concerning the western
limits Of that province and this controversy having re
NAMED open until $50 was then adjusted by treaty in
which the, relinqushed Texas TO Spain end accepted
ceson Of the early discovered and long inhabited proyin
ces of East Florida and West Florida The United States
stipulated in each OF these TO admit the countries
thus annexed into the Federal Union.
The acquisitions Of Oregon, by discovery AMI occupation
of Texas by her voluntary annexation and Of New Mexico
and Calfornis including what called Utah by war
completed hat rapid course of enlargement at the close OF
which our frontier has been Fixed near he center OF what
was Now Spar on the Atlantic side of the continent while
on the West as on the East only separates Us
from the nations of the old world 1t is not in my way now
TO speculate on the question how long we to rest on
these advanced positions
Slavery before the Revolution. existed in all the thirteen
Colonies as It cid also in ali the other European plana
tons in America But il had been forced by British au-
hory for political and commercial ends the American
People against their sagacous inncs OF policy and
their stronger feelings of justice and humanity
They had protested and demonstrated against the system
earnestly forty years and they ceased to protest and
r,morsirste against it only when they finally committed
Their entire cause OF cOIlphnt 10 ut VI
An earnest spirit of emancipation abroad in the Colo
mics at the close of the Revo uon and oil Of them except
perhaps South Carolina and Georgia anticipated desired
and designed the early removal Of the system from the
country Tie suppression OF the African Slave Trade
which was universally regarded anciary TO that great
measure was not without much reluctance postponed un
i'll 1903
While there was no national power and claim or do
sire for national power anywhere to compel involuntary
emancipation in the States where Slavery existed there
was at the time very general desire and strong
purpose TO prevent its ntrOdu ton into communities
set 10 be formed and into States yet to be esab shed
Mr. Jefferson proposed early l7SI 10 exclude it from
The national domain which should be constituted by
sons from the States TO the United States Herecommen
cd end urged the measure anclary also to the ultimate
policy of emancipation There seems 70 have been At first
no very deep jealousy between the emancipatng and the
non emancpatng States and the policy OF admitting
States was not disturbed by questions concerning Slavery
Vermont non slayehoding State, was admitted in 1913.
Kentucky, a tramontane slayehoding community having
been detached from Virginia admitted without being
questioned about the same time. So also, Tennessee,
which was similar community separated from North Gao
lima was admitted in 1896. with stipulation that the
ordinance which Mr. Jefferson had first proposed, aud
which had in the meantime been adopted by the Territory
north west Of the Ohio should not be held TO apply within
her limits. Tie same course was adopted IN organizing
Territorial Governments for Mississippi and Alabama,
sayehoding communities viii had been detached from
South Carolina and Georgia. All these states and Terri
tories were situated south Of the Ohio River all
more or less already peOped by Shareholders with their
slaves and 10 have excluded Slavery within their limits
would have been national act, not OF preventing the in
PRODUCTION Of Slavery but Of abolishing Slavery In
short the region southwest of the Ohio River presented
field In which the policy OF preventing the Introduction OF
Slavery was impractcable Our toreiefhers never az
tempted what was imprectcable
But the case otherwise in that fair and broad region
which stretched away from the banks of the Ohio north
md 70
yet free practically free from the presence OF slaves
and was nearly unnhabied and quite unOccuped There
was then no Bal and Ohio Railroad no Erie Rail
road, no New York Central Railroad, no Boston and
Ogdensburgh Railroad there was no railway through
Canada nor indeed any road around or across The noun
tans no imperial Erie Canal Welland Canal no lock
agea around the rapids and the falls Of the St Lawrence
the Mohawk and the Niagara Rivers and no steam nayi
gaticn the lakes, the Hudson on the Msss-
spIi There in that remote and secluded region the pre-
ventOn Of the Introduction OF Slavery Vas possible ana
there our foreathers who lett possible national good
unattended did prevent H. makes ones heart bound
with JOY and gratitude and lift tself up with mingled PRIDE
and veneraon read the history Of that great traneac
ton pscardng the trte and common forms OF express
ing The national will they did not merely vote or re
solve, or enact as on other occasions, Du1 thsy
ORDAINED in language marked az once WIN pfeclslDn
ompfcaiiOn soemnity and emphasis, that there shall
be- neither Slavery involuntary serytude In the said
territory otherwise than in the punishment OF crime
whereof the party shall have been duly convicted And
they further and declared that this law should
be considered COMPACT between the original States and
the People and States Of said territory and forever re
main unalteIable, unless by common consent The Ofdi
nance agreed 10 unanimously. Virginia IA reairm-
ing her ccsi0n Of the territory, ratified it. and the first
Congress held under the Constitution solenny renewed
and confrmedit il.
In pursuance Of this Ordinance the several Territorial
Governments successfully established in the North vest
Territory were organized with prohibition Of the INTRO
ducon Of Slavery and in due time though at successive
ueriods Ohio Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin,
States erected within that Territory have come into .le
Union with Constitutions in their hands forever prohibit
fary