The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1856-04-01

Slaveholding section of the Union. For ma
ny years, however, the change did not affect
the political relations of the subject. States,
both Free and Slaveholding, were successive
ly added to the Confederacy without exciting
the fears of either section. Vermont came
into the Union in 1901, with constitution
excluding Slavery. Kentucky, formed out of
Virginia, was admitted in l792; Tennessee
in 1896; Mississippi in 1917, and Alabama
in ls10,-all Slave States, and having Sla-
very established in them at the time Of their
formation. On the other hand Ohio was ad-
mitted in 1903, Indiana in 1916, and Hi
nois in 1913, having formed State Govern
ments under acts of Congress which made it
fundamental condition, that their Constitu-
tions should contain nothing repugnant TO the
ordinance of 1817,--or in other worJs, that
Slavery should be prohibited within their lin
Its forever. In all these occurrences, as in
the admission of Louisiana in 1912, there
had been no contest between Freedom and
Slavery, for it had not been generally felt
that the interest of either were seriously in
volyed.
The first contest concerning the admission
Of new State, which turned upon the
question of Slavery, occurred in 1919, when
Missouri, from out of territory purchased from
France in 1903, applied to Congress for ad-
mission TO the Union rs slayeholding State.
The application was strenuously resisted by
the people of the Free States. 1t was every
where felt that the decision involved conse-
quences of the last importance to the welfare
of the country, and that, if the progress OF
Slavery was ever TO be arrested, that was the
time to arrest it. The Slaveholding Interest
demanded its admi sion as right, and de-
MED the power of Congress to impose condl-
tions upon new States applying to be admit,
ted into the Confederacy. The power rested
with the Free States, and Missouri was de-
MED admission. But the subject was review
ed. The Slaveholding interest, with charac-
terstic and timely sagacity, abated something
of its pretensions and settled the controversy
on the basis of compromise. Missouri was
date March @, 1920, in which il was also de-
carcd that sin all that territory ceded by
France to the United States, under the name
of Louisiana, which lies north of SO deg. 80
min of north latitude, not included within
the limits of the State of Missouri, SLAVERY
AND INVOLUNTARY sERvITUDE, other than in
the punishment Of crimes whereof the parties
shall have been duly convicted, SHALL BE,
AND is HEREBY FOREVER PROHIBITED" In
each House of Congress, majority of the
members from Slaveholding States voted in
favor of this bill with this provision, thus de-
claring and exercising by their votes, the
Constitutional power Of Congress to prohibit
Slavery ,en in territories where it had been
permitted by the law of France, at the date
of their cession to the United States. A
now slave State, Arkansas, formed out Of
that portion Of this territory lying south OF
SO deg. 80 min. to which the prohibition was
not extended, was admitted to the Union in
| 1885. Two slave States thus came into the
Confederacy by virtue of this arrangement
while Freedom gained nothing by it but the
prohibition Of slavery from vast region
which civilization had made no attempt tc
penetrate.
Thus ended this first great contest of Free
dom and slavery for position and power in the
| general government. The slaveholding inte
rest had achieved virtual victory. 1t Sc
cured all the immediate results for which il
struggled; it acquired the power of offset
ting in the federal Senate, two of the Free
States of the Co;federacy; and the time
could not be forescen when, in the fulfillmen
of its compact, it would yield any.positiv'
and practical advantage to the interests o
Freedom. Neither then, nor for many year
thereafter, did any statesman dream that
when that period should arrive, the slavehold
ing interest would trample on its bond anC
fling its faith to the winds.
ANNExATIoN oE TEXAS AND TIE WAR WITT
MExIco.
a quarter Of century elapsed before th'
annexation of Texas Slavery had been ac
tive, meantime, in fastening its hold upol
the government, in binding political partie
to its chariot, and in seeking in Congress t.
stfle the right of petition, and to crush al
freedom of speech and of the press. In eve
ry slaveholding state, none but shareholders
or those whose interests are identified witt
slavery, were admitted to fill any Office, o
exercise any authority, civil or POLITICAL
Free whites, not Shareholders, in their pres
ence, or in the midst of their society, wer
reduced to vassalage little less degradin,
than that of the slaves themselves. Even a
this day, although the white population 9
the slaveholding states is more than six mill
lois; of whom but 347 ,525, or less than one
sepenteenth, are the owners of slaves, non
but STAKEHOLDER, or one who will act wit
exclusive reference TO slavery, is ever allowe
to represent the State in any National Cor
vention, in either branch of Congress, or j
any high position of civil trust and politics
power The slaveholding class, small as
is, is the governing class, and shapes legislf
tion and guides all public action for the &C
vancement of its own interests and the pro
motion of its own ends. During all tha
time, and from that time even TO the presen
all slaveholding delegates in National Cor
veltions, upon whatever else they may diffe
always concur in imposing upon the Conver
tion assent to their requisitions in regard
slavery, as the indispensable condition of the
support. Holding thus in their hands pow'
to decide the result Of the election, and usin
that power undeviatingly and sternly for tl