Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-05-04


State Government All the rest is legislation,
which settles nothing, and produces contention
at every election. Sir, this principle Of non-in-
tervention is but the principle Of contention-a
bone given to the people to quarrel and fight
over at every election, and at every meeting of
their legislature, until they becomea State Gov
eminent. Then, and then only, can they settle
the question.
For seventy years-since the year 1884, when
the organizing mind of Jefferson drew the first
territorial 0rdinance-we had a uniform method
of providing for the government of Territories,
all founded upon the clause in the Constitution
which authorizes Congress to dispose of, and
make rules and regulations respecting, the terri
tory and property of the United States. This
mode of government has consisted of three grades,
all founded in the right of Congress to govern
them. First grade: governor and Judges ap-
pointed by the United States to adopt laws from
other States, to be in force until disapproyed by
Congress. Second grade Terrial Legislature,
when the inhabitants shall amount to 1--WE thou
sand men above the age of twcnty-one, eompos-
ed of Council party appointed by the United
States, and House of Representatives elected by
the people, at the rate of one representative for
every FIVE hundred voters, its legislation subject
to the approval of Congress. Third grade en-
trance on the State Government, in full equali-
ty with the other States. This is the way these
Territories have been governed for seventy years;
and am for adhering to it.
And now, what is the excuse for all this dis
turbance of the country this breaking up of
ancient compromises ; arraying one half of the
Union against the other, and destroying the
temper and business of Congress! WHAT'S the
excuse for all this turmoil and mischief! We
are told it is to keep the question of slavery out
of Congress To keep slavery out of Congress!
Great God 1t was out of Congress complete
ly, entirely, and forever out of Congress, unless
Congress dragged it in by breaking down the
sacred laws which settled it. The question WA
settled, and done with forever. There M.a
not an inch square Of territory in the Union ga
which it could be raised without bru..4u tt.
The Ordinance Of 1871 s.I,C,5
in all the remaining part of the Northwest Err
ritory beyond Wisconsin the Compromise line
of Sc deg. 80 mn. settled it all the country
north and west Of Missouri is the British line,
and up to the Rocky Mountains the organic act
of Oregon, made by the people, and sanctioned
by Congress, settled it in all that region: the
acts for the government of Utah and New Mex
leo settled it in those two Territories the COM
pact with Texas, determining the number of
slave States to be formed out of that State, set
tied it there and California settled it for her.
self.
Now, where was there an inch square of ter
ritory within the United States on which the
question could be raised! Nowhere! Not an
inch The question was settled everywhere,
not merely by law, but by fact. The work was
done, and there was no way to get at the ques-
ton but by undoing the work! No way for
Congress to get the question in, for the purpose
of keeping it out, but to break down compro-
misses which kept it out.
What advantage do the slave States expect
from the bill Certainly they expect the cx-
tention of slave power, and slave population.
That may prove IL lallacious expectation. The
question of slavery in those Territories,if thrown
open to territorial action, will be a question of
numbers question Of the majority for or
against slavery and what chance would the
shareholders have in such contest? No chance
at all. The slave emigrants will be outnum-
bcred, and compelled to play at a most unequal
game, not only in point of numbers, but also in
point of stakes. The STAKEHOLDER stakes his
property and has to run it off, Or lose it, if
outyoted at the polls. l see nothing which
shareholders ale to gain under this bill-nothing
but an unequal and vexatious contest, in which
they are to be losers.
deprecate such contest, and did my part
to keep it out of the State of Missouri when
her Constitution was formed. l was not
member of the convention, but as a chief pro-
moter Of the clause which forbid the Legislature
to emancipate slaves without the consent Of their
owners promoted that clause for the sake of
peace--for the sake Of keeping the slavery ques-
ton out of our elections and legislation--for
the sake of preventing perpetual strife among
the people. What did for Missouri would
do for the Territories; and if it was an open
question, would vote one way or the other to
settle it; but it is not an open question and can
not be opened without a breach of faith, and the
destruction of the peace of the country.
Sir, the question has been decided, the free
States are against this bill, and it is an ill return
for their past generous conduct to force it
upon them. They have been not only just, but
magnanmous, to the Slave States. What was
the condition of the slave States thirty years
ago, in relation to the use of the soil within
their limits! Declared of great part of its
use-an Indian population covering more or less
of almost every slave State, and preventing the
expansion Of its population. What is it now!
Ali relieved. The Indians all gone, their lands
all brought under the dominion of the white
man and the area of slave population and Of slave
cultivation greatly increased-to the extent of
third or fourth Of its soil in some of the States.
How was this done Certainly by the help of
free State votes, Qor it could not have been done
without them y by the help of their votes in
procuring the appropriations, and ratfying
the treaties which the removal Of the Indians
required. Missouri got her fine southwest quar-
ter relieved by these means. The same votes
gave US the Platte country; seven fine counties
added to the State and that by altering the COM
promise line to include it, and actually convert
ing that fine region from free soil to slave soil.
Northern votes enabled it to be done Northern
votes altered above an hundred miles of the conf
promise line for our benefit, upon our request :;
and will never be ungrateful to them for it,
nor requite it by a breach of the line 10 their
prejudice.
And how did we obtain the Northern votes
which were necessary for all these measures
the appropriations and treaties for all these
Indian removeals, and for that alterations
OF the Compromise line which gave us the bea. =
tifuy Platte country Did we get these votes by
belching Abolitionism against the North No!
no we got them by appealing to- the justice
and the traternal feelings of our Northern breth-
rem, and to which we never appealed one in vain
And |, who was part of all these transactions,
accustomed to solicit Northern votes, and express
thanks for Them viii. not now return thenre yil
for good, attempting 10 deprive them of their
share of Compromise which we impose upon
them.
tits now four months since this movement for
the abroeation of the Missouri Compromise com
menced in Congress. 1t began without memo
rial, without petition without a request, from
human being 1t has labored long and hard in
these Halls, and to this hour there is not petit
ton for it from the class of States for whose ben
eft the movement Processes to have been made