Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-05-25

nothing and produces contention at every election.
Sir, this principle of non Intervention is but the
princip of contenfion-a bone given to the peo-
pie to quarrel and fight over at every elector.
and at every meeting Of the legislature, until they
become a state government. Then, and then
| W. can they settle the question:
For seventy years-sinee the year 1884, when
the organized mind OF Jefferson drew the first ter
! ritoral ordinance-we had uniform method OF
providing fer the go: eminent of territories, all
founded upon the clause in the Constitution which
authorizes Congress to dispose of, and make rules
and regulations respecting the territory and other
property of the United States. This mode OF gov
eminent has consisted OF three grades, all founded
/ on the right of Congress to govern them. FIRST
grade a Governor and Judges, appointed by the
United States; to adopt laws from other states, to
be in force until disapproved by Congress Sec
ond grade: territorial legislature, when the IN
habitants shall amount TO five thousand men above
the age of twenty lone. composed OF council part
| " appointed by the United States, and House OF
Representatives elected by the people at the rate
of representative for five hundred votes Its leg
islaiion subject TO the approval of Congress
Third grade entrance on the state government, in
fall equality with the other states. This is the
way these Territories have been governed for sew
eral years; and | am for adherng TO it.
The Pretext Of Quieting the Slavery Question.
And now, what is the excuse for all this dis5ur
bance of the country, this breaking up of ancen;
sainst the other, and destroying the temper and
business of Congress What is the excuse for all
this turmoil and mischief! We told it is to
! keep the question of slavery out OF Congress =
Great God Ii was out OF Congressi completely,
entirely. and forever out o. Congress, unless Con
gross dragged it in by breaking down the sacred
/ laws which settled it. The question was settled
and done with. There was not an inch square of
territory in the Union which it could be rails
ed without a breach of compromise. The or
d:nance of 81 settled ii in all the remaining part
OF the northwest territory beyond Wisconsin The
compromise line of SO deg, 80 min. settled 1t
/ IN all country north and west of Missouri to the
1 British line and up TO the Rocky Mountains; the
organic act of Oregon, made by tue people and
sanctioned by Congress settled il in all that region;
/ the act for the government of Utah and New
| Mexico settled IL in those two territories; the
compact with Texas determined the number of
slave states be formed out of that state, settled
II there and California settled IL for herself. Now,
where was there inch square of territory with
| IN the United States on which the question could
/ be raised Nowhere! Not an inch The ques-
ton settled everywhere not merely by law
/ but by fact Ii was done, and there way
% get at the question bat BY undoing the work!
No way for Congress to get the question in, for
the purpose of keeping it out, but to break down
compromises which kept 1t out.
How Can it Benefit the Slave States!
W nat advantage do the slave states expect from
this bill Certainly they expect the extension of
slave power, and slave porlIation. That may
prove fallacy. Ii thrown open TO territorial
action, II Will be question OF numbers-a ques-
ton OF the majority for against slavery; and
what chance would the slave holders have in such
| a contest NO chance at all. The slave emf
grants will be out numbered, and compelled to
! play at a most unequal game not only in point
OF numbers. but also in point of stakes the slave
holder stakes his property; and has to it off,
or loose it. if out-voted at the polls | see moth
/ ing which shareholders to gain under this bill
nothing but unequal and veXatous contest
/ IN which they TO be losers. | deprecate such
contest, and did my part TO keep it out OF the
state OF Missouri when her constitution was
/ formed was not member of the convention,
! but was a chief promoter of the clause which
forbid tire legislature to emancpate slaves with
ont the consent of their owners. | promoted the
clause for the sake OF peace-tor the sake of keep
ing the slavery question out OF her elections and
legislation, for the sake of preventing perpetual
strife among the people What | did for Nilsson
II, would do Tor the territories: and if il was an
4 open question would vote one way or the other
To settle 1t; but 1t Is not an open question! and
cannot be opened without breach of faith, and
/ the destruction of the peace of the country.
It is Unfair to the North.
Sir, the question has been decided The free
states against the bill: and il is an ill-return
for their past generous conduct to endeavor to
force II upon them. They have been not only
Just but rllgnaninous to the slave states What
was the condition of the slave states thirty years
ago in relation to the use of the soil within their
limits Declared of a great part of its use; an
Indian population covering more or less of al
most every slave state and preventing the ex
pansion of lis population. What is il now1 All
relieved. The Indians all gone; their lands all
brought under the dominion OF the whiteman and
the area OF slave population. and of slave cult
Walton, greatly increased-to the extent of third
/ or fourth of It's soil IN some of the states. How
was this done? Certainly by the help of free
votes, (for it could not have been done without
them , by the help of their votes in procuring
the appropriations, and ratifyipg the treaties with
the removal of the Indians required, Missouri got
her inc southwest quarter relieved by these
The vote gave us the Platte country: seven
fine counties added TO the state and that by alter
ing the compromise line to include it, and actual
ly converting that fine region from free soil 10
slave soil. Northern votes enabled it to I've done
northern votes altered above a hundred miles OF
the compromise line for our benefit, upon re-
quest, and Will never be ungratetul TO the North
for it, nor requite it by a breach to their preju,
dice. And how did we obtain the northern votes
which were necessary for all these measures
the appropriations and treaties for all these Ind
an removals and for that alienation of the COM
promise line which gave the beautiful Platte
country? How did the Missouri delegation of
a
Linn and myself in the Senate, and Gen. Ashley
( i'll the House-how did we obtain that great boon
! for statez Did we get these votes by belching
abohlionsm against the North No no; we got
them by appealing 10 the justice and the raterna
of northern brethren, and to which we never
appealed once IN vain. Who in the last hard
trial to get The Cherokees out of Georgia gave rs
fourteen Affirmative votes to balance seven mega
+ tyes from the South, and save the treaty by one
vote And /, who was part OF these transac-
/ tons, accustomed 10 solicit northern votes and
express thanks for them, viii not now return
them evil for good by attempting to deprive them
OF their share OF a compromise which we imposed
upon them.
Nobody Wants II to Pass at the South.
I X Is four months since this movement for
the aorogation of the Missouri Compromise com
mencel in this Congress. Ii began without me-
mortal without petition. without request from
a human being. Ii has Iabored long and hard in
these halls, and to this hour there i not petition
for II from the class of states for whose benefit