Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-03-04

High eminent, blooming ombrosial frui
OF vegetable cold.

1t is with regard to this territory, that YOU are
now called 20 exercise the grandest function of the
lawgiyer, by establishing those rules Of polty
which will determine its future character As the
twig is bent the tree inclincs and the influences
impressed upon the early days of an empire-like
those upon child-are of nconceiyabe import
ance to its future veal or woe. The bill now be-
fore us, proposes to organize aud equip two new
territorial establishments, with governors secre-
tarcs, legislative councils legislators Judges mar
shals, and the whole machinery Of civil society
Such measure, at any time, would deserve the
most careful attention. But at the present moment,
It Justly excites peculiar interest, from the effort
made-on pretenses unsustilinod by facts--in VIOLA
tinn Of solemn covenant aud Of the early priaei-
pies OF our fathers--to open this immense region
to slavery.
According to existing law, this territory is now
guarded against slavery by positive prohibition,
embodied in the act of Congress- approved March
9th, 1920 preparatory to the admission of Missouri
into the Union MS sister State, and in the follow
ing explicit words
SEC. s. BE Il, ,tivtier enacted, That in all that
territory ceded By France 10 He United States, under
The name Of Louisiana, which lies north of 36o 30<
Of north latitude, not included within the limits of
the State contemplated by this act, SLAVERY AND
INVOLUNTARY sERylTuDE, otherwise than as the pun
lshment OF crimes, SHALL De, AND is HEREBY, FOR
EVER PROHIBITED"
1t is now proposed to set aside this prohibition :;
but there seems to he singular indecision as to
the way in which the deed shall be done From
the Committee on Territories, the proposition has
assumed different shapes and it promises to as
sumo as many as Proteus; now, one thing in form,
and now, another: now, like river, and then like
flame but in every form and shape, identical in
substances with but one end and aim-its bc-all
End end-all--thc overthrow Of the prohibition OF
slavery.
At first it proposed simply to declare, that the
States formed out Of this territory should be adj
s.Na 1
and did not directly assume to touch this prohib-
ton. For some reason this not satisfactory
and then it was precpitatey proposed to declare,
that the prohibition in the Missouri act twas
superseded by the principles of the legislation OF
1850, commonly called the Compromise Measures
and is hereby declared imperative" But this
would not do and it is now proposed to declare
that the Prohibition, being inconsistent with tho
principles of non-interycnton, by Congress, witt
Slavery in the States and Territories as recognized
| by TIE legislation Of 1850, commonly called the
Compromise Measures, is hereby declared inopera
! tive and void"
All this is to be done on pretenses founded upor
the slavery enactments of 1850, seeking, with min
gled audaeity and cunning, "by indirection to fnt
direction out" Now, sir, / am not here to speal
IN behalf OF those measures, or to lean in any way
upon their support. Relating to different subject
matters contained in different acts, which prevailed
successfully, at different times, and by differen
some voting for another, and very few voting fo
all, they cannot be regarded rs unit enlbodying
conditions OF compact, or compromise, ifyou please
adopted equally by all parties, and therefore
obligatory ON all parties. But since this broker
series of measures has been adduced as an apoog,
for the proposition now before us, | desire TO say
that such as they are, they cannot, by any effort
Interpretation, by any distorting wand Of power
by any perverse alchemy be Transmitted into
repeal of that original prohibition of slavery.
On this head there are several points to which
would merely call attention, and then pass on
First: The Slavery enactments of 1850 did no
pretend, in terms, to touch, much less to change
the condition of the Louisiana Territory, whcl
was already fixed by Congressional enactment
but simply acted upon "newly acquired Terri
tories" the condition Of which was not alread
fixed by Congressional enactment. The two trans
actions related to different subjectmatters. See
OHdty: The enaetments do not directly touch tn
Subject Of Slavery during the Territorial existenc
of Utah and New Mexico but they provide pros
pectiyely, that, when admitted as States, they sha
be received with or without slavery" Here cel
tainly can be NO overthrow of an act of Congress
!, which directly concerns Territory during is Tt1
ritoyial eristence. Thirdly. During all the discus
sion Of these measures in Congress- and alterward
before the people, and through the public press, n
the North and the South alike, no person was hear
10 intimate that the prohibition Of Slavery in Tia
Missouri act was iL any way disturbed. And
} jomttiy; The acts themselves contain n forma
provision, that nothing herein contained shall b
} construed to impair qualify anything" in eel
} tain article of the resolutions annexing Texas
wherein Il is expressly declared, that in crritor
} lnorth-of the Missouri Compromise line, SLAYER
or involuntary seNitudc, except for crime shall b
1 prohibited"