The Grand Haven news., 1860-09-26
Historical Facts.
How Congressional Intervention affects
Slavery an the Territories.

hlstorlcal racts.
How Congressional, Intervention affects
Slavery an the Territories. %
The principal argument made use OF
by republican brawlers to deceive the peo-
pie, and gain the spois Of Office is, that
if Congress prohibits Slavery in the Ter
ritories instead Of leaving the subject to
the people, the prohibitory law will have
the effect to exclude slavery from all the
Territories for all coming time, whatever
may be the climate, soil, productions, or
wishes Of the people therein. The histo-
ry of Congressional prohibition utterly
demolished the argument-we claim that
the prohibition of Slavery by Congress is
not only unconstitutional and contrary to
the principles upon which the govern
ment was founded, but tlAat it ever has
been ignored by the people Of the Terri
tories in every instance where II has been
applied, and that it has no influence in
excluding slavery therefrom.
Now for the facts:
The ordinance known rs Jetfersons S
Ordinance, was passed under the old Con-
federacy, and before the present Consti-
tuition of the United States was adopted
1t extended over the Northwest Terri
tory, now comprising the States of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin
and Iowa. The ordinance declared that
I" there shall neither be slavery nor invol-
untary servitude in the said Territory,
otherwise than in punishment of crime,"
&c. We now appeal to the statistics
found in the compendium of the census
of the United States for 1850, page 80,
TO ascertain what effect this prohibition
had upon slavery in the different portions
of the North West Territory. From the
following table il will be seen that in ev-
cry portion of this vast Territory, African
slavery was introduced by the people, and
the number of slaves held in the different
portions of this Territory from 1910 to
1910:
1910 1920 1880 1910
In Illinois, 1853 OH 754 33l
In Indiana, 2S7 100 8 8
In Iowa, 10
In Michigan, "a 32
In Ohio, 9 3
In Wisconsin, IL
: Thus it is seen that the settlers in all
these Territories disregarded the ordinance
and in Illinois and Indiana slaves were
held by hundreds. In the last mention
! ed territories slavery was established and
enforced bv.local law passed by the Ter
ritorial Legislature, and enforced for forty
years. But when the people formed q
= constitution and asked for admission into
the Union as States, they made provision
: for the gradual abolition Of slavery, be-
cause they found that the climate was toe
cold, and the productions of the soil un
profitable. The people controlled The
question in every respect, as they evel
have, in this country, and ever will, lei
the law of Congress be what it may.
Although Illinois was part of thi:
Northwest Territory, yet il was admit
ted as q State in 1918, with constitu
ton recognizing slavery, and it was no
i. finally abolished until 1s47, or twenty
nine years after her admission.
! In November, 1902, Territorial Con
yention was held at Vincennes, composed
= of delegates from every part of Indiana
; Territory, then comprising also what il
now the Stale of Illinois. Gen. William
= Henry Harrison, alias "Old Tippecanoe,
D presided over the convention, and memo
, rial to Congress was prepared and passed
! unanimously, and signed by General Har
t rison rs President of the convention
, This memorial petitioned Congress to re
peal the clause in the ordinance prohibit
r ing slavery This memorial was referred
: to committee who reported agains
$ granting the prayer of the petitioners, bu
4 Congress did not take any further actor
upon it for some unknown cause; prob
= ably for want of time, as the committee
J reported the day previous TO the final clos
! of that Congress.
> The subject was considered by the mex
: Congress and several committees were ar
,, pointed 10 consider the memorial and re
port thereon, and they all reported in ia
: vor Of granting the prayer of the petition
/ crs. But Congress still neglected to ac
T. upon it, until the people of the territory
- tired of delay, took the law into their ow
- hands, and tho Territorial Legislature Ell
l. acted stringent slave code for the Tcrr
e, tory, and established slavery therein b
~ - law, in defiance of the ordinance.
In Illinois very slight slave code wa
= enacted by the people and enforced durin
s. the existence of the Territorial governmer
e. e. and re-enacted after Il became Stat
and continued in force until 1S47, whe
: : it was repealed.
u Slavery was finally abolished by I'll
h same people and their children, becaus
they became satisfied by experience thi
Il slave labor was Improbable. And "
/. the modern black republicans persist
claiming before the people that the State
=, of the Northwest are now free becau: