Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-07-23

be neither slaUery nor Involuntary sergitude IN
GHy OF the said states, otherwise than an the
haze been Guty c0nU5cted to hare been personally
guilty." Sixteen members voted for aud
against this ordinance, test vote, but the
requisite ma ority of states not voting for the Ordl-
nance it failed 1t will be observed that this pro-
posed ordinance embraced all of the states thereafter
forever to be admitted into what was. then denomi-
rated the confederacy. Afterwards on the 18th of
July, 1857, two months before the adoption of the
constitution and something like year before its
ratification by nine states-the requisite number to
make it the constitution of the United States,-that
celebrated ordinance 9 for the government of the
territory of the United States northwest of the river
Ohio introduced by Nathan Dane, of Massachu.
sets, was passed by the Continental congress Arti
Gle of this ordinance is in substance exactly like
article 5 in the introduced by Mr.. Jefferson,
which have already quoted, with proviso in rela-
ton to persons owing service who should escape
from any of the original states. By this ordinance
all officers of the territories had to be appointed by
congress. After the adoption of the constitution or
congress amended this ordinance by providing that
all such officers should be appointed by the presi-
dent of the United States in all other respects the
ordinance of 1887 stood as the organic and para
mount law for the government of the territory OF the
United States northwest of the river Ohio.
This ordinance of 1877, so familiar to all of the
early settlers of Wisconsin, was the great charter OF
our rights and the limit of our powers; as it had
been for all the territories which had before that
time been admitted into the Union ouf of the north
west territory. of the territory northwest OF the
States, this ordinance unquestionably the
grandest and most perfect written charter for the
protection % the rights and liberties OF people that
has been devised. Ia respects It
explicit and more perfect than the constitution
itself In view of subsequent events, it is instruct
i've to observe the wisdom and forethought OF the
following provision of this ordinance: Article 4.
." The said territory and the states which may be
formed therein shall forever remain part of the
confederacy of the Unitel States of America sub
ect the articles of confederation and such alter
Sho11 ha ode nd
to all the acts and ordinances of the United States in
congress assembled conformabe thereto" If this
or like expression had been inserted into the con-
stltuton OF the United States, should never have
heard of the right of the constitutional and legal
secession. Such doctrine could never have found
advocates followers and it may be, nay it is al
most certain that it would have saved the people of
this country from that cruel and awful with all
its terrible consequences which must abide with our
people for generations to come, possibly forever.
1t is indisputabe that many of the American
statesmen north and south did believe in the
right OF secession, and the question was consld-
erablI discussed even at an early day: finally and
unhappily 100 many were willing 10 peril al IN
support of this opinion. Had this plain and en-
phatfc declaration THAT all the states that adopt
and accept this constitution shall forever re-
main part OF the United States subject to this
constitution" none would have been found bold
enough and bad enough to propose the dissolu-
tiou and destruction of the Union for that would
have been treason without parallel and without
even the poor excuse OF an honest conviction.
Ject, and from the plan OF this address. now
turn, hoping that my DEPRESSION may not, after
ALL be Improbable. The ordinance OF 1857, arti-
Gle five, provided that there should be formed In
the said territory not less than three nor moro
than five states. with this
proviso: That If congress shall hereafter find it
expedient they shall have authority to form one
or two states in that part Of said territory which
lies north of an east and west line drawn through
the sOutherly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan.
Thus. the north line of the territory OF Illinois
u
Is now Wisconsin, was fixed on line drawn
through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake
Michigan" BY the express terms Of the ordi-
nance, 1t was forever to remain unalterabe, uu-
less by common consent" Such continued 10 be
the north line of Illinois and the southern bound
airy of Wisconsin until 1918, when Illinois was
admitted into the Union as state. Then con-
greSs, establishing the boundaries of this state,
extended its north line rear sixty miles north of
the line established by the ordinance of 1884, and
This was done without the consent OF Wisconsin;
indeed. it was done a. a time when there We're
but few here 10 object, and it done in such
haste that these few had no opportunity to OBJ
ject. .
The part thus taken from Wisconsin, embraces
the fourteen northern counties of Illinois, the
richest and most popuous part OF that state, in
Guiding OF course, the city of Chicago. JOSS
The ordinance Of l.S?, although made unaltera-
bic, was changed in this particular, but time and
circumstances have sanctioned the Change, and
1t is now, indeed, unalterable.
have referred to this subject solely for the
purpose Of calling your attention to the circum
stances and reasons which Induced this change
OF boundary. 1t was done sixty one years ago,
and only thirty-one years. after the adoption OF
the constitution OF the United States, at period
when now, 1t would hardly be thought that there
was any threatened danger of dissolution of
the Union, ald yet We shall see that The solemn
compact OF the ordinance OF 1857 was sregarded,
and Wisconsin deprived Of very important and
immensely valuable parl of its territory in order
that Illinois, just then 10 be admitted "a sta.e,
might be more firmly hOunl 10 the Union By
idenilfy ~ her through the great lakes, With the
eastern states aud norIht RI interests,' Wis
cons Il was thus eaI ~ sacrificed and dismembered
in the interest o. the Union and of peace. On
two other memorable occasions Wis .onsin has
been shorn OF Its proportions in the interest OF
peace, but yet she nov stands, and must always
stand, foremost among the states of The Union,
ton. and apl1 ed TO congress Tor admission into
INTO the Union on an equal foot ~ wi h the
1glnal states. Neither the legislature Of the t
ritory OF Illinois, nor the convention that framed
the constitution mad suggested any change N
the boundaries OF the state, The original bill
introduced into congress by Judge Pope the der
from Illinois, DID provide for any change
of boundary: but while the bill was pending
Judge Pope solely on his own RESPONSE bIliy,
proposed an amendment to il as follows: - BY
striking out the lines defining the boundaries If
the new state and inserting the 70 lowiug:' Be-
ginning at the mouth of the Wabasn river thence
up the same, AMI with the line al indian to the
northwest corner Of said state O tue middle OF
Lake Michigan thence north along the IN iddle
of said lake TO north latitude AZ degrees 80 mln-
river TO its confluence with the Ohio river: and
thence up the latter river along the northwestern
shore to the beginning -
This amendment was adopted without division
and without opposition, and then the mischief
was done. See I'd vol, Annals of Congress Tor
the year 1885, p. 1917. .-.ff,.-r,., 49,. p. b
Now for the reaso ms assigned. Mr. Pope said
in support Of his amendment see same page,
1917 1.-The object Of this amendment was to gain
for the proposed state coast on Lake Michigan.
This would afford additional security to the per-
petuity OF the Union, inasmuchsas, the states
would thereby be connected with the states of
Indisna, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York
through the lakes' Z This is but a
measre report of what wgs said by Judge Pope
In advocating his amendment, but the point is
plainly brought out1n the little we have here re-
ported. Gov. Ford, in his admirable history Of
Illinois, in speaking Of the subject. says at page
22: . But there were other and more Weighty
reasons for the change of this boundary, which
were ably and successfully arged by Judge Pope
upon the attention OF congress. 1t was known,
he said, that in all confederate republics there
was danger of dissolution. The great valley of
the Mississippi was filing up with numerous
people, the original confederacy had already adj
vanced westward thousand miles across the
chain of mountains skirting the Atlantic: the
adjoining states in the western country ere
watered by rivers running frOD, every point of the
compass, cOnverging to focus at the confluence
of the Ohio and Mississippi at Cairo. The wa