The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-03-10

,srly history. All these hoped-all these la d
bored for--all these believed IN the FINAL de- q
verance Of the country from the curse ofli
slavery. That spirit burned in the Declara- S
don ofIndependeuce, Of and Inspired the pre- s
visions Of the Constitution, and the Ordi- ?
nance of 1881. Under its infnspcs, s,ywhen]
In full veor. State sfter State provided for /
the emanc cipstion of the slaves within their I
limits, prior to the adoption Of the Constitu- {
ton. Under its feebler influence at q later
period, and during the administration Of Mr..
jefferson, the importation Of slaves was pro-
hbited into Mississippi and Louisiana, in the
faint hope that those territories might finally
become free States. Gradually that spirit
ceased to influence our public councils, and
lost its control over the American heart and
the American policy. Another era succeed
ed, but by such imperceptible gradations that
the lines which separate the two cannot be
traced with absolute precision. The facts
Of the two eras meet and mingle as the cur
rents of conauent streams mix so impercept- |
IDLY that the observer cannot fx the spot
where the meeting waters blend.
This second era was the Era Of coNsER-
IvATrsM. Its great maxim was TO preserve the
existing condition. Men said, let things re-
main as they are; let slavery stay where i'll
is; exclude it where it is not; refrain from
disturbing the public quiet by agitation; ad-
just all differences that arise, not by the APP
, pication of principles, but by compromises.
, II was during this period that the Senator
! tells us that slavery was maintained in llll-
, nois, both while Territory and after it be-
/: came State, In despite Of the provisions OF
7 the ordinance. II is true, sir, that the slaves
Y held in the Illinois country, under the French
! law, were not regarded as absolutely eInan-
: cipsted by the provisions Of the ordinance.
= But full effect was given TO the ordinance in
= excluding the introduction Of slaves. and thus
S the Territory was preserved from eventually
n becoming q slave State. The few slavehold-
n ers in the Territory Of Indiana, which then
= included Illinois, succeeded in obtaining sucl,
!, an ascendancy in its affairs, that repeated ap-
y plications were made not merely by convsn-
tions of delegates, but by the Territorial Leg
l. slature itself, tor a suspension of the clause
y in the ordinance prohibiting slavery. These
n applications were reported upon by John
/. Randolph, of Virginia, in the House, and by
> Mr.. Franklin in the Senate. Both the reports
IS were against suspension. The grounds sta
ted by Randolph are specially worthy Of be-
n ing considered now. They are thus stated
in the report: a.. -. .
n "That the committee deem it highly dan
= gerous and inexpedient to impair a provision
], wisely calculated to promote the happiness
8 and prosperity Of the northwestern country
.. and to give strength and security to that ex.
r. tensivc frontier. In the salutary operation
s of this sagacious and benevolent restraint, il
n is believed that the inhabitants of Indiana
ID will at no very distant day, find ample re.
muneration for a temporary privation Of labor
y and of emigration" ........
T. Sir. these reports, made in 1903 and 1907
7. and the action of Congress upon them, in con
formity with their recommendation, saved
of Illinois, and perhaps Indiana, from becoming
,- slave States. When the people Of Illinois
10 formed their State constitution, they incor
n. porated into 1t section providing that neithe
10 slavery nor involuntary servtude shall b.
le hereafter introduced into this State. Th
t. constitution made provision for the continues
u service oi the few persons who were orgina
&c ly held as slaves, and then bound to servic
is under the territorial laws, and for the freedom
10 Of their children, and thus secured the fna
10 extinction Of slavery. The Senator think
Of that this result is not attributable to the or
or dinance. differ from him. But for the or
es dinance, have no doubt slavery would hav
go been introduced into Indiana, Illinois, an
1t Ohio. 1t is something to the credit Of th
a. era Of conservatism, uniting its influence
st with those Of the expiring era Of enfranchise
We ment. that it maintained the ordinance o
he 1887 in the northwest.
ie The Era Of CONSERVATISM passed, also By
to imPerceptible gradations, into the Era of sLA
be VERY PRoPAGANpIsM. Under the influences
ne OF this new spirit we opened the whole ter
Sc ritory acquired from Mexico, except Califor
70 mia, to the ingress of slavery. Every foot o
10 1t was covered by Mexican prohibition; an,
8. yet. oy the legislation of 1850, we consented
D. to expose il to the introduction of slaves
D. Some, believe, have actually been carried
s. into Utah and into New Mexico. They may
e be few, perhaps, but few are enough to af,
s feet materially the probable character OF their
= future governments. Under the evil ,inau,
!. ences OF the same spirit, we are now called
q upon to reverse the original policy of the
o Republic; to subvert even a solemn compact
}. Of the conservative period, and open Nebras-
= ka to slavery. .arr.. 'rs.',...
= Sir, believe that we are upon the verge
= OF another era. That era will be the Era OF
d REACTION. The introduction of this question
l. here, and its discussion, will greatly hasten
c its advent. We, who insist upon the dena-
= tionalization of slavery, and upon the abso-
v lutte divorce Of the General Government from
'f all connection withit, will stand with the
n men who favored the compromise acts, and
n who yet wish to adhere to them, in their let
n ter aud their spirit, against the repeal OF the
Q Missouri prohibition. But you may pass it
here. You may send il to the other House.
1t may become law. But its effect will be to
. satisfy all thinking men that no compromise
: with slavery will stand, except so long as
, they serve the interests of slavery; and that
there is no safe and honorable ground for
shareholders to stand upon, except that
of tFiatinU siavarv ,,ithin Sf.t. l;.c;,. A