The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-01-05
267
THE PERRYSBURG JOURNAL.

ican 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.. Calhoun,) pronounced
valid, and an effectuaI restriction.
This repeal was the adoption OF Mr.. Cali
houn's nullifying doctrine In e.rtGnSo. The
power of congress to make laws excluding
slavery forever from its territories as such,
was denied, and all the territories were
opened to slavery on the ground of the
" nalienable right of every citizen Ito
move into any of the territories with his
property, of whatever kind or description;
and the law of squatter sovereignty was su-
peradded and substituted for the sovereignty
of the United States over the public domain.
Thus fell, at the dictaton of Mr.. Atchison,
supported by the coalition effected between
the wings and democrats of the south, under
the pressure and through the intrigues of the
nulifiers, Mr.. Jefferson's noble principle. en-
deared to the country both for lis moral
grandeur and political wisdom. 1t is the
| first thought uttered in the Declaration OF
Independence and to the denuncation of
the King Of Great Britain for the crime of
bringing slavery to our shores, it adds, as the
deepest aggravaton, that " he has prostitu-
ted his negative for suppressing every legis-
lative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this
execrable commerce."
The first legislative attempt to restrain
the progress of the mischief which the King
of Great Britain visited upon this country,
was Mr.. Jefferson's resolution excluding Sit
very from the territory of the United States
/ in l7S4-the next was that introduced by
Rufus King, in l785-the third that of Ma
than Dane, in l787-all receiving the vote
y of two-thirds of the states of the contedera-
cy, and the last the unanimous vote.
The fourth movement was that of the con-
!, vention in the constitution itself, providing
5 against the importation of slaves after 1908,
declaring the binding validity Of the engage
= ments entered into by the congress of the con-
fedracy on the government of the u States,
to exclude it from the territory, and securing
| to the new government the power of max
: ing similar provision for future acquisitions
| of territory, The fifth regulation to restrain
: the progress of slavery was that OF the COM
5 promise of l820-the sixth, that of 1850.
1t is remarkable, that although these great
2 measures had their origin with democratic
= leaders, federal and whig leaders of greatest
= renown united in their support. The con-
/ sttutional provisions on the subject, had
= the unanimous suffrage of all the illustrious
: men in the convention who framed the con-
" stitution of the United States and from
= the silence on the subject in the state con-
n ventions called to ratify the constitution, is
: may we'll be presumed that these also were
: unanimous in their approval of what had
S been done under the confederacy, and in the
f new constitution to restrain the introduc-
: ton and limit the extension of slavery.
e And may not men of all parties unite to re-
e store what the patriots of all parties, du-
y ring the first seventy years OF our govern
r ment contributed to establish q?
,fI Tbo Of. -; Il o,,I
= sy, if the men who abhor the late innova-
e tion on the long settled policy of the nation
: can be induced to relinquish petty dlftren-
n ces on transtory topics, and give their uni
: ted voice, in the next presidential election,
e for some man whose capacity, fidelity. and
n courage can be relied upon to oppose the is
J. sue which the present administration has