The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-06-06

mutual engagements been arralgned ana SOL
cmnly agreed TO, to be forever binding between
and upon the two great sections. ~,
now desire, Mr.. Chairman, in Tho spirit OF
calm and impartial history, to present to tho
committee brief statement of these compacts
and ga9cments-compacts and engagements
sir, upon which tho Union and Constitution
werc then founded-under which we have
grown to our present greatness as first rate
power-by virtue of which a comprehensive
patriotism, even now, in this moment of con-
troversy, binding our hearts together on this
floor as the representatives Of one mighty peo-
ple, has warmed into q generous, enduring
and noble passion, but all of which, as shall
finally show, you are about 20 eradicate and
cast away forever by tho passage of this bill.
At tho close of the revolutionary war, after q
sharp and persevering contest, and tho failure
of some other methods OF valuation, it was n
greed. in tho old Congress, on the LIST Of April
1888. in apportionng tho general burdens up.
on tho different States, TO adopt population as
tho basis, and count only three -ffths of the
slaves. On the final question establishing this
|rafio of slave remuneration. Rhode Island vo-
ted no. Massachusetts was divided. All the
other States voted aye.
This was tho frs. compromise ever made bo
tween the slaveholding States and tho free
States.
On the 1st of March, 1874. Virginia execu-
ted cession to tho United States of her terri
tory north and ives. ofthe Ohio river compris-
ing an area greater than all that remained to
her, that is greater than tho present States of
Virginia and Kentucky. The othor States
having proprietary interests there followed the
wise aud liberal example of Virginia. The
whole territory northwest Of the Ohio river
thus Became The common property of the Uni
ted States in Congress assembled IL was all
the territory they then possessed in common,
and all that any one imagined, at that time,
thev would ever possess.
The possession of territory in common is
contrary TO the genius of our Federal Union.
and necessarily involves the two sections of
the country in conflict. The question is-not
whether slave labor shall 90 with free labor on
equal terms into the common territory, butt
being well understood then. and as all subsc-
qucnt experience has constantly demonstrated.
that they cannot possibly both go, as one or
the othor must necessarily be excluded--
whether the territory shall be occupied by free
labor or by slavo labor. Tho issue was at once
made A struggle forthwith arose between
the two sections which form of labor should
occupy and possess tho Northwest Tcrritory.
The struggle continued for years with unaba-
ted energy and determination. and mover
could have been arrested. had not n compro-
mise, in the nature Of solemn and perpetual
compact, been agreed upon by the parties
In order that this great compromise. which
was the basis on which the American Union
was corstructcd-,he only basis upon which a
Union could have been formed. but which the
Nebraska bill not only violates but utterly re-
pnda'cs in express terms-may be understood,
must be allowed at this point, to 60 some
what into detail
s.h hs%eaStsy yAd ArF PiSpoIN9 Sp IN9rthycs Territory
StatesAin Congress assembled, that body ap-
piled itsslf tn provide for lis settlement and or
canizatiof,A Reports and bills wore brought in
for the mai,agcment and disposal of its lands,
and for the institution of civil and political So
cietv among those who might settle upon them
On tho lst Of March, 1884 the very d. of tho
cession from Virginia. q committee, consisting
of Messrs Jefferson, Of that State. Chase Of
MARYLAND. and Howell of Rhode Island. rcpor-
ted plan for the temporary government Of
tho Western Territory. Tho report was writ
ton by Jefferson, and contained the following
provisions:
'After tho year 1900 Of the Christian era. there
shall he neither slavery involuntary servitude in
any of the said States otherwise than in punishment
| Of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted to have been personally guilty."
On the 10Th of April, 1874, this proposition
of Mr.. Jefferson was voted down. On tho 10th
of March. 1855, Rufus King. Delegate from
Now York. renewed the proposition, but il met
a similar fate. Any one who examines tho
Journals, will see that the question thus raised
namely, whether shareholders should be allow.
cd to 90 into tho common territorial pos.
sessions of tho United States carrying that
species Of property with thcm, and holding il
there, defed tho solution of the old Congress
and that for threo long years, in unintermittcd
session, that body made no approaches what
over towards its settlement: the two sections o
tho country stood arrayed in unwavcriDg and
mmutable opposition to each other.
In tho mean time tho Confederation wai
growing moro and moro feeble and inadequate
to its objects every day. Tho experiment o
a Government embracing all the States, undo
an efficient Administration, was evidently be
ginning TO fail. In this crisis convention
was called to devise n firmer union. and organ
izo government that would hold tho Statc
together and save the country from dismem
| berment and ruin.
The convention assembled in Philadelphia
on tho 14th of May, 1897. Tho Congress o
the Confederation was sitting at The same tim,
in Now York.
The antagonism between the slaveholdinl
and free States was found TO be an irreconci
liable and ItHmitigablo In tho convention as II
the Congress. Ii soon became evident tha
neither body could solve the problem.
i Tho question Of tho estimate to be mad
of slaves, and which, in reference to taxation
had been adjusted in tho manner have dc
scribed several years before in the old Con
gress, camo up again in tho convention in an
other bearing. 1t was necessary 10 arrange
basis for House of Representatives. 1t wa
admitted that population was the only practi
cable measure that could be devised; and th
question was, how shall slavos bo counted il
npportioning representation in the House,
When taxes were to bo appor.ioncd upon pop
ulaton in the old Congress, the southern dele
! gates had maintained that slaves wero mcr
property, not persons, and therefore not TO b,
counted at all. Tho northern delegates ha,
contcnded, on tho other hand, that they wor
not property, but persons; and that, therefore
they all ought to bo counted. But when, il
the convention, political power was to be ap
portioncd in n House of Representatives, bot
sections at orco reversed positions. Th
South contendcd that slaves wcro persons, an,
ought all to bo countod; and tho North insis
ted that they were mere property. and ougb
II not 10 bo counted at all! Both sides adhere,