The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-06-15

Abraham Baldwin, Pierce Butler, hoSci
Sherman, Rufus King, Daniel Carol, Robert
Morris, WIN. Patterson, James Mad'soh'
George Clymcr. ,,,.
This shows that in their understandings
no line. dividing local from federal authori-
ty. nor ANYTHING in the Constitution, prop
eriy forbade Congress to prohibit slavery IN
the federal territory, else both their iideiity
10 correct principle, and their oath to sup
mort the Constitution, would have constfaih-
ed them to oppose the prohibition.
OPINION OF GEORGE WASHINGTON.
Again, George Washington, another OF
the Stbirty.nine," was then President OF the
United States, and rs such, approved ana
signed the bill, thus completing its validity
as law. and thus showing that, in his un-
Jcrstandinr. no line dividing local from led
cral authority, nor anything in the Consti-
tuition. forbade the Federal Government to
control as to slavery in Federal Territory.
loud applause.) No great while alter the
adontion of the original constitution, North
Carolina cedcd to the Federal Government
the country now constituting the State OF
Tennessee I; and few years later, Georgia
ccdcd that which now constitutes the States
of Mississippi and Alabama. In both deeds
of ccssion, ii was made condition by the
cedinc States that the Federal Government
should not prohibit slavery in the ccdcd coun-
try. Under these circumstances, Congress,
ON taking charge of these countries, did not
absolutely prohibit slavery within them.
CONGRESS DID INTERFERE.
But they did interfere with it-tako con-
troll of it-eyen there, to certain extent
In l70S Congress organized the Territory. oi
Mississippi. In the act of organization they
prohibited the bringing Of slaves into the
Territory, from any place without the Unit
ed States, by fine, and giving freedom to
slaves so brought. This act passed both
branches of Congress without yeas and nays.
In that Congress were three OF the thirty
nine" who framed the original Constitution;
They were John Langdon, George Read ana
Abraham Baldwin. They oil probably voted
for it. Certainly they would have placed
their opposition to 1t upon record, II, in
their understanding, any line dividing local
and federal authority, or anything in the
Constitution properly forbade the Federal
Government to control as to slavery in Fede-
, raj Territory. (Applause.)
} In 1903 the Federal Government purchas-
cd the Louisiana country. Our former ter
! ritorial acquisitions came from certain OF our
, own States, but this Louisiana country was
acquired from Nkeign nation. In 1904
!, Congress gave Territorial organization to
that mart of it which now constitutes the
/ State of Louisiana. New Orleans, lying
, within that part, was an old and compara-
: tiyely large city. There were other consid-
erabIe towns and settlements, and slavery
r was extensively and thoroughly intcrmingled
with the people. Congress did not, in the
, Territorial act, prohibit slavery but they
| did interfere with it-take control OF it-in
a moro marked and extensive way than thoy
did in the case OF Mississippi.
TIE LOUISIANA PRovIso.
The substance of tho provision therein
made in relation to slaves, was this
, First, That no slave should be imported
into the Territory from foreign parts. :.
, Second, That no slave should be carried
{ into il who had been imported into the State
, since the first day of May, l70S.
Third, That no slave should be carried in
, to il, except by the owner, and for his own
use as a settler; the penalty in all these cases
r being fine upon the yiolator of the law
1 and the freedom to the slave. prolonged
cheers.)
5 This act also was passed without yeas or
0 nays. In the Congress which passed it there
: were two of the "thirty-nine." They were
; Abraham Baldwin and Jonathan Dayton
{ As stated in the case of Mississippi, 1t is
| probable they both voted for It. They would
0 not have allowed it to pass without record
I ing their opposition to it, II, in their under
: standing, il violated either the line dividing
local from federal authority, or any provis-
ion Of the Constitution. Many votes were
taken, by yeas and nays, in both branches OF
, Congress, upon the various phases OF the
general question. Two Of the "thirty'nine,'
> Rufus King and Charles Pinckney, wer
members of that Congress. MIR. King stead.
ily voted for slavery prohibition, and against
! ali compromises, while Mr.. Pinckney has
steadily voted against slavery prohibition,
and against all compromises lCheers) By
this Mr.. King showed that in his understand
! inc no line dividing local from federal au.
thority, nor anything in the Constitution,
: was violated by Congress prohibiting slavery
in Federal Territory; while Mr.. Pinckncy,
= by his votes, showed that in his understand
,, inc. there was some sufficient reason for op-
! posing such prohibition in that case.
r TIE FATHERS on RECORD.
The cases have mentioned are the only
acts of the "thirty-nine," or any OF them,
, upon the direct issue, which have been able
, to discover. To enumerate the persons VINO
: thus acted, as being four in lIS4, three In
1887, seventeen in 1889, three In l7yS, two
in 1904, and two in lSl0-20-there would
, be thirty-one of them. But this would DO
I counting John Langdon, Roger Sherman.
, William Few, Rufus King and George Read
each twice, and Abraham Baldwin four times.
: (Applausc.) He wasa Georgian, too. (Re-
, newcd applause and laughter.) The true
| number Of the "thirty.nine" whom have
shown to have acted upon the question, which
, by the text they understood better than we,
: /: twenty-thrce, leaving sixteen not to have
, acted upon it in any way. Here, then, wo
0 have twenty.three OF our "thirty.nine" ia
. theirs who framed tho government under
= which we live, who have upon their Official
responsibility and their corporal oaths, acted
, upon the very question which tho text nj
I firms they "undertood just Us well and even
/, better than we do now," and twenty-one OF
, them-a clear majority Of the whole thirty
nine-so acting upon II rs to make them
guilty of gross political impropricty and
willfal perjury, II in their understanding,
, any proper division between local and fede-
: : raj authority, or anything in the Constitu-
tion they had made themselves and sworn to
support, forbade the Federal Government to
control as 10 slavery in the Federal Terrific.
, ries. (Chcers.) Thus the twenty-one act
: ed and actions speak louder than words, 20
: actions under such responsibility speak still
londer. Two of the twcnty-thrco voted
!, against the Congressional prohibition OF
: slavery in the Federal Territories, in tho in
stances in which they acted upon the ques-
tion. But for what reason they 30 voted Is
! not known. They may have done 80 because
!. they thought proper division Of local from
federal authority, or some provision or prin-