Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-05-05

sol, Always bent upon systems au0 adihih-
istration, brought in an ordinance for the
government Of the territory so conveyed,
with the anti-slavery clause as part Of it,
to take effect in the year 1900; bat vita.
out clause for the recovery Of fugitive
slaves. For want of this provision the
anti-slavery clause was opposed b. the
slaveholdiug States, and rejected; and the
ordinance was passed without it. In July,
of the year l7o7, the ordinance was re-
modelled, the anti, age,y clause, with the
fugitive slave recovery clause as they now
stand, were inserted in it; and in that
shape the ordinance had the unanimous
vote Of every State present-eight in the
whole-and an equal number of slave and
free States present Thus, it Is clear that
the anti-slavery clause in the ordinance OF
1877 could not have passed without the
fugitive slave recovery clause annexed.
They were inscparable in their birth, and
mus. be SO in their life; and those who
love one must accept the other.
This was done in the month of July, in
the city of New York, where the Congress
of the Confederation then sat. The Ma
tional Convention was sitting at the same
time in the city Of Philadelphia, At worh
upon the Federal Constitution. The two
bodies were iu constant communication
with each other, and some Leading mem-
bers (as Mr. Madison and General Ham
ilton) were members Of each, and attend
ing by turns 10 each. The Constitution
was finished in September, and received
the fugitive slave recovery clause ilnme-
dia,cly after its insertion i'll the ordinance
1t was the work Of the same hands, and at
the same time, in both instruments and
it is we'll known that the Constitution
could not have been formed without that
clause. Thus the compromise clause in
the ordnance is father to the compromise
clause in the Constitution and the Mis-
souri, compromise results from both and
all three stand before me rs founded in
the same circumstances, induced by the
samc Considerations, and directed BY the
same policy-:hat Of the peace, harmony,
and perpe!ui;y Of this Union. In point
OF moral CDiigAtlon cons, Ter thsn ~ ue',
and resulting from conditions which rem
dered them Indispensable. Two Of them
have all the qualities Of a compromise
those Of the ordinance and of the Consti-
tuition. They are founded in agreement
in consent-in eompact-and are as sacred
and inviolable as human agreement can be.
The third one-that of the Missouri anti
slavery line-was not made upon agree
ment. 1t was imposed by vo:es-by the
South upon the North-re,istei b. the
North at the time-aciuieseed in after
wards: and by that acquiescence became a
binding covenant between both parties;
and the more so OF the South because she
imposed it. / repeat: it was an impo
si,ion, not a compact. The South divided,
and took choice and Iow it will not do to
claim the other Lalf on the ground of the
original dissatisfaction Of the other party.
Brothers can not divide ~ estate in that
way-one make the division, aud take
choice, and afterwards claim the other half.
The South has her half She gave i. away
oncc-gave it to Spain; and the North
helped her get it back, even at an expense
of war-without supectins that she was
strengthening the South to enable it TO
take the other half. But this attempt does
not come from the South, and finds resist
ancc there.
This brings us to the question Of repeal,
or abrogation of these compromises. The
one in the Constitution can not be got rid
of without an amendment to tina, instru-
ment; and is, therefore, beyond the reach
of Congress. The other two, being in the
form of statutes, are subjects Of legislation,
and legally repealable by Congress. Efforts
were made to impair one, that Of 1887,
some fifty years ago An effort is now
made to repeal tic other; and the history
and fate Of the first attempt may be advan-
tageous in the consideration Of the second
1t was in the year 1903. The then Ter
ritory of Indiana had been slave territory
under the French Government, and con-
tinued so under tie American until 1877.
1t extended to the Mississippi. snd con-
tained many slaves. Nirscnnes, Cahoiia.
Prairie dc Roe her, and Kaskaskia, were all
slaveholding towns The Inhabitants were
attached to that property, aud wished to
retain it, at least temporarily; and also to
invite slaveholdiug emigration, until an
increase of population should afford an al
equa,e supply of free labor; ard they Pc
titioned Congress accordingly. The peti-
ton camc from convention Of the people,
presided over by Gov. Harrison, and only
asked for the suspension Of the anti-slavery
part Of the ordinance for ten years, and
limited in its application to their own ter
ritory. TIE petition was referred to
selec. committee of tie House; Dir Kan
dolph was chairman and received It's an