The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1856-01-17

inierdict against all invasion oil personal
rights by the General Government
That interdict, made part Of the Consli'
!ulion by the consent Of the States, in
these words /; mo person
siall be deprived OF life, liberty, or prop.
er,y without due process Of law So
long as this provision remains unaltered,
it is not easy 10 see how slavery can be
constilutionaIly introduced any where or
continued any where by National legis.
iation or in Nation al territory.
This Griet statement will suffice TO show
what was The policy, and what was the
anticipation Of the founders ofIhis Re-
pubic 10 respect 10 slavery. Their poll
cy was one Of rePression. limitation, dis
couragement; they anticipated with con.
fdence the auspcious result of universal
freedom. Persistent adherence 10 their
policy would doubtless have realized
their anlicipalons.
need not say to you that this policy
has not been adhered to; nor need l
trace the gradual process by which the
Constitution has been wrested from its
original purposes, and the Government
has been converted into an instrument
for the maintenance and extension of sla-
very.
By cessions from original States, and
by treaties with foreign Governments,
vast territories have been ecquired, in
all of which the original policy of the
Government required prohibition. but to
none of which was prohibition actually
applied, until resistance 10 the further in
crease ofSlavery and the Slave Power in
the Republic, by the admission of Mis-
souri as a slave State. led to the great
contest between the Extensionists and
The Restriclionists, which, in 1920, ter
minated in the adjustment generally
known as the Missouri Compromise.
The terms of that compromise were
these: that Missouri should be admitted
with slavery; that slavery should be for.
ever prohibited in the territory acquired
from France, north of 36 degrees, 80
minutes, except Missouri; and that Con-
gress should refrain, for the present at
least, from legislative prohibition of sla-
very south OF So degrees 30 minutes
This last term was only implied; it was
not expressed.
This compromise, in substance and eff.
feet was compact between the slave
holding and on-slaveholding sections ol
the country. and was universally regard
ed as such. 1t yielded TO slavery abso'
lutely the territory occupied by Missouri
and it left without the protection of pro-
hibltion, all the residue of territory ac.
quired under the French treaty, south ot
sc degrees 80 minutes. As the Original
policy of the country, and The true prin
ciples of the constitution required the eX
cusion Of slavery from the whole of this
territory. it was to be expected that thi'
adjustment would Le received with much
dissatisfaction in the free states. 1t was
so received but after time, for the SAKE
of peace, and in the full belief that Its
stpulaions in respect to the territory
north of 36 degrees 80 min, would be
faithfully Oh erye !, The people generally
acquiesced in it.
Concession invites aggression. Hav
ing succeeded in establishing slavery il
Missouri, the slave power soon insisted
upon the implied terms of the compro
mse as n positive stipulation for The at
lowance of slavery south of So degrees
80 minutes mot only in the territory
acquired from France, but in all othel
territory, whenever and however aCqui
red, in which slavery might exist at the
time of acquisition. Tits Interpretation
was tacitly admitted, and under the com
promise, thus interpreted. Arkansas
Texas and Florida came int, the Unior
as Slave States, and the small remainder
oil oitcrritory south Of SO deg. 80 minutes
was allotted 10 slave holding Indian tribes
All the territory south Of the Missouri
line, whether acquired before or after the
date of the Compromise was thus incor
poratcd into Slave States; or otherwise
appropriated to Slavery under the slave
holding Interpretation of the compact
Nothing was left to Freedom or settle
ment by on-slaveholding lreemen. ex
cept the territory north of the Missouri
line. The freedom Of this territory, i
was thought, was frmy secured. Guar
anteed by the Constitution protected by
original policy guarded by a compact il
the fulftlment of which so much had beer
yielded that it seemed impossible fou
Slavery itselfo ask more. The People o
the Free States never dreamed that i
could be invaded or endangered Blu
this anticipation proved iIlusory. Wher
the time arrived for the orgauiz ttion o
government for this territory with a view
TO open it for settlement and cultivation
the cJun'ry was astounded by the de
mand of the Slave Power lor the abroga
ton ofthe Missouri prohibition. AT frs
the demand was heard with inereduloui
amazement, and then with unavailing in
dgnation. 1t availed nothing to appra
to plighted faith nothing to appeal to an
cient policy or Constitutional guarantees
The great dominant power of Slavery
d, manded the sacrifice of Freedom, and
the oblation ni%St be made. The Mis-
souri, Prohibition was repealed the Com
promise of 1890, performed 10 the letter
and far beyond the letter by the Free
States was broken up and destroyed by
the Slave States to avoid the fulilme mt oI
its only stipulation in favor of Freedom