New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-28

einzep' ana tns giving Nnss the future S'ae- aaa
eeeotdly IN sddDg 10 L. fundamental articles oil
compact, that the pew Stateseould in no case inter-
FIRE With the primary disposal o..he sill BY The United
S,aies tina. Lo tax should be imp~ed ON lands the
propesy Of the United States, and t>t the lands Of
d, n.resdenfs should never be t,xed b'ser than the
la.ds Of residen's With these exception the plan
ado ,ted by Congress was substantially the sme as
spd for The most part in ibe words Of the one
submitted by Mr. Jefferson. -Four cen days af'erits
ps,.sce, Mr.. jefferson, on May 7, l7s4, was APP
pointed Minister to France and vs,sted his seat IN
Congress To that seat be never returned NOR in
deed to Il United Stsss until ser the adoption OF the
new Constitution in 1889. This, therefore, seems the
whole of Mr.. J,fferscn's connection with the Ord
napces for the government Of the Western Ter
riiory and is the cole basis upon which the credit
claim ed for bin OF being the author of the Ordinance
of 81, which was originated, discussed, matured'
sdopied and promulgated while be was in France,
and without, so far as appears, any consultation on
any eide with him.
The plan Of Government adopted in April - re-
sined ibe sx of the land until superseded and re-
peaed by the ordinance of s7 in the interim, hov'
ever much attepiion and care were besto we'd by
Congress plans for The regulation, surveying and
drip. sing Of The vast territories ceded by New. York,
Virginia and other Stafes the United States. All
these bad more or less bearing on the final ordinances
of 81 for the government OF this territory and gave
il cone of its ost valuable aud characteristic feat
ures Mr. King took an early, active and very lniu-
entail part in ell these discussions as more fully ap-
pears in TIE chapter devoted TO the special topic ot
the trJe lands of he United States IL IL, hoSeVsr,
essential to the narrative no in hand to state that on
the 4th Of March, IS, ordinance FOE a-certain'ns
the mode Of locating and disposiug OF lands IN me
Western Terrific was cad a dr,t time IN Congress
On the 10th Of the same month mott n VAS made oy
Mr. Kire seconded by Mr. Ellery, of Rhode Island,
that the following proportion be commited "Inat
There shall be neither Slavery nor involuntary ser
vitude in any of the ates described by the resolve
"of Congress Of 23d April, -l7si otherwise than IN
"pupisbmebt Of crime, whereof the party shall have
"been personally guilty, and that this aulaon shau
"be On article OF compact and rensin fundamental
"pripcple Of the Constitution between the thirteen
original States and each Of the States described in
"ihs said resolve OF 23d April, l7si
The notion to commit prevailed -damp-
SHIRE Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut,
New.YoIk New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland
voting lye: Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolins, Georgia voting No. Georgia, however
bad only one repre- entative present. and her
vote wss, Therefore, lost, and Delaware was
unrepreteptd wholly. Every member from the
STATES in TIE affirmative voted aye, except Mr. Nc
Henry, of Mar land, whose vote was overborne oy
those Of his two colleagues, Mr.. j. Henry and MIR.
HDdDan, and every member from the States Ia the
negative voted nay, except Mr.. Grayson, f VIZ
pips, whose vote was OVERCOME by that of MS Two
colleagues, Mr.. Hardy and Mr.. Lee.
OF the motion thus committed, tre Journals OF Ooh-
gress, most inperieciy kept give no saosequen. &C.
count, petter does ally contemporary authority when
bave been able to consult.
On The same day, however, the 18th March, the
ordinance real the first time on the 'th March came
I'D on it's second reading, and after deoate was re-
ferr.d to q grand Committee Of one fro eacn o's.e'
This Comm ittee-compose d of Sir. Long, IN. H. Mr..
King, Mass Mr.. Howell, az, I.,l Mr.. Jonnson'
Conn Mr.. X. 4. Livingston, IN w. Mr.. Ste"art,
iNJl Mr.. Gardner. (Penns., Mr.. j. Henry, ND }
Mr.. Grayson, Va } Mr.. williamson, IN Co. SIR.
Ball. -. C..) Mr. Houston, ga ,, reported on the
18th APRIL in the shape of another ordinance. which
was n en- read first Time The consider alton Of it
was sumed on the 2Oh and it continued to be Tub
ect of debate al amendment from that day until the
Goth of Nay, when it was finally adopted. Mr.. X.
took very active part in all these deoafes as the
Journals show but the ordnsnce being Zone for ascer
"the western territory and not for their government
Mr.. X. would seem to have been restrained by its
character aud objects from pressing the Introduction
into it of his AniiSlavery clause committed on the
10Th inst.
The next effort, in the order Of time to establish
for the Territories is thus noticed in the
journal Of Friday, Goth September 1876; Congress
proceeded in the consideration Of an ordinance for
T..-: al k,x
Mr. johnson, Mr.. Pinkney, Mr.. Smith, Mr.. Dane
and Mr.. Hepry.' No previous reference to the APP
poipiment of this Committee, appears in the Journal.
The Houfe debated the report day and again on the
4h October after which nothing further concerning it
10 recorded in the Journals and the Congress expired
BY It's proper limitation on Saturday, 4th November.
On Monday, tie 9th November, the new Congress
n et but without forming a quorum, and none was
formed till Wednesday, l7'h January, 81. Mr.. Cor
ham, Mr.. King, Mr.. Dane, were in attendance from
Massachusetts,. The House failed to elect President
on that cay al 10 quorum vas obtained again until
Friday, I'd February. when Gen st. Clair was chosen
President. BY On annual resolution the unfinished
BURNERS Of the old Congress continued in the
new Congress, and accordingly in the journal Of
Wednesday, oh May, 1887, we find this entry Con.
"grsss prcceeced in the second reading Of the ord
snce for the government offhe Western rerit,ry"
1t was debated that dsy Mr.. Kog and Mr.. Dane
being both present and voting, and was ordered to
be tram crbed and 10 be read third time next day.
1t wee however, postponed on that day, and no more
lie bend oft. From Friday, the llth May to Friday,
the 9Th July, quorum could be had and Of course
no business was done in Congress. Again, from
Friday, 9Th, to Wednesday, July II, the House was
left without quorum. On that day 18th July we
find This entry in the Journal the Committee consist