The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1854-03-08
U hole Number 1869

The truth is that the Compromise acts of 1850
were not intended to introduce any principle of
Territorial organization applicable to any other
Territory except that covered BY them. The pro-
fessed object of the friends of the Compromise
acts was to compose the whole Slarery agitation.
There were various matters of complaint. The
nonsurrender of fugitves from service was one.
The existence of Slavery and the slave trade here
in this District and elsewhere, under the exclusive
jurisdiction of Congress, was another. The ap-
pretended introduction or prohibition Gf Slavery in
the Territories furnished other grounds of contro-
versy. The Slave States complained of the free
States. and the FREQ States complained of the slave
States. 1t was supposed by some that this whole
agitation nigh, be stayed, and fnaly put at rest,
by skillfully adjusted legislation. No, sir, we had
the Omnibus Bill and its appendages, the Fugitive
Slave Bill, and the District Slave Trade Suppress
SION BIZ. To please the North-to please the
free States-California was to be admitted, and
the slave despots here in the District were to be
broken up. To please the slave States, strn-
gent Fugitive Slave Act was TO be passed, and
Slavery was to have chance to get into the new
Territories. Tie support of the Senators and
Representatives, from Texas TO be gained by
a liberal adjustment of boundary, and by the as
sumption of a large portion of their State debt.
The general result contemplated was complete
and fna adjustment of all questions relating to Sa
very The acts passed. A number of the friends
OF The acts signed a compact. pledging themselves
to support no man for any office w no would in any
way renew the agitation. The country was re-
quired to acquiesce in the settlement as an abse-
lutte fiality. e,, s-
No man concerned 10 carrying those measures
through Congress, and least of all the distinguished
man whose efforts mainly contributed to their sue
cess,fever imagined that in the Territorial acts
which formed part of the series, they were Ilan-
ting the germs of agitation. Indeed, I have
proved that of these acts contaired an express
stipulation which precludes the revival of the agi-
tation in the form 10 which it is now thrust upou
the country, without manifest disregard of the
provisions of those acts themselves
have now proved beyond controversy that the
averment of the bill, which my amendment promo
ses to strike out is untrue. Senators, will ynu
unite in a statement which you know TO be con
tradlcted by the history Of The country? Will you
incorporate into public statute an affirmation
which is contradicted by every event which atten
ded or followed the adoption of The Compromise
acts? Will you here, acting under your high re-
sponsbility Senators of the States, assert as
fact, by solemn vote, that which the personal
| recollection ofeuery Senator who was here during
the discussion of those Compromise acts disproyes7
will not believe it until see it. IF YOU wish IN
break up the time honored compact embodied in
the Missouri Compromise. transferred tito the
joint resolution for the annexatios of Texas, pre-
served and tffifined by these Compromise 4 cts
themselves, do it openly-do it boldly. Repeal
the Missouri prohibition. RepeaI it by a dire CT
vote.z Do not repeal it by indirection Do not
deciare' it ''iaoperafive,'' .because suppresse ed
by the principles of the legislation of $780, @
MIR. President. three great eras hive marx ed
.ne history Oh TINS country, in respect to Slavery
ilis hrst may be characterized as the Era of EN-
FaASeHsEMENT 1t commenced with the earli.
est struggle for national Independence. The snirit
which inspired it animated the hearts and promn.
ted The efforts of Washington, of Jefferson. Of
Patrick Henry, of W5tlie, of Adams. of jaw. o.
Hamilton, OF Morris; in short Of all the great me
OF our early history. All these hoped-aII these
iaoored ior-all these believed in the fnal deliver
ance OF the country from the curse of Slavery
That spirit burned in the Declaration of Indenen-
dence. and inspired the provisions Of the Constn.
ton and of the Ordinance Of 17s7. Under its in
nuence. when in full ygor, State after State pro-
1 vided for the emancipation of the sIayes within
their limits, prior to the adoption of the Consttu
ton Under its feebler influence at a later period
and during the administration of Mr. Jefferson the
importation OF slaves was prohibited into Mssis.
s'Ppi and Louisiana, in tho flint hope that those
territories might finally become free States
Gradually that spirit ceased to influence our pull
lie councils and lost its control over tie American
heart and the American policy. Another Era
succeeded, but by such imperceptible graduations
that the lines which separate the two cannot be
traced with absolute precision. The facts of the
two Eras meet and mingle as the currents of con-
fluent streams mix SO imperceptiby that the OBJ
server cannot fix the spot where the meeting waters
! blend,
| This second Era was the Era Of CONSERVATISM.
Its great maxim was to preserve the existing con-
dition Men said, let things remain as they are;
let Slavery stay where it is; exclude it where it is
no.; refrain from disturbing the public qriet by ag-
tation; adjust all differences that arise not by the
application of principles, but by compromises
1t was during this period that the Senator tells
US that Slavery was maintained in Illinois. both
while Territory and after it became State, in
despite OF the provisions of the Ordinance. 1t is
true sir that the slaves held in the Illinois coun
try under the French law, were not regarded as
absolutely emaucipated by The provisions of the
Ordinance. But full effect was given to the Ordi
nance in excluding the introduction of slaves, aud
thus the Territory was preserved from eventually
bee ming slave State. The few slave holders in
the Territory of Indiana, which then included H.
lino;s,succeeding 10 obtaining such an ascendancy in
its AFFAIRS that repeated applications were made,
not merely by conventions of delegates, but by the
Territorial Legislature itself, for suspension of
| the.c'ause ic the Ordinance prohibiting Slavery.