Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-09-18
Jaf(iuntsota Tiu(fs,
SATURDAY, SEPT. Is, 1855.



what the Great Men of the thought of Slavery
the Cause Of the Present Disturbance.
We have already quoted extensively from
Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe,
respecting their views on Slavery, but we can
not refrain from giving the following extract OF
a letter from the Father of his Country" to
Lafayette, written in 1898. He said:
q agree with you cordially in your views in
regard to Negro slavery. have long consid-
cred ii most serious evil, both socially and
politically, and should rejoice in any feasible
scheme to rid the States of such burden.-
The Congress of 1857 adopted an ordinance
which forever prohibits the existence OF invol-
untary servitude in our northwestern territory.
| consider it a wise measure; and though II
was introduced by gentleman from New Eng
land it met with the approval and assent 81
nearly all the members from the States more
immediately interested in slave labor. The
prevailing opinion in Virginia is against the
spread of slavery into our new country, and
trust that we shall ultimately have confedera-
cy of free States. would, at any time, glad
ly relnquish the right of property in my own
slaves, if judicious system of emancipation
could be devised"
Mark the sentence:
s.The Congress of l7>1 adopted Ordinance which
forever prohibits the existence Of involuntary servi
tude in our Northwestern Territory
This ordinance or the principle involved, was
incorporated the compromise of 1920. Just
previous to this date Missouri desired to be adj
mittcd into the Union with Slavery. The North
objected on the ground that all this North
Western territory was free, and cited the Or
dinance Of l7S7 to prove their position. The
South insisted that it should come in with Sla-
rery-the North insisted it should not. The
fight between the North and the South grew
warm, and fears were entertained for disso-
luton of the Union, when the Compromise of
1920 was enacted, the Sth section of which
reads as follows:
"SEc s. find be II further enacted, That in
all that territory coded by France to the United
States, under the name Of Louisiana, which
lies north of SO deg. 80 min. north latitude, not
included within the limits of the State concm-
plated by this act, slavery and involuntary SER
vitude, otherwise than in the punishment of
crimes, whereof the parties shall have been
duly convicted, shall be, and hereby is, .torerer
prohibited.
This Compromise permitted the Slavery Prop
agandists to do what they pleased with the
territory South of the line SO degrees 80 min
utes; but insisted that all territory NORTH of
this line, should be FOREVER FREE. This was
conceded on the part of the North, to sootke
llo1 rlu IL H,-,,
years, the great men of both parties, including
Adams, Clay, Webster, Jackson, Johnson
Polk, Calhoun, and others, acquiesced in this
Compromise, believing it to be as binding as
the Constitution itself, but no sooner had these
great men gone down to their graves, than
Stephen A. Douglas, Northern man with
Southern feeings-Southern interests. and with
hope of procuring Southern votes, introduced
his Nebraska-Kansas Bill, which contained a
clause repeating the Missouri Compromise
At first, the North and the South were acton
ished at the impudence and audacity of the
Little Giant" but after the first shock was
over, the South backed the Northern traitor, ant
assisted by few Of his co-laborers who were
i'm the secret of the Administration, and were
promised offices of trust if they would sustain
it, the Bill was passed and the barrier which
had been held sacred for thirty-fve years wa:
demolished. We need not recapitulate the re
suits of that act,-they are fresh in the memo
ry of all. Outrages emanating from it, are
Transporting even now Oh the borders of Mis-
souri,, the news of which are borne back on al.
most every wind to remind us of the inEamy
which will forever surround the names of the
authors Of the deed. And yet when the North
seeks to populate Kansas, in a legitimate man.
ner, with freemen, they are met on the thresh-
hold and driven back with blood-shed and
mob-yiolencc. Will the lrecmen of the North
submit to these things any longers Shall we,
of Minnesota cringe to this power, until it shall
place its bony fingers on our threats and re-
move the vital tide of life? Never never
Let the "ally" organ of Stringfellow and At
Gibson of this city prate about the preservation
of the Union-the nationality of the Democra-
cy-the wrongs of the South and the fanaticsm
of Abolitionists-wc can bear all this, but let
us no longer submit to the inroads of Slavery
Or the mendacity and impudence of those
who would seek to frighten us from the track
by the cry of "waging warfare on the con-
stitutional rights of the South 1t is time
when back-bones are needed, and if the Repub-
leans will only stand firm until after the ninth
of October next, Minnesota will do her duty
in the great warfare now being waged in favor
of Freedom and the Rights of Man.
RumOred Forgery!
A rumor was current on the street yesterday
that one of our merchants had committed for
gerry to a large amount. 1t seems that he had
been in the habit of endorsing notes for gem
tlcman whose drafts were readily cashed in n.