Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-02-01
wEExLY JOURNAL.
omoe, % Story masonic Building. Second St
The Cr;ttenden Compromise.

The first article of the Crittenden Compro
mise, given below, contains the gst OF the
whole measure. 1t is in direct opposition te
the principle Of popular sovereignty main
tained by the Douglasites. 1t is also III
conflict with the Republican platform. II
demands change in the Constitution Of the
United States, and the utter reversal Of the
policy of Washington, Madison, and the early
fathers Of the Republic:
ARTICLE l. In all the Territory Of the
United States now held, or hereafter acquired,
situate north of S60 80, slavery or involuntary
servitude, except AS punishment tor crime,
is prohibited while such Territory shall
remain under Territorial Government. In All
the Territory south of SAID line of latitude,
slavery of the African race is hereby rccog-
nized as existing, and shall not be interfered
with by Congress, but shall be protected as
property by all the departments of the Terri
torial Government during its continuance.
And when any Territory north or south OF
said line, within such boundaries as Congress
may prescribe, shall contain the population
requisite for member Of Congress according
to the then Federal ratio of representation Of
the people of the United States, it shall, if its
form of government be Republican, be admit
ted into the Union, on an equal footing with
the original States, with or without slavery,
as the Constitution of such new State may
provide.
The following is synopsis of the remaining
Eve articles:
Art.2. Provides that Congress shall have
no power to abolish slavery in places under
its exclusive jurisdiction.
Art 3. That Congress shall have 10 power
to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia.
art. 4. Congress shall not prohibit the
transportation of slaves by land or water in
the United States.
Art S. Provides that the county in which
fugitive slave escapes from the Marshal, in
consequence of the interference of the inhab-
itants thereof shall be liable for his full value.
Art. 6. Makes these provisions unaltersb.e,
rs well as all others which are in favor of
slavery.
1t proposes to prohibit slavery in all the
national territory lying North of $50 30.
But it also proposes to incorporate into the
Constitution en- article recognizing and pro-
teccting szarry, by Federal power, in all the
territory we now have, on may hereafter
acquire South Of that line. So far from this
being revival of the Missouri Compromise,
it would be the incorporation of the Breckin-
ridge Presidential Platform, including Ter
ritorial Slave Code, into the Constitution of
the United States.
Republicans, of course, cannot endorse
measure that goes so fart is asking too
much CT them, being virtual surrender on
their part of that cardinal principle of their
platform which declares against Congress
legislating to protect or extend slavery in the
Territories.
We wish, in this connection, to call the
attention of the admirers of the Little Giant"
to speech made by him on the compromise
measures, in 1850, in reply to Calhoun. He
said:
"Without reference to the proposed amend
ments, am willing to hazard the prediction
that the Northern States will consent to no
amendment to the Constitution which shall
be presented under threat to dissolve the
Union. We are not in the habit Of making
and changing Constitutions in that way.
Whenever you have any amendment to pro-
pose, we will examine it carefully and dispas.
sionatey, and, if we approve, we will adopt it;
If not, we will reject it. We are willing to
abide by the Constitution as it is"
Now, we 6ud Douglas and his followers in
haste to do what he manfully refused to do
ten years ago, under like circumstances. Is
it not strange that men are repudiating their
past acts, and renouncing all that is just and
right, for the sake of securing amendments to
the Constitution which shall enable minority
to rule a majority, and to extend and perpet-
uate, sanction, cherish and protect, as the
favored of heaven, the institution of human
bondage in its worst form?
IT MUST NOT BE DONE. "Let justice be done
though the heavens fall'