Demoine courier., 1856-03-20

Il - &c uOiuiIE u'G
est, with characteristic and timely sagac-
i,y. abated something of its pre,ensions.
and settled the controversy on the b as
of compromise. Missouri was ad mi
ted into the Uninn by an actbearing da,e
March 6. 1920, in which il was also de-
clared that in all that territory coded by
France to the United States, under the
name of Louisiana, which lies north OF
36o and so Of north latitude, not inciud-
ed in the limits of the state of Missouri,
Slavery and Involuntary servitude, 9th
erwise than in the punishment OF crimes,
whereof the parties shall have been
duly convicted. shall be, and is hereby
toreuer proh,bited.' In each House Of
Congress, a majority of the members Of
the ~S!aveholdlag States. voted in favor of
this bill with this provision, thus deciar-
ing and exercising by their votes, the
constitutional power OF Congress TO pro.
hibit Slavery even IN territory where it
had been permitted by The laws OF France.
al the date Of their ~cession TO the United
States. A new slave state, Arkansas,
formed out of that portion Of this terri
riiory, lying south oil 36o 30, TO which
the prohlbrlion was not extended, was
admitted into the Union in 1886. Two
Slave States thus came into the Confed
eraey by virtue of this arrangement;
while Freedom gained nothing by it bu.
The prohibition OF Slavery from a vast
region, which civil cation had made no
attempt TO penetrate.
Thus ended the first great contest Of
Freedom and Slavery for position and
power in The General Government The
Slaveholdmg. interest had secured a vir.
tual victory. |, secured all the immed:-
ate results for which it struggled; i. ac-
CURED The power of offset,isg in the fed
eral Senate, two of the Free States Of
the confederacy; and the time could not
be foIeseen when, in the fulfiilment of it's
compact. it would yield any posinse and
practical advantage 10 the interests OF
freedom. Neither then, nor for many
years thereafter, did any statesmen dream
that, when the period shonld arrive, the
Shareholders interest would trample on
It's bond and fling lis faith TO The winds.
A quarter of a century elapsed before
the annexation of rexas. Slavery had
been active in the meanime, N fastening
Its aoid upon the government, ia binding
political perties TO lis chariot, and in
seeking IN Congress 10 stife the right of
petition, and to crush all freedom OF
speech and the press. In every Slave
holding State, none but Shareholders. or
those whose interests Identified with Sla-
very, were admitted 10 any office; or TO
exercise any authority, civil or political.
Free whites, Dot Shareholders, in their
society. were reduced TO a vassalage liz
lie less degrading than the slaves them
selves Even at this day. although the
white population of the SlavehoIding
States is more than six millions, of whom
bu. 347, 525, or less shan oae-seuenM are
the owners of Slaves, none but Slave
holder. or one who vii! act with exclu-
sive reference to slavery, is ever allowed
to represent! the state in any National
Convention, in either branch Of Congress,
or in any high position uf civil .rus: and
political power. The S~laveholding class.
small as ii is, is the governing class
and shapes legislation and guides pub
lie action for the advantage Of its own
miererest and the promotion OF It's
own ends. During all that time, and
from that time even 10 the prese Mt, al!
Slaveholdiug delegates in National Con-
yen,ions. upon whatever else they may
differ, always concurred in imposing up.
on the Convention assent 10 their requis
itions in regard TO slavery, as the indis
Hensable condition TO their support
Holding thus 10 their haEds power TO de-
eide the result Of the elections, using
tina. power untevia,ingly aud s.ernly for
The ex,or.ion of their demands, they
have always been able 10 control the
nominations Of both parties, ard thus,
whatever may be the issue, TO secure a
President who is sure to be the instru.
men, o iheir behests. Thus has is come
TO pass that for twenty years we have
had no President who would appoint 10
the numbles, office within his gifi. in any
section of the Union, any man known 10
hold opinions hostile to slavery. or 10 be
active in resisting its aggressions and "
surpations of power. Men the most up
right and the mosi respectable. in the
States where slavery is only known by
name, have been Ineligible to the small.
es, ,rus,-haye bsen held unii to disIrib
Ute the letters from the federal post Off
ce to their %neighbors, or trim the lamps
of a ligh, house upon the poin,
of our extended coast. Millions of our
citizens have been thus d~is!ranchised
tor their opinions concerning slavery,
and the vast patronage Of the Genera
Government has been systematically
welded in It's service, FOR the promotion
of lis designs.
Ii was by such a discipline, and un
der such influences. tina: the government
and the country were prepared for th'
second grea, stride Of slavery towards
new dominion, and for the avowal o
motives by which i, was attended.
FRO BE CONTINUED.
A STATE ON A SPREE.-We learl
from a correspondent Of the last Gal