Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-01-15

whatever kind and description, and to hold anc
i enjoy the same under the sanction of law. Youl
committee do not feel themselves called upon te
enter into the discussion Of these controverted
questions. They involve the same grave issues
which produced the agitation. the sectional strife
and the fearful struggle of 1880"
/ From this it appears that TIE Compromises Of
1890 and 1880 involved the question Of the
validity of the law of Mexico excluding Slavery
from the newly-ceded Mexican Territory. and
the law of our own Congress excluding it
from that north Of the line SO deg 80 min Mr..
Douglas Committee Report recommended that
Congress deemed it wise and prudent 70 re-
train from deciding the matters in controversy
then, e'ther 6y Affirming rcpe1ji91g tie neTcan
lars, or 6y act deoaratorV Of the trste intent Of
the Co''stit'tlon and the extent OF the protection
afforded by it to slave property in the Terrific
ries. so your committee are not prepared now to
recommend a departure from the course pursued
on that memorable occasion, either bv affirming
or repeating the eighth section of the Missouri
act, or by any act declaratory Of the meaning
of the Constitution in respect to the legal points
in dispute
These passages are quoted TO show that the
issues made by Mr.. Calhoun, as TO the constitu-
tionality of the two Compromises of 1890 and
and 1850, were expressly left open for Judicial
decision, by the committee. who nevertheless
swept away, by clause subsequently added to
their bill, not only the Missouri Compromise of
1920, but also the Compromise of 1850, which
left untouched the Mexican laws prohibiting
Slavery in the ceded Territories, and which
Webster, Clay, Benton, and all the leading lights
of the Senate. with the exception of Mr.. Cal
houn,) pronounced Talid, and an effectUaI restric
ton
This repeal was the adoption Of Mr. Calhoun's
nullIfving doctrine IN egteRso. The power Of
Congress TO make laws excluding Slavery for
ever from its Territories, s1scA, as denied
and all the Territories were opened to Slavery,
on the ground of the iraagieua5le r5qs' Of every
citizen to move into any Of the Territories s-ith
has property, Of ,rAaterer kind or escr pt5oH and
the law of sg,atter soyerejGaty was superadded.
and substituted for the sovereignty Of the United
States over the public domain. Thus fell. at the
dictalion of Mr.. Atehison, supported by the
coalition effected between the Wings and Demo-
Gratis of the South, under the pressure and thro'
the intrigues of the Nullifers, Mr. Jefferson's
noble principle, endeared to the country both
for its moral grandeur and political wisdom It
is the first thought uttered in the Declaration Of
Independence; and to the denEnciation Of the
King Of Great Britain for the crime Of bringing
Slavery to cur shores, the original draft adds.
as the deepest aecravatior, that he hos ,7r,st;-
t7sfeT his gzeqrtlre FOR s7,p1ress;fr ero-,. gf,
qttsz1gt to prohibit on restrain tLis ss-rr5z .,,-
rzaeree."
The first legislative atterr- to ra~+raf, tho
progress Of the mischief which tbe Kf,- or
Great Britain visited upon this countr7. was Mr.
Jefferson's resolution excluding slavery f-,r,
the Territory of the United States IN 1-sf-
the next was that introduced bv Rrf1s Kirg +,
I7o5-the third. that of Nathan Dane T., 1-5--
all receiving the vote Of --vo.tbirrIs of the -sfe
Of the Confederacv. and the LAST the rrar,ir,o,7.
vote.
The fourth movement WIS that Of the C.,rar-
tion. in the Constitution itself. r-oviei-l ae;st
the importation of slaves after ISas. Fz,Ia-i-7.,
the binding validity Of the en-aeements entered
into by the Congress OF the ConIe,Ierscv On the
Government Of the United States, TO exclude If
from the Territory. and sec-riu- to fTa new
Government the newer q maxine
visions for future ACQUISITIONS Of Te-ritorv. The
fifth regulation to restrain the progress Of SIav-
erv was that Of the Conpronise of I820-fFe
sixth, that of 1850. L Is remarkable. that al
though these great measures had their origin
with Democratic leaders, Federal and Wbir
leaders Of greatest rerown united n their z,-r--
port. The constitutional provisions on the =uI-
iect had the unanimous zgffraoe IF all he film
trious men ia the Convention who framed the
Constitution Of the United STATES: and from the
silence on the subject in the State Conventions
called to ratifv the Coustifu-ion. II NAV vel be
presumed thai these also were urarir,,,fs in
their approval Of what had been done 77pe der Fl :.
Confederacv. and in the. new Constitution to ra.
strain the introduction and limit the exteusia,
of Slavery. And may not men of ali parties
now unite to restore what the pafrie-s Of all
parties, during the first seventy wears Of our
+ Government, contributed to esfabIisL2
The work of restoration Is sir1pIe and easy. If