The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-29

Of some seventeen or eighteen MEM
Ders, representing about half the States
Of the confederacy-- passed an ordinance
in which Involuntary servitude was for
ever prohibited in the territory acquired
from Virginia. That this ordinance, ironically
called the immortal ordinance of 1887, }" was
and that the old Congress had
no power to pass it, there can hardly be adoubt'
Still, the South being actuated by strong de-
sire to avoid chickering's or quarrels with the
North, and the reasons above mentioned exer-
cising general influence on the public mind,
Virginia silently acquiesced, the ordinance was
unanimously adopted by the new Congress, and
under it's provisions Ohio, Indiana and Illinois,
were successfully admitted to the Union as free
States.
How far this ordinance established aprece-
dent for congressional interference in the do
nestle institutions of new States the history
of the next few years shows pretty plainly. In
1871, Vermont was admitted without word
about slavery in the act In the following year
Kentucky was admitted as a slave State, also
withoutth smallest condition or protest. To
make the point still clearer, and to show how
thoroughly the constitution was understood by
both North and South, in 1896 Tennessee was
admitted on the express condition that slavery
sbog,d exist within its borders. North Caroli-
ma which ceded that territory to the United
States in 1887, formally stipulated that Tennes-
see should be received on the basis OF the ordi-
Bance Of 1887 in all respects except as regarded
slavery, and no objection whatever was made by
Congress. AT later period Mississippi and
Alabama were both admitted on precisely simi-
lar terms. Their condition was declared to be
governed by the ordinance of 1887, but the
sixth article relating to slavery was not to apply
to either. Thus it will be seen that from the
formation of the constitution down to 1878, no
determine, independently ofthe federal govern
.ment and Congress, whether or no they would
employ slave labor, was ever urged or indeed
entertained by any one.
A little speck of trouble was, however, yisi-
BILE in the horizon. The federalists, as early as
1905 or 1906, were looking about for On issue
on which to oppose the administration Of Jeffer-
son; they began, very timidly and cautiously,
to agitate against slavery at Boston and in the
North The seed was sown by the Boston Cen
tinel, and its editor, Russell. The war crushed
it for awhile, but the buds appeared in the
Hartford Convention of 1914 Exception was
then first taken to the representation Of slave
property in Congress. Then first Northerners
began 70 think OF the moral questions involved
in slavery, and, having abolished it them
selves, as more expensive than free labor,
pronounced its perpetuation in the South
to be Ubiquitous and wicked. No tangible
results, however, flowed from the fermentation
until 1918 and 1920, when Missouri part
of Louisiana-applied for admission into the
Union. Her case was remarkably clear. By
the treaty OF 1908 the United States were bound
to admit her as soon as she had certain num-
Der ofinbabitants, provided, only, that her State
constitution were Republican" Both Of these
requirements were VIGOROUSLY fulfilled. Unfor-
funately, clause prohibiting the admission of
free persons of color within her borders had
been inserted in her constitution, and this gave
o loophole to, the Northern anti-slavery men.
They protested against the exclusion Of any
citizens of The United States from the new
Srate and, under cover of this protest. the
members from Pennsy lvania, New York, and
the Eastern States. advanced the unheard
Of pretension that Missouri must renounce
slavery altogether to obtain admission. The
only ground on which SO unfounded
claim could be supported for a moment
was the unfortunate ordinance of 1887. Constru-
ing the conciliatory spirit which had dictated
its ratification by the delegationsfrom the South
as a concession to Congress Of the power to reg
ulate the domestic institutions of new States,
the North insisted on Missouri being placed on
the same footing as Ohio Illinois and Indiana
The later presidents afforded by Vermont, Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, were
entirely disregarded; and the lame performance
of the tail of the old Congress. which nothing
but an exaggerated desire to promote harmony
and union had induced its successor to ratify.
was declared to be the only sound rule for
Congress to follow. Resolutions framed in
this sense were adopted by most of the
Northern Legislatures, and public meetings
WV hSAN IL VIC iniRC Cttles. Ut WHICH
slavery was denounced and attempts made to
coerce Congress into q usurpation of powers
not granted to it by the constitution. In the
Senate and the House of Representatives the
Northern members were very active and
though their oratory was more courteous and
refined than we often hear to-day, their argu-
ments were very similar to those now daily ut
tered by our city contemporaries.
The contest wore on. Resolution after reso.
luton was lost-scheme after scheme failed
Right was clearly with the South; but the North
made up for it's deficiency Of logic by it's supe-
rior perseverance and obstinacy. Ultimately
the former would probably have prevailed, as
recently in 1850, had not fresh element been
introduced to the scene. A young democrat.
iull of talent and ambition, saw in the Gordian
knot means of advancing his own fame and
placing himself in the front rank among the as