Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-03-23

n
ou tfa l1ar vlich snot allowed the North;
tie opsation Of which is 70 Civ TO the
Sia,cho'dlng States to-day. as was remark
~ BY an honorable gentleman from Missis-
s.rTi, fNr Lsy,E,l hrrHiy Representa-
utOs in thi. House based upon propsr'y.
The members uf the convention which
framed the Constitution from the North,
cOnicndol that u " llr,v ilths q the slave
puperty in thc S1ath was 20 be ADDED 90
the q" whole number of free persons" then
the exports-tho products OF The slave pop.
ulation-should b. taxed a, an equivalent
~ the North. Mr.. Kins expressed tho
opinions Of the North when be aid Z" Al
all events either slaves should not he rcprc-
.snir,l ~ ,zp0rts should be TAXABLE" G.
Madison Papers. 1862 The only SQuiya.
lcut ~ hich the North rrccivcd was the con.
rcttins provision m the article am section
above referred TO, which declares that In
lcvying q" direct taxes" they should ~ ap.
poriionel according 20 the Lasis Of rsptcscn-
iaiion and. as Ne raise our taxes irum
iarid 10 duties levied upon imports, this
provision i worthless 90 the people Of the
Tree States.
The neat comrromi-e embodied in the
Constitution up0n the slavery question j.
found in section nin-, article one
"The migration or importation Of such
persons n any ~ the States now exist.
iu. shall think proper 10 admit. shall not
D. prohibited hy C1ncrc-s prior O. the year
lso- hu' a tax % dity may b. Imposed
on su,h Importation. not exceeding ten doll
lars iOr each ncrs1n.'
Prior O. this time, Maryland, Virginia,
and several other states. had abolished the
foreign slave trade. \ large maJltity OF
tie Convention desired 20 abolish u a, once.
We havs the mos; conclusive evidence upon
this point. Mr. lrcdel m the North Caro-
lima state convention called " raiily the
Constitution. said
LIT va. the wish oi great mhj1rity ot
The convention ii pat an end o tie trade
Immediately, but South Carolina Aul Gcor-
ga would not asrse too IT,
A.aiu be said
lit is probable ,ha, az tho members rcr-
rohatel the iuhuman traiEc. bot Soulh Car
ol.ua and Georgia would not consent 90 an
immelnis prohibition Of IL one reason
was. that diri-: a., last war. tho Rsvolu-
tion. thsv Lost vast numi.r ot negroes,
winch los thev wished 90 'app'y. - Eli-
ot's Debate. o., -, IS.
Mr. SpaisbI, in the auo conveus,n, 'aii
that
" Tho Limitation or this trade u the tsrin
of twenty years, va. a c1mpromise between
the eastern and southern Statcs-SOuth
Carolina aud Georgia wished O. extend the
term-th- eastern states insisisi on The en-
tire abolition Of the trade. - E.ioi's De-
bate, 9i.
General P.nckncy. in the South Carolina
ratification State Convention, saii. that
while s,mr OF the eastern states were vii
ling. Tor tbc saks OF tbs slu,h, 90 wait a
little before putting stop u the slave trail
fc-
"Tt. milll, State, snl Virginia made
Us u, such proposition they v,rg lor an
is.msf.o'. oHt fsis' rr0Libi.iOu - E,iot'
Debates, 51i.
Taus tie fact j. established and proved,
that Congress vas prevented lr1m abolish
ir. 'te slave trade Tor twenty years, as
sp.y.a, favor 70 twO southern States OF tbs
Uni1u.
The only remaining clause in The con'ii-
tutl0n relating {, slavery IL article four,
section two, CLAUSE thgcc
"No person held 20 ssrvis' or labor IN
one State. uulsr the laws thereof, escaping
INTO aa.,ttr. shall. iu consequence ol any
law ur regulation therein, be- dlschareci
frJrn such service ur l.'1r. bot shall b. de-
l,srcd up On ,',in % the party 40 whon
such service or labor may bS due
Tsis rr1visi1n va, auJ:her Sonec.si0n TO
,laveh1ilins states.
Aud here i, is important o inquire
wh.ts.r tie trainers Il the Constitution
considered slavery national 90 locllf The
rendition cilu,c joe, quoted j. an answer 10
tb, question q" Persons held % s-ryicc or
ahYr In ons State. ugdrr fis i1.rs h.rt0f.'
Here they put upon record, M the great
fundamental law II. the land. the fact that
slave are hcld under the laws oi the
states. and not by lIrce OF the constitution.
Is iramer, 30 expressed themselves "a the
constitutional convention. Mr.. terry
sail
I've had no,hlr. 20 DO with the conduct
oi State. as % slaves. but ought % = Sars-
G4fH,f % gre d1g '1griisH % H. u Madi-
.on Paper, page 1894.
They lelt the whole question where they
found it-with the States 10 he continued
cr ,b1l,.rrd us they s-yyrally, In their so''
erei.n capacities. should determine.
m. The trainers Of the constitution made
that instrument With the desire and expect
alton that slavery would ultimately he ahol-
i.hei in an the states that IN this country
IL would come 20 6ual end. Tits propo-
sition i, clearly demonstrated ~ their OPEN
ly ayoweI oPiniou' upon the slavery que''
ton.
Csneral Washington, although slave
holder. believed slavery wrong. lie freely
cYpres.cd himself upon this point, and has
Ieii the clsarrsl evidence behind him upon
this question.
Tbouas JsE,rson, in his oaicial acts and
pu' hc writings. ha. lcli o. po,,erity rec
orl that cannot la mistaken. In his Notes
on Virginia, be boldly declares
/ "Nob,dy ~ishc. more ardsnily than l..
An abolition not only ot the slave trade
tut Of the con .iii0H of S'arGy "-Pags i'e.
G,u,erneur Morris, IN the convention
which formed the constitution, said
q" lie never could consent 70 uphold hu-
man slavery il was a H,ferlcus issi'ia-
Hoa. .,'--3 Madison Papers, 1868.
Mr sherman said
/ "Thattls abolition Of slavery seemed to
b, roinc ~ 10 the United States. ana 'ha'
the r,..5 sense Of the several Naies voH'u'
probably by degzces. e0nPisis H. - Madi
son Papers, 1880.
Colonel Mason, OF Virginia. said
"Sla,sry " discounges the arts and manu-
lactufss. aud briugs the judgment oi hea''
IN on a country. .''-5 Madison Papers
1891.
H. the Virginia convention to ratiiy the
constitution, Sir Henry said