Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/457

 the great body of his fellow-delegates, memorialized congress, among other things, to suspend, temporarily, the operation of the sixth article of the ordinance aforesaid. This memorial was referred in the house to a select committee of three, two of them from slave states, with the since celebrated John Randolph as chairman. On the 2d of March, 1803, Mr. Randolph made what appears to have been a unanimous report from this committee, of which we give so much as relates to slavery, as follows:

"The rapid population of the state of Ohio sufficiently evinces, in the opinion of your committee, that the labor of slaves is not necessary to promote the growth and settlement of colonies in that region. That this labor — demonstrably the dearest of any — can only be employed in the cultivation of products more valuable than any known to that quarter of the United States; that the committee deem it highly dangerous and inexpedient to impair a provision wisely calculated to promote the happiness and prosperity of the northwestern country, and to give strength and security to that extensive frontier. In the salutary operations of this sagacious and benevolent restraint, it is believed that the inhabitants of Indiana will, at no very distant day, find ample remuneration for a temporary privation of labor, and of emigration."

The committee proceed to discuss other subjects set forth in the prayer of the memorial, and conclude with eight resolves, whereof the only one relating to slavery is as follows:

"Resolved, That it is inexpedient to suspend, for a limited time, the operation of the sixth article of the compact between the original states and the people and states west of the river Ohio."

This report, having been made at the close of the session, was referred at the next to a new committee, whereof Cæsar Rodney, a new representative from Delaware, was chairman. Mr. Rodney, from this committee, reported, (February 17, 1804) —

"That, taking into their consideration the facts stated in the said memorial and petition, they are induced to believe that a qualified suspension, for a limited time, of the sixth article of compact between the original states and the people and states west of the river Ohio, might be productive of benefit and advantage to said territory."

The report goes on to discuss the other topics embraced in the Indiana memorial, and concludes with eight resolves, of which the first (and only one relative to slavery) is as follows:

"That the sixth article of the ordinance of 1787, which prohibited slavery within the said territory, be suspended in a qualified manner, for ten years, so as to permit the introduction of slaves, born within the United States, from any of the individual states; provided, that such individual state does not permit the importation of slaves from foreign countries: and provided further, that the descendants of all such slaves shall, if males, be free at the age of twenty-five years, and if female, at the age of twenty-one years."

On this report no action was had; but the subject, as we shall presently see, was not allowed to rest here, being repeatedly urged on congress by the