Part 211 (1/2)

No. 11.

THE

CONSt.i.tUTION

A PRO-SLAVERY COMPACT.

OR

SELECTIONS

FROM

THE MADISON PAPERS, &c.

NEW YORK:

AMERICAN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.

142 Na.s.sAU STREET.

1844.

CONTENTS.

Introduction.

Debates in the Congress of the Confederation Debates in the Federal Convention List of Members of the Federal Convention Speech of Luther Martin

DEBATES IN STATE CONVENTIONS Ma.s.sachusetts New York Pennsylvania Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Extracts from the Federalist Debates in First Congress Address of the Executive Committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society Letter from Francis Jackson to Gov. Briggs Extract from Mr. Webster's Speech Extracts from J.Q. Adams's Address, November, 1844

INTRODUCTION.

Every one knows that the ”Madison papers” contain a Report, from the pen of James Madison, of the Debates in the Old Congress of the Confederation and in the Convention which formed the Const.i.tution of the United States. We have extracted from them, in these pages, all the Debates on those clauses of the Const.i.tution which relate to slavery. To these we have added all that is found, on the same topic, in the Debates of the several State Conventions which ratified the Const.i.tution: together with so much of the Speech of Luther Martin before the Legislature of Maryland, and of the Federalist, as relate to our subject; with some extracts, also, from the Debates of the first Federal Congress on Slavery. These are all printed without alteration, except that, in some instances, we have inserted in brackets, after the name of a speaker, the name of the State from which he came. The notes and italics are those of the original, but the editor has added one note on page 30th, which is marked as his, and we have taken the liberty of printing in capitals one sentiment of Rufus King's, and two of James Madison's--a distinction which the importance of the statements seemed to demand--otherwise we have reprinted exactly from the originals.

These extracts develope most clearly all the details of that ”compromise,” which was made between freedom and slavery, in 1787; granting to the slaveholder distinct privileges and protection for his slave property, in return for certain commercial concessions on his part toward the North. They prove also that the Nation at large were fully aware of this bargain at the time, and entered into it willingly and with open eyes.

We have added the late ”Address of the American Anti-Slavery Society,”

and the letter of Francis Jackson to Governor Briggs, resigning his commission of Justice of the Peace--as bold and honorable protests against the guilt and infamy of this National bargain, and as proving most clearly the duty of each individual to trample it under his feet.

The clauses of the Const.i.tution to which we refer as of a pro-slavery character are the following:--