True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-01-30

that ono freeman ought TO be deprived Of
ibis life, liberty or property. Jut by The
tatO of The tand,p Congress refused to
sanction this restricted guaranty, but Pro-
posed, for the adoption Of the States, an
amendment embracing comprehensive.
aud express inierdict against all INVASION
of personal rights by the GenerAl Gov
eminent. That interdct, made part of
the Constitution, by the consent of the
States, is in these words: "No person
: = shall be deprived of life, liberty
or property; without due process Of law"
So long as this provision remains unal-
tered, II is not easy to see how slavery
can be consliiutionally introduced any
where, or continued anywhere, by nation
al legislation or in national territory.
This brief sts,ement will suffice 10
show what was the policy and what was
the anticipation Of The founders of The
republic in respect 10 slavery. Their
policy was one of repression, limita ion,
discouragemen,; they anticipated with
confidence The auspicious result OF uni
versal freedom. Persistent adherence to
their policy would doubtless have realized
their aniici pations.
l need. not say 10 you that this policy
has not been adhered t6, nor need trace
The gradual process by which The Con-
, siitution has been wrested from Its orig.
inal purposes, and the Government
has been converted into an instrument
for the maintenance and extension Of
slavery. ~
. By cessions from Slave States, and by
treaties with foreign governments, vast
T territories have heen acquired. in all OF
! which the original policy of the Govern
: ment required prohibition, but to none OF
E which was prohibition actually applied,
. until resistance to the further increase ol
: slavery and slave power in the republic
by the admission Of Missouri as a slave
: State, led 10 the great contes, between the
/, exlensiOnists and the restrictionisis, which
!, in 1920, terminated in the adjuslmen
S generally known as the Missouri COmpto
t mise.
It The terms of that compromise were
l. these: That Missouri should be admitted
with slavery; that slavery should be for
l. ever prohibited in the territory acquired
e from France, north Of SO deg. 80 min.
S except Missouri; and that Congres
= should refrain, Tor The present at leas,
= from Legislative prohibition of SLAYER
i south of SO deg. 80 min. This las
y term was only implied; it was not eS
If pressed,
u This compromise, in substance and e
le feet, was compact between the slav'
r. holding and non-slaveholding sections
:, the country and was universally so re
" garded. Ii yielded to slavery absolutel
u the territory occupied by Missouri, am
a. it left without the protection of fprohibiiic
r. all the residue oflerritory acquired und'
70 the French treaty, south OF SO deg. 3
:. min. As the original policy of The cou
" try, and the true principles of the Coz
'e sttution required the exclusion Of SLAYER
ar from the whole of this territory. it was
n. be expected that this adjustment won
re be received with much diss abstraction
the Free States. Ii was so received; b
i, after time, for the sake of peace, and
al the full belief that its stipuIatlons in r.
spect 10 the territory north of SO deg.
al min, wo.,id he faithfully observed, Il
10 peoJ'e generally acQuiesced in il.
Concession invites aggression. Hav
rs ing succeeded in establishing slavery
ry Missouri, the slave power snon lnsisl'
IS upon the implied term Of the compromi
ia, as positive stipulation for the allowan
10, of slavery south of SO deg. 80 mil
yer not only in the territory acquired frt
u.s. France, but in all other territory, VIII
100 ever and however acquired, in whi
or slavery might exist at the time of acq'
Ich silion. This Interpretation was taci
re. admitted, and under the compromise tn
w. interpreted, Arkansas, Texas and Florl
inc come into the Union as slave States, a
ra. the small remainder Of the territory sol
son of SO deg. 80 min, vas allotted TO sla'
on hol ding Indian tribes.
nee All The territory south Of the Misso
an line, whether acquired before or after
The date of the compromise, was thus inc
w pora,ed into slave States, or o,herw
me. appropriated TO slavery under the sla
Of holding Interpretation Of the Compact
rrl, Nothing was left 10 Freedom or set
lble ment by non.sIaveholding ireemen,
nee cept the territory north of the Miss'
oles line. The freemen Of this territory
YER was thought, was firmly secured. G'
The anteed by the Constitution, protected
iov. original policy, guarded BY compac
the ful6llment Of which so much had b
lsli. yielded that it seemedimpossble for
ella. very itself TO ask more, the People of
Iim- Free States never dreamed that it &C
at,v be envaded mr. endanoered. But this