Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-07-19

| Ohio. but the cession was not then for
mally contaminated. Jefferson's plan
of a government for this territory was
adopted with a few amendments these
consisted of an omission OF the names
suggested for the districts and OF the
clause providing, that after the year 1SOO
of the christian era there shall be nelth-
or slavery nor involuntary servltude IN
any of the said states, otherwise than In
punishment of crimes, whereof the par
ty shall be duly convicted to have been
personally guilty"
While accusing IS of not having read
our own authority, our critic here falls
into a grievous error because OF the very
thing of which he charges us, careless
reading. We were perfectly we'll aware
that Jefferson was absent in Europe IN
1887, when the ordinance was finally
adopted, and we are also aware thai
Nj. Nathan Dane re-wrote the ordinance
as it was Their adopted, as Mr.. King did
in 1855. when the plan was again ap-
proved with the exceptions above stated.
All this, however, does not rob MIR.
Jefferson of its authorship. So gener-
ally is this acknowledged that all histo-
rians that mention the matter, so far as
our observation goes, give him the
credit for it.
Ridpath says: 'For the government
of the territory an ordinance drawn up
6u Mr.. Jefferson was adopted on the
18th OF July 1887. By the terms
OF the ordinance it was stipulated y I"
y and that slavery should be prohibit
ed" As a northern writer Ridpath
would make this statement reluctantly,
rather desiring to reserve the credit to a
northern man.
Wizards history speaks of Jefferson
as the author of the ordinance.
Mr.. Andrew Young. in his ''Amerl-
can Statesman" says: Gas early as
1884 Mr.. Jefferson, then a member OF
congress, submitted a plan of govern
ment for all the western territory,
all of which was expected to be coded
by the states claiming the same. One
of its provisions was that, after the
year 1900, there shall be neither slavery
nor involuntary servitude in any OF the
said states, other than in the punishment
of crimes, whereof the party shall have
been convicted?' The report. embraced
in a ser,es of resolutions, was adopt
ed, except the proviso." In speaking OF
Mr.. Danes draft, submitted in 1857,
MI. Young says: "The sixth was the
anti-slavery proviso introduced by MIR.
Jefferson in 1884, so modified. however,
as to take effect Immediately"
Mr.. Webster, in his celebrated speech
in reply to Hayne, in which he was en-
d~eavoring to take to the north as much
of the credit of the clause restricting
slavery in the northwestern territory
as he fairly could, said: 'The cession
by Virginia was made. March. 1884.
On the 10Th of April following a COM
mittee consisting of Messrs. Jefferson,
Chase and Howell reported a plan for a
temporary government Of the territory
in which was this article: that after
the year 1900 there shall be neither
slavery, nor involuntary servitude in
any of the said states, otherwise than
in punishment of crimes whereof
the party shall have been convicted
Mr.. Spalght, of North Carolina,
moved to strike. out this paragraph
The question was put according tt
the form then practiced: shall these
words stand as part of the plan &c.
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, New
l Jersey and Pennsylvania-seven states
, Voted in the affirmative. Maryland
Virginia and South Carolina, in the neg
alive. North Carolina was divided. A
the consent OF nine states was necessary
the words could. not stand, and wer'
struck out accordingly. Mr.. Jefferson
voted for the clause, but was oUer
ruled By his colleagues"
: ut is hardly necessary to say that MI
: Webster is good authority, or that wher
Jefferson, Chase and Howell formed
committee to draft a law, the draft woul
I he made by Jefferson.
o In March of the next year, Mr.. King
e of Massachusetts,, seconded by MIR. Ell
e lery, of Rhode Island. proposed the fol
i merly rejected article. with a slight ad
e dition. and it was again defeated. an
}, ! in 1887 MIR. Dane renewed 1t. an
q it passed. Without being prolix, this il
e in part, the history of the territory trol
which was afterward formed the gre
ID states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. Wiscol
n sin and Michigan. the gift of Vlrgini;
1t the mother of states and statesmen,
u the union.
If it were not so excessively warm v
y might hunt up some further authority
s. but we think this should be enough.
b. We have for some time observed Il
l. foot thot oofflo yyara haoominO Sca RI