The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-10-04
Virginia's Deed of CessiOn.


AT a meeting held by myself
in Polk Township at Christ ansburg, OF
Saturday the 10Th inst, Mr.. Silas Dogget
made the assertion that there was provis
in the deed Of cession of the North Yves
Territory, to the effect that said Territor,
must remain free, and stated to that Grove
that he would stake his reputation upon il
and in the event that such was not shown t
be the fact: and that Congress was not com
PEELED to exclude slavery therein, that h
would recant through the paper.
Since that meeting, have met Mr.. Dog
gett in Town, and requested him to go will
me to examine said deed; he replied tina
he had not time, and undertook to get out o
his corner by denying that he said anything
about the deed of cession, but spoke of som
resolutions passed by the Virginia House O.
Delegates, which said resolutions, | under
take to say, can never be found; AMI even i
found, would have nothing more to do witt
the case than the resolus of any other body
His proposition and assertions were under
stood by every man at that meeting HI
said had been talking great deal about
what Congress had done, and he would an
swer by denying that Congress had ever
done anything, for the reason above given
and for fear that there might be some mis-
understanding, re-stated it to the crowd.
Now, I wish Mr. ID. to face the music, and
either examine the history of that transac
ton, and recant as he promised to do, OIL
forever after hold his peace in regard to it.
VIII You be so kind as to publish the Deed
of Cession, in connection with this statement
that those persons, whom he might have in
fuence enough over to delude, may see 70,
| themselves. .... s
This is small matter, to be sure, with
those who are posted in regard to the history
of that transaction. And, yet, small as it is,
there are those who can be, and are deluded
by just such perversions of the history oI
our country. He stated, also, that he could
prove that we were in favor of negro equality
and for proof referred to the Declaration ot
independence embodied in our platform, and
said he would like to see me get out of that
told him in reply, that we, as a party
and as individuals believed every word Of
that Declaration. ......... .... .......s
That God gave every man the right to his
life, to his liberty, and to pursue happiness
That these were natural rights given by the
Creator, that it did not include the right te
vote, to sit on jury, nor the social rights en-
joyed by us, for these were rights conferred
by men, and not natural rights given by the
Creator. r.. ........ e. ..
He said he could not see tie difference be
tween natural rights and political rights
at which stage Of the proceedings left bin
alone in his glory,-as also did the croacdt
Yours, truly,
d. G. MITCHELL.
| Whereas the General Assembly of Virgin
ia, at their session commencing on the 20tf
day Of October, 1888, passed an act to au
thorize their delegates in Congress to convey
to the United States in Congress assembled
all the right of that commonwealth to tho
territory Northwestward of the river Ohio
and whereas the delegates of the said com
monwealth have presented to Congress the
! form of deed proposed to be executed. pur
suant to the said act, in the words follow
/ ing:
To all who shall see these presents, we
| Thomas Jefferson, Samual Hardy, Arthur
Lee, and James Monroe, the underwriters
delegates for the commonwealth of Virginia
in the Congress of the United States o
America, send greeting:
Whereas, the General Assembly
of the Commonwealth of Virginia
at their sessions begun on the Goth day O.
October, 1888, pissed an act, entitled "Ar
act to authorize the delegates of this State
IN Congress to convey to the United States
in Congress assembled, all the right of thi.
commonwealth to the territory Northwest
ward of the river Ohio" in these words fol
| lowing, to wit
l. Whereas the Congress of the United
States did, by their act Of the sixth day Of
September, in the year one thousand seven
hundred and eighty, recommend to the sew
eral states in the Union, having claims to
waste and unapproprated lands in western
Country, a liberal cession to the United
States, ofa portion Of their respective claims
for the common benefit of the Union:
2. And whereas this commonwealth did
on the second day of January, in the yea,
one thousand seven hundred and eighty -one
yield to the Congress of the United States
for the benefit Of the said States, all right
title, and claim, which the said common
wealth had to the territory northwest of The
river Ohio, subject to the conditions annexed
to the said ct Of cession.
3. And whereas the United States in Con
gress assembled, have, by their act of tic
thirteenth of September last, stipulated the
terms on which they agree to accept the ces'
sion Of this State, should the legislature ap
prove thereof, which terms, although they dt
not come fully up to the propositions Of this
Commonwealth, are conceived on the whole
to approach so nearly to them, as to induce
this state tohccept thereof, in full conf
dence that Congress will, in justice to this
state for the liberal cession she hath made
earnestly press upon the other states claim