Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1856-01-24


No fact is better established blythe records Of
The nast, than the prevalence, during the eat
Ter perioa OF cur history, Of an almost uni
verssi expectation that slavery, excluded by
positive prohibition from alt national Territory
would gradually but certa snly, and at no lis
tant day, underline operation o fthe principles
of the Declaration of Indepe ndence, and
through the action Of ihe State authorities,
disappear wholly from every State OF the I'm
len. The foremost champion Of Freedom
were citizens of Slave States, aud nccspied
the highest stations in the Stale aud National
Gore Tnments.
In 1881, Immediately aflet The partial adj
iustment OF the conflict between the claims OF
the Union and the ptetentions OF the STATES
in respect to the territory between The ALLIE
ghanies and the Mississippi. through the ces.
sion, by Virginia. of the territory north. west
of the Ohio, jefferson proposed.o provide for
ever against the extension OF slavery. by q pos
tive prob ibition OF It's ex istence after 1900, in
any territory ceded OF 10 be ceded, OF IN any
State 10 be created out Of such iertitory.--
This proposed prohibition received the votes
Of sixteen out OF twenty.thTte delegates, and
six out Of nine States in the Congress OF Con-
federation which made the concurrence OF al
least seven States necessary 10 an affirmative
decision ofany question. The great msjoriiy
in its favor indicates, however, the prevalent
sentiment Of the time.
Three years later, the Ordinance OF 1881
impressed upon the soil Of the territory north
west OF the Ohio an indellibIe prohibition OF
Slavery. That ordinance was adopted by The
unanimous votes Of all the States N Congress.
II covered every inch Of iertitory subjecti 10 the
exclusive regulation Of The General Govern
ment.
III the same year The Nnlioual Constitution
was framed. Mr.. Madison declsred II "wroug
10 admit in the Constitution the idea that there
could be property in man." No such word os
slave or Slavery found place in any OF lis pro-
visions. All recognition Of The rightfhlneSs Of
slaveholling, and all national sanction oil the
practice, WAS carefully excluded from the IN
strumeni. In eve y ella use which has been,
OF can be constructed as referring 10 Slavery
it is regarded as the creature OF State legisia-
lion, and dependent wholly, upon State legis'
ticn for IFS existence and continuance. There
is no trace in the Constitution itself, or IN the
debates Of its trainers, Of any expeclaihln or
apple hension OF The Institution or mainte
nance Of Slavery by ma tional law, or IN na.
itional territory. No one anticipated its extrn'
sion beyond the limits of The existing States.
But the people required additional securl'
ty. When, therefore, Virginia suggested on
amendment ofthe Constitution, that mo Jree'
man ought 10 be deprived OF bis lille, hbefl, OF
property, but By the taw Of the and" Con
gress refused 10 s%asctloa this restricted guar
anty, but proposed, Tor the adoption Of The
state, an amendment, embracing a compre-
henslye and express lnierdic. against aH IN
vasion ofpersonal rights by ;le General Gov
eminent. That inierdici, male Part oil The
Constitution by the consent oil the STATES, is
IN these words: "No person = shall be
deprived OF HE, liberty or properly, without
Hue process OF law" so long as ihls prosis
ion remains unaltered, 1t is not easy TO SEE
how slavery can be cons, lntionolly inirodu
ced anywhere OF continued anywhere by Ma
tionai legislation or in National territory
This btiel statement VIII sufhce 20 show
what was the policy and what was The antlc
ipation Of The founders Of this Republc IN re-
specific slavery, Their policy was one oil re-
preston, limitation, anc ENCOURAGEMENT; they
anticipated with confidence lhe ausPlclous re-
suite universal freedom. PERSISTENT adbe-
renee to their policy would doubtless have re-
allied their snticipations.
| need not say TO you that this policy has
not been adhered TO; nor need I trace The
gradual process by which The CONSTITUTION
has been arrested from lis original purposes
aud the Government has been converted int
an instrument fr The maintenance aud ex'
tension oil slavery.
BY cesslons ir m original States, and %,
4 1FEattac uvlff Tnralpn UnvaTnmautc vaGf o. faFFI