New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-06

Arrl l7s3 in apportonng the general burdens upon the
different States, 70 adopt population as the eass ana
ton establishing this ratio Of slave enumeration. khode
Island voted no. Massachusetts, was divided. All the
other States voted ayc This the first compromise
ever made between the aveholdng and the free States
On the lst of March, i7s4 Virginia executed eesson to
the United States Of her territory north and west OF the
Ohio River comprising an area greater than all thai re-
NAMED 10 her that greater than the present states OF
Virginia and Kentucky The other States having prope-
tary interests there followed the wise and liberal example
of Virginia The whole territory northwest Of the OHIO
River thus became the common property OF the United
States In Congress assembled. IL was all the territory
they then possessed in common, and all that any one I'M
aened at That time they would possess The posses,
sion Of territory in Is contrary 10 the genius oil
federal Union and necessarily involves the two sec
,ons Of the country in conflict. The question is-not
whether slave labor shall 90 with free labor on equal
"a rms into the common territory butt being well UNDER
stood then and ar all subsequent experience has constant
" demonstrated that they cannot possibly both a. one
or the other necessarily be excuded-wheiher the
territory shall be occupied by free labor by slave labor
The Issue made. A struggle forthwith arose
bewte the sections which form OF labor should cccu-
by and possess the Northwest Territory. The struggle
continued for years with undated energy and determine
ton and could have been arrested had not COM
proInise the solemn and perpetual compact,
been agreed upon by the parties. In order that this great
compromise which was the basis which the American
Union constructed-tbeo only basis upon which Union
could have been formed but which the Nebraska bill no
only violates but utterly repudises in express ternsnhy
be understood must be allowed at this point 70 90
somewhat into detail Immediately after the Northwest
Territory had become the property of the United states
in Congress assembled that body applied Itself 10 provide
for its settlement and organization Reports and bills
brought in for the management and dposa OF us
lands and for the Institution Of oiv and political society
among those who might settle upon them On the Isl Of
March 1874 the very dav Of the ce.sion from Virginia.
Committee consisting OF Messrs Jefferson %. nat
STATE Chase OF Maryland and Howell OF Rhode
Island reported plan for the temporary government 81
the Western Territory. The report Yves written by Jeher
son, and contained the following provision
nd as yi1 sg ies sa The 'sls
punishment crimes party shan hare been du
| fgffdf have hferv frs re
On tie 10Th Of April l7s4 this proposition of Mr. Jeiier-
voted down. On the 10th OF March '-', huias
King Delegate from New York, renewed the proposition
but il met similar fate Any who examines the Jour
Ials will that the question thus raised, namely whether
Shareholders should be allowed to go mo the common YER
ritoral possessions Of the United States, carrying hat
species Of properly with them, and holding II there
d.fed the solution of the old Congress, and that for three
long years, in uninermed session, that body male no
aptroacbes whatever toward lis settlement the two
ons the country stood aayed IN unwavering AMI M
muable opposition 10 each Other In the mean Tune inc
Confederation growing more ana more eepie ana m
ADEQUATE its objects every day The experiment OF
Government embracing all the States, under efficient
Administration was evidently beginning to fail In this
crisis Convention was called to devise hrner uo ana
organize gov that would hold the States together
and the country from dsmenbernent and rum ne
Convention assemb, III Philadelphia on NE ifi OF ma!
lei The Congress of the Confederation was sitting al
tie same time in New York The antasonlsn between the
slave holding and free States was found 10 be rs recoh
cable and mmitieable in tie Convention in the Con.
lres. became evident that neither body could
solve the problem The question of the estimate TO be
al slaves and when, III Reference
been adjusted in the manner have described several
YEAR before in the old Congress agann tile Con
yenion in another bearing twas necessary to arrange
basis for Ho,e of Representatives. Ii was admitted tla
population the only practicable measure mat cohd DC
devised and tie question how shall slaves be counted
in apportionng rosenatlon i'll the House hen taxes
wue TO be aploroned upon population i'll the old Con-
eress the southern delegates had maintained that slaves
property, not persons ana therefore hot 10 De
counted at all. The northern delegates htd coh'ehel on
tie other hand that they were not property but persons
and that therefore they all ought 10 be counted But
when, in the Convention political power was 10 be aFPor-
toned in House of Representatives both sections AZ once
reversed positions. The South coneided thai slaves were
rersons and ought all be counted and the North IN
sisted that they property and ought not To be
counted at all Both sides adhered 10 their ground with
unfolding periinacy. Months passed after months but
no progress made III tie work OF conciLatlo-iot-
ine wac settled and nothing touching NJ all the points Of dl
ference appeared to be in the way of approaching settle
ment The two bodies continued Their unayaling
old Congress in Newfork, the Convention an Phhadel-
Ila. he great obstacle 10 an adjustment was te very
auestion now before us. The slave States claimed the
rpit of going with their slaves into the Northwest Ie1
tory do not think that any then took the ground OF
souatter sovereignty That is discovery OF the po
icai umnaries of day. But the general rigi, upon
the principles Of equal justice commended for by my honor
allie fried from North Carolina, MIR. Kerr, OF slave
holder 90 with lii slaves into the common unoccupled
territory of the Union persisted IN by the southern
Dele gales; and surely with as good reason len - now
The largest part of that common territory originally De-
logged 10 Virginia She had Just ceded H. ~ Tree gh
to the United States. 1t hand 10 deny To Nrgndns
the rcht of crossing their Ohio 10 lis opposite bank
INTO what but a few DAYS before had been ter terri
tory with their personal and domestic property But The
people of the free States then resolved rs believe
thew are and trust they ever Will be- That tins CONT
rent shall not be enveoped in slavery ami that limit
shell be put liz extension The comoy ersy was ifrecon
cileabe. maintain, looking at the subject not as poll
cian but historian, that the Constitution could not
have been formed the Confederation could not nave been
prerved and the States could not have continued under
one Government, nd not compromise IN the nature OF
q compact been made. such compromise or compact
was made. Ii is the basis upon which the Constitution
constructed and which 1t has stood from that day
to this but which the bill before proposes to repudate
erea annul and overthrow. The secret history OF the
transaction is not yet reveaed-perhaps never VIII be-
The facts far they are yet known, are these; On
the 9th of july l7e7 in the old Congress the subject Of
the establishment of Civil Government in the Northwest
Territory was again taken up and referred 10 committee
of five of whom Mr. Nicholas OF Virginia was chairman
ard Nathan Dane of Massachusetts member Tn the lih
Of july only two DAYS aferward this committee reported
the celebrated instrument since known the Ordinance
of l1s7 Ii contains the clause forbidding the exen
sion Of slavery into that Territorythe very clause sub
stantiay which Thomas Jefferson had endeavored IN VAIN
TO persuade the body 10 adopt which Rufus King
had also advocated III vain: and which for than
three wears the slavehodng Representatives had con-
stantlv resisted with prompt and ntexble determination
and unan.mty. But now, the very next day after II hhu
been reported they unanimously and instantly accepted
and agreed every southern vote stands recorded IN
the affirmative indeed every vote, North and South
cep tha, OF single Delegate from ork Robert ates
Why This sudden utter and universal change wa be-
cause there attached To the restriction obligation
on the part of the States that might be formed within the
Territory permit the reclamation Of fugitive slavesan
idea preached before either the Congress or the
Convention and known to the law of Nations or the
comfy of States. Ii evidently the consideration
by the States the slave States and accepted
Nv The latter equiv aent for their renguishnen OF
their claim right their Institution into any part
of tie common territorial possessions Of the United States
This arrangement removed all obstacles out OF the
way establishing union under the Constitutions forth
with everything tremendously and rapidly toward
the