The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-06-30

declared that there shall be neither sla-
very nor involuntary ser,itude except
for the punishment Of crime.
The great and ilourishing State. since
orsanired within that ordinance are en-
during monuments Of the wisdom ofthe
statesmen Of the revolution. The for
cign slave trade was regarded as the
source Of American slavery. which il
was believed would be dried up when
,ha, fountain should be closed.
In adopting the constitution il was so
universally anticipated lha, the foreign
slave trade would be promptly probib-
tied, that nil parties acquicsced in
stipulation posiponing that measure ill
/ lseS. The foreign slave irndn was
prohibited, thus the source of slavery
was understood to be dried up. while
the introduction of slavery into the ter
rliories was prohibited; the slavery
question, so far as j, was national one,
was understood to be iinsly settled, aud
at the same time the States had already
taken up and were carrying forward a
system of gradual emancipation.
In 1903 Louisiana was acquired by
purchase from France, aud included
what is now known MS the States of
Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas and To-
wa, and the territories known as Kan
sas and Nebraska. Slavery existed at
J the time in New Orleans and at st.
Louis, and so this purchase resulted IN
bringing the slavery question again be-
fore Congress. In 1912 the region
Immediately surrounding New Orleans
applied for admission into the Union,
under the name OF the State Of Louisi-
ana, with Constitution tolerafing sla-
very, and the free States aequiesced.
Eight years afterwards tho region
connected with ST. Louis demanded ad-
mission under the name of the State of
Missouri, with a constitution tolerating
slavery. The Free States reverted TO
the principle of 1887, and opposed the
admission of Missouri, unless she would
incorporate into her Constitution a pro-
hibtion Of the further in PRODUCTION of
slavery into the State. Tho slave
States insisted upon her unqualified ad-
mission. A controversy arose. which
was sectional and embittercd, and which
we are assured 10y coptemporaneou his
,oryseriously imperilled the Union. The
statesman OF that day settled the contro-
versy by compromise, aud the free States
assenied TO the admission Of Missouri
with her slave holding Consiituiion,-
while the slave holding States on their
part yielded the exclusion of slavery in
all the residue Of territory, which lay
North of 36 3d. constituting the pres
ent territories Of Kansas and Nebraska.
The slave holding States accepted the
compromise MS triumph, and the free
States have ever since left it undistur-
bed and unquestoned
Arkansas, part of Louisiana which
lay South of 36 80, in compliance with
the implication which was contained in
this compromise was afterwards admit
ted as slave holding State, the free
States acquiesced. In 1879. Florida,
slave holding Province of Spain was
acquired. This Province was after
wards admitted as slave holding
State, the free States again aequiesced.
In lsf5, Texas, an independent
sIaveholdng state, was admitted and
annexed with a provision in the article
OF annexation for the subdivision of her
territory into FIVE States. The free
States, though they regarded the an
nexation with the probable increase Of
that number Of slave States with very
great disfiIyor, nevertheless acquiesced
again.
New territories we re acquired by
the treaty of peace which closed the
war with Mexico. The people Of Cal
iiornia formed Constitution inhibiting
slavery and applied for admission inioihe
Union. Violent opposition was made
by the slave States, in and out Of Com
gress, threatening dissolution Of the I'm
ION iiCalifornia should be admitted. Pro-
eeeding on the ground Of these alarms,
Congress adopted another compromise,
the terms Of which were that ten mil
lion dollars of the peoples money should
be given TO Texas TO induce her 10 re-
hnquish very doubtful claim upon an
uncomfortable part of New Mexico
and Utah should be acquired without
inhibition Of slavery, and that they
should be afterwards admitted rs slave
or iree States, as the people when form
ing constitutions should determine that
the public slave trade in the District of
Columbia should be abolished without
affecting The existence of slavery 10
the District, and that new and rieo-
rous provisions for the recaplure Of
fugitive slaves of disputed conslliu-
tionaliiy should be adopted. and iha, on
these grounds California should be al.
miited as free State. Repuggani as
this Compromise Was to the people Of
the free States, aequiescenee WAS prac-
'ieaily obtained by means Of solemn as
surances maan on behalf of the slave
holding STATES that the Comptomi,e
was aud should be forever regarded as
final adjustment Of the slavery qaes-
ton aud Of al the issues which eoall
Po.s'biy arse out of il. A new Con
gress convened in Dec. 1851 Repre-
seniaiiFes from the slave ssaios de-
tnanded = rrae,f,.d ,,l,.d,,s a. fsst;t, a,