Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-01-04
Equality in the Territories.


The concessions which are now demanded
from the North by certain parties are two,
viz: that the statutes Of Vermont and 9TH
er states which are alledged to restrict the
action of the Fugitive Slave Law be repeal
ed, and that the decision at the recent cleo
tion be reversed, so that slavery may ex-
tend itself into the Territories.
On he former of these points we have
nothing to add to what we have already
said, unless it be that the states in ques-
ton, after removing whatever there may
be needlessly oppressive or retaliatory IN
them II they consent to pass repeating acts
should do so on the condition that they
take effect when the Fugitive Slave law is
so modified as no longer to shock humani-
ty and insult northern feeling.
On the second point, however, there is
more to be said
Passing by the usual, moral, legal, and
! historical arguments against the extension
of slavery, we come at once to an equitable
view of the question not often noticed
We find in the Compendium of the last
Census of De Bow, South Carolina man,
a statement that the total area of the
| States and Territories of this Union is two
millions nine hundred and thirty six thou
sand one hundred and sixty six square
! miles, and that Of this area the slayehold-
Ing States occupy eight hundred and fifty
one thousand five hundred and eight square
miles, or almost exactl y twenty nine per-
cent. Of the whole
Now if the total white population of the
United States at this time be twenty sew
en- millions, aud if that of the slaveholding
States be eight millions, those states have
twenty nine per cent, of the whole popula-
tion.* It appears then that slavery has
already all that belongs to it in this coun-
try, and that if all the territories were de-
voted to freedom it would have only its
just proportion.
It is often urged that the claim of the
South for Territory is as good as that of
the North that we are not to interpose
our moral notions against her rights, and
that Justice demands that she should have
her full share of a common property
Southern equality is the current phrase
which usually covers this claim. But the
South has already the equality she claims
while the North has no. yet taken up her
share Of the territory and organized it into
States, the South has taken up and 'organi-
zed all that equitably belongs TO her. The
question then, practically and legitmately,
is one Of northern and not of southern
equality.
A view Of our past progress confirms this
argument. In 1890, one year after the
organization of our federal government,
those six states IN the original thirteen
which are now slave States had an origin
al area of two hundred and thirteen thou
sand square miles, with white population
(according to De Bow of about million
and a quarter; the seven states of the
original thirteen now free States, had
an area of one hundred and twenty-five
thousand square miles, with white popu-
lation (according to the same authority of
nearly two millions. Since that time there
have been added to the area of slave states
some six hundred and forty thousand
square miles, while their white population
has increased less than seven millions
whereas until the admission of Oregon and
Minnesota, two or three years back, the
area of the free states Lad been increased
less than five hundred thousand square
miles, while their white population had
increased more than fifteen millions The
admission of Oregon and Minnesota did
something to rectity this inequality, but it
is still great 1t is the North tlen, that
has been treated unjustly, as less than
an equal. Thus far, with an increase in
population more than double that of the
South, her increase in territory has, until
lately, not kept pace with that Of the South,
although the South started far in advance
Of her in this regard.
Justice, then, simple justice will not be
done the North, until all the Territories of
the United States-New Mexico, Utah, and
the rest-be secure as free Territories
At this day. with seventy-one per cent. of
the whole population, she has less than
half that percentage of the area of the
country: while the South, as we have seen,
with twenty-nine per cent. of the popula-
ton at most, has twenty nine per cent. Of
the area For the North to have only her
share of the land, we repeat, all the Terri
tories belong to her.
So much is true now. But this incqual-
ity in population is steadily increasing. In
1870 it will be greater than now by 1880
it will be greater than 1870, and so on.
Thus the rightful proportion Of soil belong
ing to The free States is constantly increas-
ing, and the argument conveyed in the sta
tistics we have quoted is constantly grow
ing stronger.
*It is probable, however, that the whole pop
ulation is considerable larger than here suppo-
sed. so that the population of the South is still
/ small er per centage than we have stated. The
results. too. of the elections of 1856 and go far
as known, Of 1860, indicate the same thing, say
twenty-eight per cent
Ia A Missouri legislator, who was
opposed to project for new county,
'come down. upon the locality after the
following fashion
"The soil is so poor that it would not
grow pennyroyal. Sir, you might NOW
the country with razor, and rake it with
fine tooth comb. and you wouldn't get
fodder enough to keep sick grasshopper
through the winter Sir. they plant corn
With crowbars, and hold the sheep by the
legs while they nibhle tie grass III the
,-ooI. or tba cliffs -