Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Slavery volume 5 .djvu/287

Rh men, "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights," "to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." That was the third step; and the great "Expounder of the Constitution" declared it was "wholly unconstitutional;" every freeman, who thinks with a free mind, I am confident will say the same.

IV. In 1803, Louisiana was purchased from France and organized into a territory, with slavery in it. This was the first attempt of America to carry the hateful institution upon new soil, acquired since the Declaration of Independence. In 1812, Louisiana was admitted as a State with slavery in it; the first slave State made out of new soil, acquired after the Declaration. Hitherto slavery had been confined to the Atlantic slope of the continent; in 1792, the Federal government established it in the valley of the Mississippi; in 1803, for the first time, she carried it west of the great river. That was the fourth step.

V. In 1819-20, Missouri was organized as a State; in 1821, admitted with slavery in it. Before this time, slavery had receded from the North. On the Atlantic, it did not reach up to the fortieth parallel of latitude; on the Mississippi, it sunk below the thirty-seventh. But by admitting Missouri, it all at once rose to the fortieth parallel of latitude. Here, however, there was a great battle. The South wanted slavery to extend all the way from the Gulf of Mexico to the British line. The North wanted to restrict slavery by the Mississippi river, and not carry it west. A few Northern men were brought up; nothing is more marketable than Northern politicians. Whig or Democrat, it makes no odds, both are lieges of the almighty dollar. Wickedness prevailed; Missouri came in with her slaves. However, there was a "Compromise;" the celebrated Missouri Compromise, by which slavery was restricted in the Louisiana territory north of 36° 30'. Then, all the territory South thereof was made over to that institution. In 1836, Arkansas was organized as a territory, and came in as a State with slavery. In the territory of Louisiana, bought in 1803, there are now 423,172 slaves. That was the filth step.