Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-05-12


and must be 10 In their lie, and those
who love one must accept tho other.
This was done In tho month Of July
in tho city OF New York, where the
Congress of the Confederation then
sat- The National Convention was
sitting at the same time in the city Of
Philadelphia. nc work upon the Federal
Constitution. The two bodies were
in constant communication with each
other, and some leading members( as
Mr.. Madison and Gen. Hamiton) were
members OF each and attending by
turns In each. The Constitution was
finished in September. and received
the fugitive slave recovery claus inn
mediately after It's insertion IN the
ordinance. IL was the work of the
same hands, and at the same time, in
both instruments; and IL is we'll known
that the Constitution could not have
been formed without that clause. Thus
the compromise clause in the ordinance
is father TO the compromise clause in
the Constitution; and Missouri com
promise results from both; and all
three stand before US as founded iu the
same circumstances. induced by the
same considerations, and directed by
the same policy--that OF the peace,
harmony. and perpetuity OF this Union.
In point OF moral obligation consider
them equal. and resulting fIom condi-
tons which rendered them indispensa-
BILE. Two Of them have all the qualities
OF compromise. those of the odinance
and OF The Constitution. They are
founded in agreement. in consent. In
compact, and ARE as sacred and inyio-
able as human agreements can be-
The third one, that of the Missouri
anti slavery line, was not made upon
agreement. IL was imposed by votes.
by the South upon the North, resisted
by the North at the time, acquiesced
in afterwards; and by that acqulescence
became a binding covenant between
both parties; and the more so on the
South. because she imposed It. l
repeat, it was an imposition. not q
compact. The South divided, and took
the choice; and now it will not do TO
claim the other half on the ground OF
The original dissatisfaction oil the other
party. Brothers cannot divide an estate
IN that way--one make the division,
and take choice, and afterwards clam
the other half. The South has her
half. She gave " away once--gaye
It to Spain -and the North helped her
to get it back, even at the expense OF
war. without suspecting that she was
strengthening the South to enable it
to take the other half. But this attempt
does not come from the South, and
finds resistance there.
TIE RESULT oe AN ATTEMPT TO REPEAL
THE COMPROMISE OF 1851.
This brings us TO the question OF
repeal or abrogation OF these compro-
misses. The one in the Constitution
cannot be got rid OF without an amend
ment TO that instrument. and is,
therefore beyond the reach of Congress.
The other two. being in the form OF
statutes. are subjects Of legislation.
and legally repealable by Congress-
Efforts were made TO impair one. that
of 1897. some fifty years ago. AN
effort is now made TO repeal the other;
and the history and fate of the FIRST
attempt may be advantageous in the
consideration of the second. 1t was
in the year 1898. The then territory
OF Indiana had been slave territory
under the French government, and
continued so under the American until
1897. 1t extended to the Mississippi.
and contained many slaves. Vincennes,
Cahokia, Prairie dc Rocher. Kaskaskia,
were all slave holding towns. The
inhabitants were attached to that
property. and wished TO retain it, al
least temporarily. and also to invite
a slaveholding emigration, until an
increase OF population should afford
an adequate supply of free labor, and
they pctitioned Congress accordingly
The petition came from convention
of the people. presided over by Gov
Harrison, and only asked for the sus-
pension of the anti-slavery part of the
ordinance for ten years, and limited
in its application to their own territory
The petition was referred TO a select
committee Of the House; Mr.. Randolph
was chairman, and received its
answer in report in these words:
"That the rapid population of the
State of Ohio sufficiently evinces, ir
the opinion of your committee, tha
the labor of slaves is not necessary tC
promote the growth and settlement o
colonies in that region; that this labor
demonstrably the dearest of any. can
only be employed to advantage in the
cultivation oil products more valuable
than any known in that quarter Of tn.
United States; that the committee
deem it highly dangerous and inexpe
dent TO impair provision wisely
calculated TO promote the happiness
and prosperity OF the Northwestern
country, and TO give strength and Sc
curity To that extensive frontier. Ii
the salutary operations Of this sagac
ious and benevolent restraint it il
believed that The Inhabitants OF Indiana
will, at no distant day. find ampl,
remuneration for temporary priyatioI
OF labor and emigration.
This was the answer of the selec
committee; and it became the answe
, Of the House-of this House just fit,
! years ago-wnen the South was abou
; AS ably represented here as it ever ha
: been since, and when It's relativ,
: strength was greater than it has eve
: been since. The answer is peremp