The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-01-26
291
THE PERRYSBURG JOURNAL.

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in respect to slavery. Their policy was one
Of repression, limitation, discouragement
they anticipated with confidence the auspi
cious result of universal freedom. Persis-
tent adherence to their policy would doubt
less have realized their anticipations.
| need not say to you that this policy has
not been adhered to; nor need 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 ex-
tension of slavery. BY cessions from origi
nal states, and by treaties with foreign gov
ernments, vast territories have been acquired,
in all of which the original policy Of the
government required prohibition, bat to none
Of which was prohibition actually applied,
until resistance to the further increase of sla-
very and the slave power in the republic by
the admission of Missouri as slave state,
led to the great contest between the exten-
sionists and the restrictionists, which, in
1920, terminated in the adjustment generally
known as the Missouri compromise.
The terms of that compromise were these:
that Missouri should be admitted with sla-
very that slavery should be forever prohib
tied in the territory acquired from France,
north Of 36 degrees 30 minutes, except Mis-
souri, and that congress should refrain, for
the present at least, from legislative prohi
bition of slavery south of SO deg. 30 minutes.
This last term was only implied: it was not
expressed. This compromise, in substance
and effect, was compact between the slave
holding and non-save holding sections of
the country, and was universally so regarded.
1t yielded to slavery absolutely the territory
occupied by Missouri, and it left without
the protection of prohibition all the residue
of+ Al, l., IL, x,ot,
treaty. south Of 36 deg. 80 min. AS the
original policy of the country, and the true
principles of the constitution required the
exclusion of slavery from the whole of this
territory, it was 10 be expected that this ad
i Ijustment would be received with much dis
satisfaction in the free states. 1t was so re-
ceived !; but after time, for the sake Of peace,
and in the full belief that its stipulations in
respect to the territory north of 36 deg 80
min. would be faithfully observed, the peo-
pie generally acquiesced in it.
! Concession invites aggression. Having
succeeded in establishing slavery in Missou
ri, the slave power soon insisted upon the
f implied terms Of the compromise as posi-
tive stipulation for the allowance of slavery
south of 36 deg. 80 min, not only in the
territory acquired from France, but in all
other territory, whenever and however ac
quired, in which slavery might exist at the
time of acquisition. This Interpretation was
tacilly admitted; and under the compromise
] thus interpreted, Arkansas, Texas, and Flor
f ida came into the Union as slave states, and
= the small remainder of the territory south of
: SO deg. 80 min. was allotted to slave hold
ing Indian tribes.
/ All the territory south of the Missouri line.
whether acquired before or after the date of
= the compromise, was thus incorporated into
a slave states, or otherwise appropriated to
o slavery under the slaveholding Interpretation
+ of the compact. Nothing was left to free
" dom or settlement by laveholding free
d men, except the territory north of the Mis-
# souri, line The freedom of this territory, it
: was thought, was firmly secured. Guaran-
l teed by the constitution, protected by origi-
l nal nnlicy nnarhed hv q cnrlnact In the ful.