Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-25

You il Won performed your duties according 20 the
stituton and your official oath, saw them faithfully
cuted Yet you presume to arraign for having al
luded to wel-known historical fact in the course ola
legitimate argument in the performance of my duties in
the Senate. My statement was that although Congress
had prohibited slavery by the ordinance In the Territories,
it had cot succeeded in excluding 1t in fact that slavery
existed there in defiance Of the prohibition and
cognised and protected by the Territorial Legislation
now affirm the remaining position which you have con-
troverted, to wits 1t is curious fact that 50 long q
Congress said the Territory Of Illinois should not have
slavery she actually had it and the very day whm
the Congressional prohibition withdrawn the peale
Of Illinois, Of their free will and accord provdeefor
system of emancipation The fact Of the existence on
slavery there trust viii no longer be denied lhaye
already shown that the constitution with which Illinois
was admitted into the Union did not ABOLISH slavery,
did not set at liberty the slaves then in the Stste bus
provided that "HEREAFTER" no should be intro
duced 1t also provided that the andentured servants,
Of whom were also slaves should be held to service
for the entire period specified in their ndentures
1t then provided Tor the emancipation Of their children
earlier period than that prescribed in the Territorial
law under which they were born slaves The law, we
have already seen provided that the children Of inden
tred slaves should reman slaves for thirty il males
and years females. The constitution short
ened this period by the proyso tat the children here
after Of such negroes muattoes shall become FREE
the males at the age Of and the females
at the age Of eighteen years" Under this system Of
gradual emancipation the number of slaves in the State
continued to diminish slowly but steadily until the adop
ton Of the constitution In l847, when slavery may
be supposed to have become extinct by virtue OF the for
lowing proviso There shall be neither slavery in
voluntary serytude in this State except punishment
for crime" &c.
Now, sir, having INDICATED every position in my
speech which has been assaulted BY and established
the correctness of every material and allegation by
inconroyertble records, trust may be permitted to
take leave of the subject without being placed under the
necessity in efdefence to to it again Referring
to these facts and allegations you say these assertions
cast notifying reproach our country " if faith Is
given to them the history Of the country is made lud
crous " "it shows that greatest men and highest
functonares have been for seventy years under most
ridiculous and false deuson, &c. &C. In all this You
viii permit to suggest that you have fallen into avery
natural error in supposng that these weauhenticated
facts unknown to all intelligent men, merely be-
of g our greatest and highest funcona-
res in Illinois early history remains ignorant of them
to this day
have the honor to be, very respectfully obedent
servant, s. A. DOUGLAS.
EDWARD COLES, Esq, .....
En- Governor of Illinois.