" The
bargain was struck, and at this price the Southern States gained
the detestable indulgence. At a subsequent day Congress branded the
slave-trade as piracy, and thus, by solemn legislative act, adjudged
this compromise to be felonious and wicked.
Such are the three chief original compromises of the Constitution and
essential conditions of Union. The case of fugitives from service is not
of these. During the Convention it was not in any way associated with
these. Nor is there any evidence from the records of this body, that the
provision on this subject was regarded with any peculiar interest. As
its absence from the Articles of Confederation had not been the occasion
of solicitude or de-sire, anterior to the National Convention, so it
did not enter into any of the original plans of the Constitution. It was
introduced tardily, at a late period of the Convention, and adopted with
very little and most casual discussion. A few facts show how utterly
unfounded are recent assumptions.
Pages:
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330