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Show 194 KENTUCKY Rli~SOLU'riONS OF 1798-9. fidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution. 'fhat this commonwealth does therefore call on its co-States for an cxprcs. ion of their sentiments on the acts concerning aliens, aud for the punishment of certain crimes herein before speci fied, plil.iuly declaring whether these acts are or are not authorized by the federal compact. And it doubts not that theit· sense will be so announced as to prove their aLtuchmcnt to limited government, whether general or particular, and that the rights and liberLim1 of their co-States will be expo ed to no dangers by remaining embarked on a common bottom with their own; bnt they will concur with this commonwealth in considering the said acts as so palpably against the Constitution as to amount to an undi. guiscd declaration, that the compact is not meant to be the measure of the powers of the general government, but that it will proceed in the exercise over these States of all powers whatever; that they will view this as seizing the rights of the States, and consolidating them in the hands of the general government, with a power assumed to bind the States, not merely iu cases made federal, but in all cases whatsoever, by laws made, not with their consent, but by others ngainst their consent; that this would be to snrrcndcr the form of government we have chosen, and live under one deriving its powers from its own will, and not from our authority; nnd that the co-States, recurring to their natural rights not made federal, will concur in declaring them void anrl of no force, and will each unite with this common wealth in rc· questing their repeal at the next r:;cssion of Cougrcss. CIIA.PTER VII. TilE MlS 'O.U RI QUE TION • IN December, 1818, Congress received. a petition from tho legislature of the territory asking adtuission iuto the Uuion. On the 19th February, 1819, while the l>ill was under dicussion for the admission, an amendment wa oil'crcd "providing that the further in troduction of slavery, or involuntary serviLutlc be prohil>ilcu in saiu StaLe." Adopted, 87 to 7 6 votes in the IIouse. Another n.m cuLlmcnt, "'!'hat all children born in said State, after admission thereo f, shall be free after the age of twenty-five years." Auopted, 79 to G7. The Senate struck out this amendment, 22 to 1 G. Each House adhered obstinately to its position and the bill was lost. At the next session Mr. Taylor of New York offered a resolution raising 1:\ commillee tor port" a. uill prohibiting the further admiHSLOil or slaves iuto the territory west of tho Mississippi." Tltis p1·opo:ition was post.pon ·d. In the mean time a Lill was introduced. for the admission of I Maine into the Uuion, which passed the Ilouse. The Senate tacked a scclion admitting Missouri to the Maine bill. Ou the 18th January, 1820, :Mr. rrhomas of Illinois introduced in the Senn.lc the celebrated slavery restriction, excluding Hlavcry fon~ vcr from all t<•rri to ry north of 3GO 30' north latitude. After an cxeiLing dcunte it was referred to a select commillcc. 'The motion to exclude slavery from Missouri was loHt in the Senate, 1 G to 27 · Ou the 17 Lh l!., cl>ruury' JVlr. rrhomas's amendment, excluding slavery from the territory north of 36° 30' passo<l 0 9f)) .. ' ' ~' ' I |