The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-02-20

Territory, permitted its continuance. lr
1872 the State of Louisiana was organic
led, and admitted into the Union with slave
ry.
In 1918, six years later the inhabitants Of
Missouri applied to Congress for authority
to form State Constitution, and for admis-
sion into the Union. There were at that
time in the whole territory acquired from
France, outside of the State of Louisiana
not three thousand slaves.
There was no apology in the circumstan-
ces Of the country for the continuance OF
Slavery The original national policy was
against it, and not less, the plain language
of the treaty under which the Territory had
been acquired from France.
1t was proposed, therefore, to incorporate
in the bill authorizing the formation of a
State Government, provision requiring
that the Constitution Of the new State should
contain an article providing for the abolition
of existing slavery and prohibiting the fur
ther introduction Of slaves.
This provision was vehemently and per-
tinaciously opposed but finally prevailed
in the House of Representatives. by Il decid-
ed vote In the Senate is was rejected, and
in consequence of the disagreement between
At the next session Of Congress the con-
troversy was renewed with increased vlo-
lence. 1t was terminated, at length, by a
compromise. Missouri was allowed to come
into the Union with Slavery, but section
was inserted in the act authorizing her ad-
mission excluding slavery forever, from all
the Territory acquired from France, not IN
cluded in the new State, lying north of 36
deg. 80 min.
We quote the prohibitory section: a.
Sec. g. Be 1t further enacted. That in all
that Territory ceded b. France to the United
States under the name of Louisiana, which
lies north of thirty-six degrees and thirty
minutes, Of north latitude, not included
within the limits of the State contemplated
by this act, Slavery and involuntary servi-
tude, otherwise than as the punishment of
crime, shall be, and is hereby forever pro-
hibited."
The question of the constitutiona!ity of
this prohibition was submitted by President
Monroe TO his Cabinet John Quincy Ad-
ans was then Secretary of State; John c.
Calhoun was Secretary of War; William IL.
Crawford was Secretary Of the Treasury, and
William Writ was Attorney General. Each
Of these eminent men, three of them being
from Slave States, gave d written opinion,
affirming its constitutionality, and thereup-
on the act received the sanction Of the
President, himself also from Slave State.
Nothing is more certain in history than
the fact that Missouri could not have been
admitted as a Save State, had not certain
members from the Free States been recon
ciled to the measure by the Incorporation OF
this prohibition into the act Of admission.
Nothing is more certain than that this pro
hibition has been regarded and accepted by
the whole country as a solemn compact
against the extension Of Slavery into any
part of the Territory acquired from France
lying north of 36 deg. 30 min, and not in
cluded in the new State Of Missouri. The
same act-let it be ever remembered
which authorized the formation of a CON
.stitution for that State, without a clause
forbdding Slavery, consecrated, beyond ques-
ton and beyond honest recall, the whole
remainder of the Territory TO Freedom and
Free Institutions forever. For more than
thirty years-during more than aalf the pc
riod of our National Existence under ouI
present Constitution--this compo ct has been
universally regarded and acted upon as in
violable American Law. In conformity
with it. Iowa was admitted as a Free
State, and Minnesota has been organized as
Free Territory.
1t is strange and oninous fact, we'll cal
culated to awaken the worst apprehensionS
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