Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1863-04-09

1niS ordinance, after Inc adoption or the
Constitution, was continued in force by On act
of Congress passed in each House by unan.
imous vote and Washington signed the BILL
| Fifteen of the trainers of the Constitution, in-
cluding Madison were members of that Con-
gress.
Chief Justice fancy, in delivering the opin.
| ion of the Supreme Court in the case of Stra.
der ct. al Us. Graham, 10 Howard, page 96,
| in referring to this ordinance, says, it owed
its legal validity and force, and after the Con-
sttuton was adopted and while the terrtori.
al government continued, to the act of Con-
gresS of August I, 1889, which adopted and
carried its provisions into execution"
On the Goth of March, 1904, Jefferson sign
ed bill for the organizing of the Territory
of Orleans, part of the Louisiana purchase, and
in which slavery then existed. But the act
| prohibited the introduction Of any slave i'm
ported into the country since 1890, and no
slave could be taken into the Territory for
purposes of sale. This was four years before
Congress was permitted by the Constitution
to prohibit the importation of slaves into the
states.
So that Jefferson and the statesmen Of that
day believed that Congress had power over
the Territories to prohibit the introduction
of slaves therein, and they did not hesitate TO
exercise it,
| And on the llth of January, 1905, he
signed the bill for the organization of the Ter
ritory of Michigan, which contained total
prohibition of slavery.
! At the time Of taking my seat in Congress
| as your Representative, there was law in
full force for the prohibiting of slavery in all
| ho tarr IF Lei,
| Of the parallel OF 36 degrees 80 minutes
This act, known as the Missouri Compromise,
was signed by Monroe, and had remained un-
disturbed on the statute book for third of a
century. Enacted by Democratic votes, ap
proved by Democratic President and Cabin
ct, it had become so fixed in the hearts of the
people that even Senator Atchinson of Mis-
souri, bevcd it irrepealabe For in urgiog in
the Senate, on the Sd of March, 1858, the
passage Of bill to organize the Territory of
! Nebraska, which had already passed the
House with not word in it relative to the
Missouri Compromise he used the following
| language:
1t is evident that the Missouri Compromise not
be repealed. So tar that question is concerned we
might well agree the admission OF the Territory now
next year. or five or ten years heRce Congreasonal
Globe Second Session, SD Congress, Volume Is, page
! lll3
| But one year later and the deed was done
For the first time in the history Of the Repub-
| lie, restriction on the spread of slavery was
taken from the statute book. The party that
repealed claimed to be the followers of the
| party that enacted Democrats under the
| lead of Monroe made the Law Democrats
under the lead Of Pierce unmade il. The
Monroe Democracy did it to restrict slavery
the Pierce Democracy uudd it to extend s!a-
very. AS your Representative, | adhered to
the Democracy of the fathers, and opposed the
| Pierce Democracy, and for so doing | had
| your unanimous approval at the ballot box
The sentiment of the Democratic party, as
then constituted, was expressed in the follow
ing proceedings of the Congressional Confer
| ence, published at the time in all the Demo,
cratic papers of the District:
at meeting of the Conierecs Of the l4th Congress
siona District assembled the Court House in Towan
da, the 9th day of September, 1851 Thomas smead
of Bradford called to he Chair and Ezra b. Chase
of Susquehauna, elected Secretary.
On motion of William X. Hatch. Of Susquehanna, Hon
! C. A. Grow was UNANIMOUSLY nominated for re-
! election to Congress.
The following resolutions were then unanimously
! adopted:
Eesored That the restrictions The spread of slave
ry, contained in the Missouri Compromise, rested upon
the early p0lCy OF the fathers or lne RepuDc
and that the repeal of that restriction in the act of Con-
gress organizing the territories of Kansas and Nebras
ka, direct innovation of that policy, breach OF
faith between the sections OF the Union, VIOLA
TION OF EVERY PRINCIPLE OF JUSTICE AND HU.
MANlTY, and determined attempt TO overrun the set
tied maxioms the Government establish in their
stead constitutional constructions subyersiye OF the rights
and guarantees freedom.
ReSolred That we cordially approve of the of
Repre entative in Congress- Mr. Grow and especial
y do commend his in resisting the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise He has reflected honestly and
with fidelity the views of his constituents the best evil
dence of which, well as their determination TO resist
this outrage upon the rights and principles, is his unan
! lmous nomination.
The Wing party resolved in their conven-
! tions not to nominate candidate, and re-
ceived the unanimous vote of the District, for
no other reason than had opposed the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise
The Democratic Convention of Susquehan,
ma county, at its mesting 9th of August,
1855. to nominate County ticket, adopted
the following resolutions
Resolved That Slavery is an institution entirely 10.
cal in its character that it legally exist in State
Territory of this Union until established there by the
vereigny OF State law that the General Government
should in wise lend its cOuntenance support the
extension perpetuity OF the institution aud that
will resist any such Of the powers of the General
Government, as dangerous usurpationS and fragrant
abuses.
Resored That the provisions OF the act OF Congress
establishing the territories of Kansas and Nebraska which
struck down the called Missouri Compromise in out
rage against Northern sentiments and Northern senti
menti and Northern feeling a measure alike uncalled
for and unustihcable by any principle ofustce good
faith.
ReSolred That the repeal of the Missouri Compromise
was not measure of the Democratic party, but is
which large majority at least of the democracy of the
North opposed In its very incpiencya anagOnisc not
only to their oftdecared principles in their primary
sem bes, but also to the great National platform laid
| down at Baltimore in 1852"
The Committee appointed by the Convex,
tion, on reporting these resolutions prefaced
them by the following, as their reason for re-.
porting them
That the resolutions passed by the Democratic Coun-
y Convention last January, believed to embody in
substance general princiDles of the Democratic