date

Miss Wright's Testimony public officers
Miss Wright's Testimony

public officers and defray the expenses of its government until its population

amounts to 60,000 souls; when it is entitled to summon a convention, establish its

own constitution, enter upon the administration and expenses of its own government

and take its placee in the confederacy as an independent republic.

* In 1787, the congress passed an act, establishing a temporary government for the

infant population settled on the lands of Ohio; and the government then established

has served as the model of that of all the territories that have since been formed in

the vacant wilderness. The act then passed contained a clause which operated upon the

whole nation territory to the north west of Ohio. By this "slavery and involuntary

servitude" was positively excluded from this region, by a law of the general

government. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, have already sprung up in the

bosum of this desert; the three first independent states, and the latter about to

pass from her days of tutelage to assume the same character.

It is deserving of observation, that for the passing of this law a unanimous vote of

the states was necessary, according to the old articles of confederatioon then in

force. By a unanimous vote it was passed; not a dissentient

voice being raised by Virginia, who had ceded the territory in question, nor by the

othewr states of the south, who thus voluntarily deprived their slave-holding

citizens of the right of migrating into it.

* * Several territories have passed to the condition of states

before they comprised the population demanded by law. Illinois for instance having

preferred a request to congress that she might be permitted to assume the reins of

her own government was allowed to join the confederacy with a population of less than

40,000.

* In observing upon the policy of the southern states generally,

it would be ungenerous to pass without notice, that their representatives in congress

have been among the most strenuous enforcers of the last penalties of the law against

those convicted of the surreptitious introduction of slaves into the southern ports.

The close neighbourhood of Cuba and the Spanish Floridas affords great facilities for

this atrocious smuggling. The navy of the United States is actively employed in

intercepting this stolen trafic, not only on the American but the African coasts; and

agents are stationed in Africa to receive the stolen negros, returned in the safe

keeping of the Republic to their native country. In all these measures, the Members

from the south have not only invariably concurred, but some of the most important

have originated with them.
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  • Title: [1821 Aug. 12 From Miss Wright]
    Description: 1821 Aug. 12

    From Miss Wright

    Cessions of Power

    Miss Wright's Testimony

    Page 392. There is at present twenty two republics in the confederacy; of these 12

    have been rendered free to black and white: the remaining 10 continue to be more or

    less defaced by negro-slavery. Of these 5 are old states, and the other 5 either

    parted from these or formed out of the acquired territory of French Louisiana. Thus,-

    Kentucky was raised into an independent state by mutual agreement between herself and

    Virginia, of which she originally formed a part. Tenessee, by mutual agreement

    between herself and Carolina, to which she was originally attached. Mississipi was

    surrendered to the general Government by Georgia, to be raised when old enough into

    an independent state, but with a stipulation that to the Citizens of Georgia should

    be continued the privilege of migrating into it with their slaves. Louisiana proper,

    formed out of a small portion of the vast territory ceded under that name, came into

    the possession of the United States with the united evils of black slavery in its

    most hideous form, and the slave trade prosecuted with relentless barbarity. The

    latter crime was instantly arrested; and under the improving influence of mild laws

    and mental instruction, the horrors of slavery have been greatly alleviated.

    * In all these cases the federal Government has been powerless to effect the

    eradication of slavery. It has however been all powerful to prevent its introduction

    in such territories as have been placed under its control.

    This was the first state formed from the commencement, upon American prinicples. It

    was planted by the hand of congress, in the vast region ceded by Virginia to the

    north west of the river Ohio. In the formation of a new state out of the national

    waste lands, its government is entrusted to the congress of the United States, who

    mark its boundaries, nominate its public

    * Travellers afflicted with the anti-American mania are fond of

    drawing their portrait of the national character in New Orleans. This is much the

    same as if we should draw that of the English in Guadaloupe or S t

    Lucia. Such tourists may now have an opportunity of sketching the American character

    among the Spaniards of Florida.

    The Missouri question, which so greatly agitated the nation and the senate last

    winter, turned soley upon what were the powers of congress to legislate for the

    territory in question. Missouri was colonized by slave holding French when the

    territory was ceded to the United States by a treaty securing to the inhabitants

    their property, including slaves. Emancipation therefore, was not within the power of

    congress. The question was whether it possessed the right of preventing the citizens

    of other states from migrating into Missouri with their

    slaves. The error seems to have been the having omitted to pass this prohibitory

    law before the period when Missouri assumed the place of a state. Congress after

    months of anxious deliberation, came to a compromise which seemed the only one in

    their power. A law was passed preventing the possibility of the formation of any

    other slave-holding state in the French Louisianian territory, and the slavery of

    Missouri was placed under every restriction, which the previous treaty and the

    constitution would permit.
  • Title: [[clxxii. 70] 1821 Aug. 12 From]
    Description: [clxxii. 70]

    1821 Aug. 12

    From Miss Wright

    Cessions of Power

    Miss Wright's Testimony

    Testimony of Miss Wright to the probity and generosity manifested by various States of

    the Anglo-American on the occasion of the various cessions made of territory and power.

    Fron the book intituled Views of Society and Manners in the 1 st

    edition 8 o 1821 London. pages 381, 382, 392, 393 394, 395

    Page 381 No state in the Union can point to a longer line of public services that

    Virginia: she rung the first alarum of the Revolution by the mouth of her Patrick Henry;

    she led the army of Patriots in the person of her Washington; she issued the declaration

    of independence from the pen of her Jefferson; she bound the first link of the federal

    Union by the hand of her Madison;- she has given to the republic four of the purest

    patriots and wisest statesmen that ever steered the vessel of a state.

    The policy of this mother of the Union has always been peculiarly magnanimous. She set

    the example to her sister states in those cessions of territory which have so richly

    endowed the general government, and out of which have arisen such a host of young

    republics. The cession made by Virginia comprises the presnt states of Ohio, Indiana,

    and Illinois, with the territory of Michigan. For the thousandth part of such an empire

    as was here bestowed in free gift, men have deluged the earth with blood. We find the

    liberality of Virginia yet further evinced in her conduct towards a neighbouring state,

    first peopled by her citizens, and subject to her laws. The manner in wich she released

    Kentucky from her jurisdiction, pointing out the inconveniences arising to her people

    from their remoteness from the Virginia capital, and encouraging her to erect an

    independent government, afford a beautiful example of national generosity.
  • Title: [1822 Oct. 3 Tripoli Account of]
    Description: 1822 Oct. 3

    Tripoli Account of

    1. Dominions etc

    ?.1. Territory © population © language

    The territory of the State of Tripoli according to the Maps extends North and South from Latitude about á³á á³á Degrees á³á á³á Minutes North to Latitude about á³á á³á Degrees and á³á á³á Minutes North and East and West from Longitude about á³á á³á Degrees á³á á³á Minutes to about á³á á³á Degrees á³á á³á Minutes

    In it is included the territory of Fezzan: which has been in a state of peaceful subjecation to it for between thirty and forty Years: extent, about one third of Tripoli proper: but population not so dense.

    It is bounded on the North by the Mediterranean, on the South by the territories of various Arab Hordes: on the East by Egypt, on the West by the territory of Tunis.

    The basis of the population of Tripoli proper is composed of Moors. But a large portion of it is composed of Negroes, chiefly in a state of slavery. There are in the Capital a considerable number of Jews: not many in any other part. There are also Franks of most European nations some in the occupation of Merchants, others in inferior occupations. There are more of the Italian than of any other language, and more of Genoese than any other Italians.

    The inhabitants of Fezzan are Negroes: Religion and Government on the same footing as in Tripoli.

    The population of the entire dominion is supposed to amount to about 3,000,000: of which number about á³á á³á belongs to Fezzan.