M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1861-04-11
which belongs equally to all the

that equal and full enjoyment any
class OF States because Of any institu-
ton that may exist iu them. The
Constitution gives to the other States
no right to monopolize that Territory,
and to assume the entire ownership
and enjoyment of it. The Constitu.
ton accepled them al its foundation.
1t accepted them as slaveholding
States. 1t accepted them at the time
Of it's adoption as entitled to equal
rights, Notwithstanding they held
slaves. It accepted slaVeholdiug and
non-sIaveholding States rs standing
in equal favor with the Constitution,
and entitled to equal rights and equal
justice from that Constitution, 3 '
So regardingit, il seems to me
that it would be unjust fUr the free
States to assume and usurp to them.
selves the entire control OF these Ter.
rtories, and 80 control them as in eli.
feet to exclude from them portions Of
the citizens of a certain class Of States.
| thought, therefore, sir, that the
North was in the wrong, and that the
South was in the right in respect to
this question OF property and rights
in the Territories OF the United States
and one OF the objects Of the measures
which proposed, one Of their chief
objects, was to procure, by ali amend.
ment to the Constitution, an acknowl-
edgment ofthis equal right on the
part Of the South. Upon Constitu.
tioDal principles this right would ex.
tend to all the Territoises of the Uni.
ted States, and the Southern States in
Common with the free States, would
have an undivided and equal right in
all the Territories of the United
States. But. as a common enjoy.
'ment would be difficult, it appeared
more convenient that there should be
for this purpose sort OF partition OF
the Territories of the United States
between the different classes of States,
slaveholaing and -Sraveholding.
Our fathers those who have gone
before us-in the year 1920, upon the
question OF the introduction Of Mis-.
souri, into the Union, were evolved
in this very question OF olayory ngita
tion. The admission OF Missouri
was objected to because of it's, consti-
tuition, in view Of the fact that slavery
existed in tho new State, and was
sanctioned by the constitution. Man
ifesting at that early period an oppo.
sition to the exclusion of slavery,
they rejected it in the first instance
they opposed the admission of Mis-
souri,. A compromise was then drat.
ted. The line Of SO deg. 80 min,,
was made the dividing boundary or
line. Upon the north Of il sla very
was to be prohibited; upon the south
OF it slavery was not to be prohibited.
So the matter rested. 1t produced
peace. Now instead Of common un-
divided right to 60 into all the Terri.
tories, the South has an implied prom
Use that she may 60 there and carry
her slaves, if she pleaser; into all the
territory south OF the line Of 36 deg.
80 min. .r..f.a. g.. =.
That compromise applied 10 the
Territory acquired by the Louisiana
treaty. What have we done in the
present emergency--an emergency
presenting the same questionsa |
proposed tina! we should again adopt
ths line ofdiyision and apply it to the
territory which we had since acquired
in our war with Mexico-that again
We should renew the compact that IN
the territory north Of SO Q 30 min,
there should be no slavery, and that
in the territory south OF it slavery
should be recognized. 1t seemed to
me that this was just, equitable and
right. But it did not appear SO u the
Congress Of the United States.
| believe ifthese measures, thus Of
fered, had been at a suitable time
promptly adopted by the Coagress u
the United States, it would have
checked the progress osthe rebellion
and revolution, aud saved the Union.
But | say it did not seem go to the
Congress of the United States, and
they declined to adopt these resolutions
with the exception ofone.- That was
an amendment to the Constitution,
which i: adopted SO far as it could, to
be referred to the several States for
their adoption-an amendment de,
,laring that the General Cover nment
should have no power whatever over
slavery in the Stats, and that no
amendment should be made to the
Constitution OF the United States
which should give Congress any such
,ower. 1t said nothing in respect to
he Territories, either as il regarded
he Territories themselves or as II re.
.arded slavery in the Territories. 9
They declined to permit slaves to
'e carried into the territory south OF
IS . 80 min. In the meantime the