New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-05-18


and value Of Mr. Bentons volume a whole. we have
TO review in detail those of its most import
ant points which TO require remark. Bat Us Mr.
Benton does not wish 70 be understood coniemning
all those parts of lis speeches which he has not
re-IubisLed, We mu,t not by any means be taken
to approve all the statements opinions contained in
this volume, which We omit 20 crtcise. Mr.. Benton
has large space in which to express and defend his
ideas; but confined in which 10 question him.
Tie frat Of these particular points which we pro-
pose lotice relates 10 the history of the Ordinance
Of l7e1, for the government OF the territory
northwest of the Ohio, and more especially
to tie prohibition Of Slavery contained IN It.
Shortly after the commencement of Cen Jachsons
administration Mr.. Benton took occasion, from res
olution introduced by Mr.. Foot of Connecticut on
tie suboci of the public lands to make most v'o'e"'
onslaught upon New England as having ever oeeh nos
tile 10 the growth and prosperity of the West MI oen
ton in lis present View Review, notices the at vi
the acrimonious turn thus given TO the deos'e' ou'
uthopt the SLIGHTEST hint that he was the originator
of II. and indeed the reader would naturally suppose
from his statement that it originated with somebody
el.e Nj Webster, in bis first speech on MI root
resolutiou delivered on the III OF January lc5' by
w,v of ofsetting these allegations, referred among
other things TO the Ordnance OF l'o1 dwelling with
euphasis on the vast benefit which the antl-slayery
clause contained in it has conferred on the Western
country. and claiming, for Nathan Dane OF Massachu-
sets the authorship of that Ordinance. Mr.. Web
stsrs statement that the draft OF the Ordinance was
made by Mr. Dane was undoubtedly derived from
that gentleman himself. he being still alive. Mr..
Netste further claimed, that this great measure.
namely tie prohibition of Slavery was carried by the
North and by the North alone" Mr.. Benton immc
diately replied claiming the authorship Of the Ordi-
nance and especially of the prohibition of Slavery for
Mr. jefferson and the next day he read extracts from
the Journal Of tie Continental Congress to sustain
that position He relied upon the similar proyiso mot
TO take effect however till the year l-Jl but other
wse the in its phraseoOgy with that OF the Ord-
nance OF I7c7 contained in a set of resolves on the
government OF the Western Territory, reported by
jefferson in l7e, but then struck out for the want OF
States enough 10 support it; again brought FORWARD
~ Mr.. King of Massachusetts, tie next year, aud on
hs motion referred TO a Committee, and hnaly en-
grated in modified form into the Ordinance OF lI'1
by which il was made go into effect at once. This
Ordnance Mr Benton showed was passed by vote OF
eight States the whole number present, and in-
GLIDING Delaware. Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina and Georgia. After having disposed of this
tonic. Mr.. Benton passed on to Others but Mr.. Web
ser coming in $50 the report of Mr.. Benons speech
in The National InieHigencer sates he gave way to
Mr.. Hayne. against whom Mr.. Websters artillery had
been chiefly eveled Mr.. Hayne then commenced a
speech which, however, he aid not conclude I'LL
the 18TH TO which day the debate was adjourned and
which drew out on the Goth and 9th Mr.. Websters
great naturalization speech by which he gained so
much reputation. Mr. Hayne, too, as well as Mr.
Benton had held up rdicule the pretensons set up
for certain Nathan Dane" and the high euoglum
bestowed upon him ~ the author OF the Ordi-
nance of l7-7 He remarked with an Ill
timed sneer that the South, prior to this great
discovery Lad never heard of this Nathan Dane
whom Mr.. Webster wished TO exalt as legislator
above the fame of Scion and Lycurgus, except as a
member of the Hartford Convention These personal
surs upon this aged patriot, as well as Mr.. Haynes
illusions to the quotations produced by Mr. Benton
from the Journal Of the Continental Congress did not
pass without notice from Mr.. Webster, who insisted
that the Journal itself without argument or comment
.reluted the attempt to transfer from the North to
the South the honor of the exclusion of Slavery from
1.-the North Western Territory" According to his
version Of the Journal northern States voted for
Mr. JefersOn's proposition, but as Maryland Virginia
and South Carolina were against II, Georgia absent,
and North Carolina divided it was lost for want OF
nine States in its favor As reproposed the next year
BY Mr. King of Massachusetts, it had appended to it
proyiso that this regulation should become an article
'of compact" and fundamental constitutional prn-
cple as between the old States and the ones, for
which clause, providing it did, the adequate and
Thorough security" eight northern States voted
srmetiyely and four southern States negatively, and
thus Con the idea that votes were necessary to
pass it, 1.-THE provision was again rejected by the
" southern States. The perseverance OF the North
=. held out" so Mr. Webster continued, and two
wears afterward the object attained AZ
ter disposing of this and other preliminary topics
Mr. Webster took up the subje of notification, and
having concluded, Dir. Hsyne replied after which,
on the 2cth, Dir. Benton resumed the interrupted
thread of his speech continuing for three four days
to reinforce his former attacks upon the East but
without ANY at least his speech is printed
in Tie tetgencer TO the history OF the Ordinance of
l7e7.
So the matter stands on the record; and one might
suppose that Nr. Benton woud be satisfied with the
case ar II appears there Mr. Webster in order to
sustain bis original allegation, that the great measure
Of the prohibition of Slavery in the northwest had
been carried 'by the North, and by the North alone
had been driven what certainly not true
that the Ordinance for the OF the western
territory was Of those matters which required the
concurrence of States. But in fact Mr. Jeiersons
proyso struck cut not for want of nine States TO
IL Int, r.. had already stated for