New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-29

Slavery 10 cop'eue ~ M; on.rtyv n. xeII ma in FnU
shy's.H, nasssi;op OF the African slave trade was
.SS 10 ar tie eest ot,on OF slavery itseii, undm-
nuted.l Nav history y eoLnilnsa e hs PoS; ny ne
sia,se protecting the trade for only twenty years.
D.. that slavery itself expected 10 continue only
~ irg IL mapftet from the fact that this protection,
brief ss il wac was 70 be ony ny 'ne nsm en
a NJ tbe CGrasuon expressly provides for their od-
iefiop) no, 70 be allowed TO participate IN the
Afjenn slaye.tfnde it was because they were not TO
be- allowed to have Slavery Having Slavery without
recrufr il from Africa thing not then thought
Of r. however, the new States were denied the right
TO have Slavery, it follows that the old States were
not to be allow ed TO establsh i-sirce that would be
to allow en- inequality of rigbtf between the new aud
tie old States. No one Claims that such inequality
Ell. II il the contemplation If the Constitution The
Hon. s. A. Douglas, in bis Report on Kansas TO the
S.raie March ~ 1885, sfrDs il sound logic and en-
Ptstic .,ggnee The constitutional equally :, Inc ne
"stiuInent the Constitution) las imposed, are few,
",pcifc and uniorE-epplicable alike to all the
States, cid and new. There is no authority for put
"tipg a restriction upon the sovereignty Of new
State. which the Constitution has not placed on the
original States. Indeed, II such restriction could
"be imposed any State, IT would instantly cease 10
"be S,ote within The meaning OF The Federal Con:
stufnp ard in eonse queDce of the inequality would
"a,simi,ste to the condition of province or depend
"ercy. Hence equality among all the States of the
"U1ion in our federative sys-
"tena priLUple embodied in the Constitution, as the
" basis upon which the American Union rests. These
iut vie W. Of ts intellectual aud disfinguhed Senator
were doubtless held by the trainers OF the Consttu-
oD And how, therefore, wac 1t possible Tor them 10
Justify this restriction upon the new States ana this
viru al exclusion Of Slavery from Them on any othe
principle than that Slavery was to be terminated and
not established, in the old States The clear-aeaded
Senator can himself come TO no other conclusions He
cannot fail TO that any other suppOsltion II An
H. AT Slavery was 10 cease ia few years IL all the
S.trs the trainers of the Constitution intended that IL
shond ordsin inc quality Of rights between the Staes
Jutt here i would say that this migration and I'M
poIts ion clau.e was Insisted on by the representa-
lives ottwo States only They pleaded for the cOntDu
ace of the African tlnve.tiade on the ground thai
South Carolina and Georgia were not 60 well supplied
with servants Is the other States; ana thar IL Wa
therefore due TO equity and to the equality OF Tue
Safes 10 allow them TO get further supplies Tor lev
years from the Coast Of Africa. Indeed, but Tor its
urvillngness TO distinguish these States invldiousy
and to morty their pride, the Convention would have
expressly confined the trade TO Georgia ana Sou'n
CGrons.
Another proof that Slavery was allowed only brief
duration is TO be found in the Ordinance for the
North.West Territory. That and the Constitution
extent by the same n.n. The Ordinance provides
for the Iecepure Of fugitive servants and inasmuch
SIS it speaks expressly of Slavery, we will assume that
fugitive slaves are included. But the Ordnance, like
The migration and importation clause i'll the Consttu-
ton, confines its benefits if benefits they may be
called 10 the old Statcs. 1t was only those who had
e,capsd from any one Of the original States that
might be recapuIed. Hence, like that clause, the
Ordinance also shows that the States were not
TO have Slavery at all aud that the old States were
nc, TO have il after the few years allowed them ia
which TO trirg it TO peaceful and gradual close.
But may Be asked why .ince the Ordinances and
the migration end importation clause both prove so
clearly lie policy and purpose of abolshing Slavery
tlere is noting in the fugitive servant clause OF the
Constitution 10 prove the like policy and purpose.
Why does lot tbs clause, like that IL the Ordinance
a. -. t.f. vtra ~
TIE Simple and solo epianaf'on Is Mat ms c'avse q"
The Contribution dccs not Tter 70 sares. Is strange
that il does not No II is not al all strArge that
thew who might con,ent to have the common terri
tory Of the nation nude slave hunting ground for the
few years Of its territorial existence, shoald refuse 10
o.rd The dignity end irsul. the seiepect Of State
by mt king it one also. t 40 ~
Tie fact that this clause does not lim ts uses TO
the old states utterly forbds lie putting Of a Pro-
Slavery Interpretation upon it. If the Convention in
tended TO have it sppyto slaves why did they not
nance and the migration and importation clause
Again, the language of the fugitive servant clsuse
in the Constitution makes It wholly lnepplitab! TO
slaves. The persons referred 10 in this clause are
debtors Service is due from them. But the slave
being a mere ch6ttel and, therefore, incapable OF
mokirga contract, csn owe nothlne. oaxs justice
Best: . slave is incapable of compact" Inc Save
codes al declare tina. he can own nothing. But
ms,ifeetly lie who can own nothing can ows nothing
Then the history as well as the letter Of this clause
proves that it has reference 10 slaves Inc pre-
.itutior is rreposercus. In Of all the numerous
plans of Contribution before the Conventlou were
fugitive servants Of any kind referred TO. Not only
was there but It'll. running away o. slaves at that
time but of course very little account was made OF
.her running away when their price ranged from only
500 10 $500 end when it universally understood
that all American Slavery was TO cease IN some twenty
YEAR,. 1t would have SO ceased but for the caIaaous
invention Of the cotton gin. .f....
1t was only twenty days before the Convention
closed lite abors that the subject Of fugitive slaves
was mentioned. motion was then made to provide
in the Constitution for their recapure-a inotoe IL
terms for the recapture Of fugitive siart. 1t was iG
mediatey and indignantly secuted cut OF the Conven
ton. The motion Of the next day which spoke lot OF
slaves, but Of persons who owe service was instantly
adopted There was not one word Of discussion and
not one dissenting vote. And YET though 80 directly
in the face Of its history and letter are Increasingly
told that this fugitive servant clause applies TO slaves
Shame 10 those who tell the npudent falsehood and
shame to those who believe them!
Cannot leave this clause without aGdipg one more
proof that the Convention did not intend 10 hGve 1t
apply to slaves. is admitted that there is much ms
tcTca poof thai The aPportoDment clause III ihe Con-
sti,uon well as its clause on migration end impor-
taton refers to elaves. Now the Consultation posi-
lively forbds that the latter clause shall he amended
before the year 1903 and in effect positively io:oic.
that the former, so far az 1t relates 70 slavery tnai
be amended before that time. In other words, the
Constitution provides that Slavery sball until l@e-
the erected time Of its desth-not fslI e nave the
benefits Of these two clauses. In studying the Constr
tu;ion al this point for yourselves yoa VIII OF coss
rem, mber that at that time the torbiddins q capita
ton ard direct tantamount 10 the forbi1dng
of all means 10 Gefray the expenses OF Government
But il the Constitution was made az to Irohib!I
the amending Of itself in these respects durng that
period, Which was locked upon as the whole lifetime
OF Slavery why was not the prohibition extended 70
the fugitive servant clause also If the trainers OF
the Constitution intended that this clause should au-
thorize the recapture of fugitive slaves IT, as is 20
persisre ely represented they intended to be "one
. Of the fro-slaveIy compromises OF the Const.u-
| "top" why then was not the amendment Of this