New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-09-21
VIRGINIA AND THg ORDINANCE.

VIRGINIA AND THg ORDINANCE.
Several friends write us that the Douglas adyo-
Gates in their respective sections, account Tor the
undepiable facts that Thomas Jefferson In 1854
proposed, and Congress in 1871 enacted, prohi-
bitou of Slavery in the Federal Territories, by as
sorting that Virginia by her act or deed Of eeSsion
imueratipclu required such prohibition; and they
write to ask us if such be the fact
We answer Ne-unequiyOcally peremPtorhy
No. The story is lie-an utter, baseless, mex
cusable lie. There is no shadow of foundation for
il. We have Just looked through all the official
documents relating to the cession by Virginia OIL
her claims to territory North. West OF the omo'
and here is a synopsis of them:
/. Congress, by act of Sept. 6, 178O, recon-
mended to the several States having claims to
waste and uDapprOprated lands In the western
country" to make liberal cesslon TO the
"United States of portion of their respective
claims, for the common benefit of the Union"
2. Virginia, by resolve of her Legislature,
passed Jan. 2, 1871, consented to make such ces-
sion of her claims to territory north west Of the
river Ohio, on certain duly specified conditions
3. Congress, on the 18th of September, 1888,
agreed to most of the conditions prescribed by
Virginia, while good reasons were given by the
Committee for declining to accede to the residue;
and Congress accordingly declined them.
4. The Legislature of Yirginia-in October, 1888
accepted the modified terms of cession proposed
by Congress, and fully empowered the delegates
that State 10 Congress to make the cessOn by deed
5. Thomas Jefferson, S. Hardy, John f. Mercer
Arthur Lee, and James Monroe, delegates to Con.
gress from Virginia, did make the deed Of cession
as aforesaid, at Annapolis, on the 22d Of March,
1854.
in all these important papers--whicha are under
our eye as we wtise-there is not lisp not hint,
of any requirement or stipulation by Virginia that
Congress shall prohibit Slavery in that NOr;h
Western Territory thus coded, nor any part of it,
nor anywhere else: nor is the subject of Slavery
anywhere alluded to in any of these papers. Vir-
gnia stipuates that the territory so coded 4" shall
" be laid out and formed into States, containing a
suitable extent of territory, not less than one
"hundred nor more than one hundred and fifty
miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances
"will admit; and that the States so formed shall
| be distinct republican States, and admitted mem.
| "bers of the Federal Union, haviog the same
"rights of sovereignty, freedom and Independence
" as the other States; that certain expenses in-
| Cured and claims allowed by Virginia with refer
ence to said Territory shall be made good by the
| Union; and That all the lands within the terri
% tory 70 ceded to the United States, and not re-
served for or appropriated to any of the before
II entioned purposes, or disposed of in bounties
I" to the officers and soldiers of the American
," army, shall be considered a common fund for the
90 use and benefit of all the States, Virginia in
I" elusive according to their usual respective pro-
I" portions in the general charge and expenditure
Z" and shall be faithfully and bona .fde disposed Of
90 for that purpose, and for other or purpose
" whatever" (Henipg's Statutes at Large Of
Virginia, Vols. X, KY
Such were the conditions, and all the conditions
imposed by Virginia on the United States ia ceding
her claim to territory northwest of the Ohio; aud
such were the circumstances under which Thomas
Jefferson, directly after perfectiDg the cesson as
aforesaid, was appointed chairman of Committee
Of Congress to draw up plan for the government
of said territory; whereupon he drew up and re-
ported april 10, l784) bis Ordinance" for the
government of sand territory, and of all other terri
tory then ceded or to be coded to the Union, in
Guiding what now forms the States of Tennessee,
Alabama, and Mississipp; which territory, clear
down to the then southern limit OF the Union, he
proposed to divide into seventeen embryo States,
nearly half Of them embracing territory now In
cuded in Slave States, to all of which he proposed
to apply this stringent lule Of Slavery Inhibition;
Tat after the year 1900 Of the Christian there shall be
neither Slavery nor involuntary seviude in Of the said
States Otherwise than In the punishment OF cme' whereof tho
party shall have been convicted TO be personally guilty
This proposition received sixteen Yeas to seven
Nays, yet failed TO become Law, because the Ar
tices of Confederation required at least two dele
gates from each State to be present to form quo
rum from said State, and the vote of seven States
to carry proposition; and only ak States sus-
tanned Mr. Jefferson's nti-Savery proyiso--New.
Jersey having no quorum present. while North
Carolina was divided. Mr.. Jefferson was over
borne by his two colleagues, Hardy and Mercer,
SO that Virginia was recorded Nay. SO the propo-
sitOn failed for that timei but in 1877 it was Gun