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Show 360 TIIE AGITA'riON IN 1847-50. Carolina, these abolilion societies commenced their course of action in 1835. It is snid-I do not know how truo it may be--that they sent incendiary publications into the slave States; at any event, they attempted to arouse, and did arouse, a very strong feeling; in other words, they created great agitation in the North against Southern slavery. Well, what was the result? The bonds of the slaves were bound more firmly than before; their rivets were more strongly fastened. Public opinion, which in Virginia bad begun to be exhibited against slavery, and was opening out for the discussion of the question, drew back and shut itself up in its castle. I wish to know whether any body in Virginia can, now, talk as Mr. Ran. dolph, Gov. McDowell, and others talked there, openly, and sent their remarks to the press, in 1832. We all know the fact, and we all know the cause, and everything that this agitating people have done, bas been, not to en. large, but to restrain, not to set free, but to bind faster, the slave population of the South. That is my judgment. Sir, as I have said, I know many abolitionists in my own neighborhood, very honest, good people, misled, as I think, by strange enthusiasm; but they wish to do something, and they are called on to contribute, and they do contribute; and it is my firm opinion this day, that within the last twenty years, as mnch money has been collected and paid to the abolition societies, abolition presses, and abolition lecturers, as would purchase the freedom of every slave-man, woman, and child-in the State of Maryland, and send them all to Liberia. I have no doubt of it. But I have yet to learn that the benevolence of these abolition societies bas at any time taken that partic~lar turn. Extract from Ron. John C. Calhoun's speech in the Senate, June 27th, 1848. But there is ouc precedent referred to by the Senator I TH~ AGJTATIO~ IN 18-17-50. 361 unconnec ted with the power ' and on thn.L account requires artictJlar notice. I ref 'l" to the ordinance of 17 87, which Pw<a s a c1 op tccl by Lh c ol<l CnnoaT c. · of thr. Co. nfedera.t ion w.h ile the Convention tha t fram d Lhc ConsLltuttOn wa. m scsswn, and about one year before its adoption, aml of co urs~ on the very eve of the expiration of the olcl Oonfecle ratwn. .Again. t it in tro<lncLion, I might obj ect Lhn,t the act of the Congre. s of the Confederation cannot rightfully form precedents for this government; but I waive thn.t. I waive also the objection tlln.t the act was consummated. when that government was in e.1·trem1:s, and could hardly be cou ·iclerc<l compos men l?>. I waive also the fact that the ordinn.nce assumed the form of a compact, and was adopted when only eight Slates were present, when the Articles of Confederation required nine to form compacts. I waive also the fact, that Mr·. Macli ~ on declared that the ct was without shadow of constiLn tional authority, and shall a rocced to show, from the history of its adoption, that it ~annot justly be considered of any binding force. Virrrinia made the cession of the Territory north of the Ohio, :nd lying between it and the Mississip~i and ~he lake~, in 17 84. It now contains the States of Ohw, Indmna, Ilh- .Q Michigan Wisconsin and a very considerable extent llOl ... , , ' of territory lying North of the latter. Shortly after the cession a committee of three was raised, of whom Mr. Je[cr- 8011 wa~ one. They reported an ordinance for the establishment of the Territory, containing, among other provisions, one of which Mr. Jefferson was the author, excluding slav' ery from the Territory after the year 1800. It was re-ported to Congress, but this provision was struck ont. On the question of striking out, every Southern ~t~te present voted in favor of it; and what is more stnlnng, every Southern delegate voted the same way, Mr. J e[erson alone excepted. The ordinance was adopted without the provision. .At the next session, Rufus King, then a member • |