The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1854-03-08
MAINTAIN PLIGHTED FAITH.
Speech of Hon. 8. p. Chase, of Ohio

Speech Of Hon. 9. p. Chase, OF ohio,
In THE senate, FEBEUARr 8, 1854,
.4gainst he Repeal Of Me Missouri Freitition Of
Slavery NORTH Of Sc deg, 80 min.
CONCLUDED -
The third specification Of the Senator charges
the signers of the appeal with misrepresentation
ofthe original policy of the country in respect to
Slavery. The Senator says:
1.-THE argument of this manifesto is predcated
upon the assumption that the p Icy of the fathers
of the Republic was to prohibit Slavery in all The
Territories eeded by the old States to the Union,
and made United States territory for the purpose
of being organized into new States. take issue
upon that statement"
The Senator then proceeds to attempt to show
that the original policy of the country was one of
indiferentism between Slavery and Freedom; and
that, in pursuance of it, geographical line was
established, reaching from the eastern to the west
limit of the original Staes--that is to,say to
the Mississippi river. Sir, if anything is suscept-
BILE of absolute historical demonstration think it
is the proposition that the founders of this Repnb-
lio never contemplated any extension of Slavery.
Let US for a few moments retraee the past.
What was the general sentiment ef the country
when the Declaration of Independence was pro-
mulgatedi / invoke Jefferson as a witness. Let
him speak to from bis grave, in the language of
his memorable exposition of The rights of British
America, laid before the Virginia Convention. in
August, 1774. These are his words: 4
" The Ambition Of domestic Slavery is The great
est object of desire in these colonies where was
unhappy introduced in their infant sate." ea
In the spirit which animated Jefferson the First
Congress--the old Congress OF l774-smopg their
first acts, entered into a solemn covenant against
the slave truffc.
In l776. the Declaration Of Independence, draft
ed by Jefferson, announced no such low and mar
row principles seem to be The fashion now.
That immortal document asserted no right of the
strong to oppress the weak, of the majority to en-
slave the minority. 1t promulgated The sublime
creed fhuman rights. 1t declared TINT ALL MEs
are created equal. and endowed by their, Creator
with inalenabe rights to life and Iiberiy.,, s,s
The first acquisition of territory was made BY
the United States three years before the adoption
OF the Constitution. Just after the. county had
emerged from the war 81 Iudependence, when its
struggles, pers, and principles. were fre b in re-
membrance. and the spirit of the Rsyolutien vel
lived and burned in every American heat, W
made our first acquisition uf erIii1ry.l That &c
QUESTION was derived 'front.' might, perhaps, bet
ter say confirmed blythe csssons of Virginia
New York and Connecticut. 1t was the Terri
tory Northwest offh RIVER Ohio ss,,
Congress forthwith fraer reded TO consdrr il,e
subject OF its government. Mr. eflrrs1n. Mr..
Howeil and Dir. Chase. were appointed. a cam
mittee to draft an Ordinance ,saking prov-h,n for
that object. The Ordnance r-polied wss The
wolk of Mr. jefferson, and is marked threugii eul
by his spirit Of comprehensive ntelgence istsd de-
Voton to liberty. 1t dill not coDfne it's rel ards te
the territory actually acquired, but Contemplated
further acquisltors by the cessions of other States
1t pruvidedfor the organization Of temporary v ane
permanent State Governments in all territory
whether "ceded or to te ceded," from. the Bis
parallel, the boundary between the United States
and the Spanish province of Fioridason the south
to the .42J parallel, the boundary between This
country and the British possessions on the north.
The Territory WINS to lie formed into Staiess
the settlers were TO receive authority sffem tie
General Government 10 foim,temporary Govern
nents. The temporary Government was to CON
snae IN force until the population should incre use
to 0,000 inhabitants; and then the Temporary
were to be converted into pprmanep Gov ernrfents
Both the temporary and The permanent Govern
inents were to be established upon certain prnci
pies, expressly set forth in the Oh dinauce as thei
basis. Chief among those was the important pro
viso to which now ask the attention of the Sen
ate: ss s1sas4 fa kesSsie s.s yss.ss
:" Alter the year 1900 of The Christian era iherl
shall be neither Slavery involuntary seryiuds il
any of the said States, otherwise than in The pun
isbment of crimes whereof the parties shall hav,
been duly convicted TO lave been persoual,
guilty. a
Let it be noted and remembered that this pro
viso applied not only to the territory which, ha,
been ceded already by Vireina and the o.he
States bat to all territory ceded and to be ceded
There was not one inch ef territory within th,
whole limits of the Republic which was not Gov
cred by the claims Of one or anetherof the States
1t was then the opinion of many statesmen-Mr
Jefferson himself among 'them--that the Unite,
States. under the Constitution, were incapable @
acquiring territory outside of the original States
The Jefferson proviso, therefore,i extended tosa
territory which it was then supposed the Unite
States could possibly acquire. ss.Fss
Well. sir, what was the action upon this proviso
Mr.. Speight, of North Carolina, moved that it b
stricken from the Ordinance and the vote stood
TOR the provisio. six States-- New Hampshire
Aassachusetts, Rhode Island. Connecticut, Ne,
York, and Pennsylvania; against the provise
three States-Virginia. Maryland, and Sout
Carolina. Delaware and Georgia were not the
represented in The Congress, and the vote of Mort
Carolina being divided. was not counted nor wa
the vote OF New Jersey counted, one delegate oni
being present. But the Senatas will observe ,ba
the States stood six to three zOfahe twenty. thrs
delegatespresent, sixteen were for the proyisjo an
seven against it. The vote of the States WAS t,yv
to bone, and that of the delegates more than two
one, for the proviso. But under the provisions :
the Articles of Confederation. which then con
froed the Legislation Of Congress, the votes or