CHAPTER XXXI. REPEAL OF MISSOURI COMPROMISE.-KANSAS AND NEBRASKA ORGANIZED The platforms, slavery agitation repudiated by both parties.-Mr. Pierce's Inaugural and Message denounce agitation.-Session of 1853-4:-the storm bursts forth.-Proposition to repeal the Missouri Compromise.-Kansas-Nebraska bill.— Mr. Douglas' defense of the bill-Mr. Chase's reply-Remarks of Houston, Cass, Seward, and others.-Passage of the bill in the house.-Passed by senate, and approved. The territories organized.......... CHAPTER XXXII. AFFAIRS OF KANSAS.-CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. Session of 1855-6.-The President's special message referred.-Report of committee by Mr. Douglas.- Emigrant Aid Societies.-Minority report by Mr. Collamer.Special Committee of the House sent to Kansas to investigate affairs.-Report of the Committee.-Armed Missourians enter the territory and control the elections. -Second foray of armed Missourians.-Purposes of Aid Societies defended.-Mob violence.- Legislature assembles at Pawnee.-Its acts.-Topeka Constitutional Convention.--Free State Constitution framed.-Adopted by the people.—Election for State officers.-Topeka legislature.-The Wakarusa war.-Outrages upon the citizens.-Robberies and murders.-Lawrence attacked.-Free state constitution submitted to Congress.-Bill to admit Kansas under free state constitution passes the house.-Douglas' bill before the senate.-Trumbull's propositions rejected.— Amendments proposed by Foster, Collamer, Wilson and Seward, rejected.— Bill passed by senate.-Dunn's bill passed by house.-Appropriation bills.- Proviso to army bill.-Session terminates.-Extra session.-President stands firm, house firmer, enste firmest.-The army bill passed without the proviso.......... CHAPTER XXXIII. HISTORY OF THE TROUBLES IN KANSAS, CONTINUED. Judge Lecompte's charge to Grand Jury-Presentments.-Official correspondence. -Attack on Lawrence.- Free State bands organized-attack pro-slavery settlements. Fights at Palmyra, Franklin, and Ossawattamie.-Murders.-Shannon removed.― Atchison's army retreat.-Geary appointed governor. - Deplorable condition of the territory.-Letter to Secretary Marcy.-Inaugural address and proclamations.-Atchison's call upon the South.-Woodson's proclamation.-Armed bands enter the territory.-Lawrence doomed to destruction.-Gov. Geary's decisive measures.-Army dispersed and Lawrence saved.— Hickory Point-capture of Free State company.-Dispatch to Secretary Marcy.-Murder of Buffum.Geary and Lecompte in collision.-Official documents.-The Judiciary.-Rumors of Lane's army.-Redpath's company captured-released by governor.-Capture of Eldridge's company.-Official correspondence.-Assembling of Topeka legislature-Members arrested.-Territorial Legislative Assembly convened.—Inaugural -Vetoes of the governor.-The "Census Bill"-its provisions for forming State Constitution.-Constitution not to be submitted to the people.-Gov. Geary's prop osition rejected. He vetoes the bill-Bill passed.-Disturbances in the capital.— Geary's requisition for U. S. troops refused.-His application for money refused. — Difficulties of his situation - he resigns-his farewell address.- Robert J. 608 643 Walker appointed his successor. - Secretary Stanton. - Fraudulent apportionment.-Walker's Inaugural-his recommendation to have Constitution submitted to the people. This measure denounced at the South.-Convention assembles September, 1857.-Adjourns to October 26th, 1857..... CHAPTER XXXIV. STATISTICAL TABLES CONSTRUCTED FROM THE CENSUS OF 1850. TERRITORY-Area of Free States; area of Slave States.-POPULATION-Free colored in Free States; Free colored in Slave States; Slaves.-Amalgamation; Mulattoes of Free States; Mulattoes of Slave States; Proportion to Whites.-Manumitted Slaves; Fugitive Slaves; Occupation of Slaves; Number of Slave Holders; Proportion to Non-Slave Holders.— REPRESENTATION — Number of Representatives from Slave States.-Number of Representatives from Free States; Basis in numbers and classes.-MORAL AND SOCIAL-Churches, Church Property, Colleges, Public Schools, Private Schools; Number of Pupils; Annual Expenditure; Persons who cannot read and write; Lands appropriated by General Government for Education; Periodical Press; Libraries.-CHARITIES-Pauperism in Free States; in Slave States. -CRIMINALS-Number of Prisoners.-AGRICULTURE-Value of Farms and Implements in Free and Slave States.-MANUFACTURES, MINING, MECHANIC ARTS-Capital invested; Annual Product.-RAIL ROADS AND CANALS-Number of Miles; Cost.-TOTAL REAL AND PERSONAL ESTATE.-Value of Real Estate in Free States; in Slave States; value of Personal in Free States; in Slave States, including and excluding Slaves.-Miscellaneous. APPENDIX-Dred Scott decision.... 719 809 ... 807 PREFACE. THIS book is intended for general reading, and may also serve as a book of reference. It is an attempt to compile and present in one volume the historical records of slavery in ancient and modern times-the laws of Greece and Rome and the legislation of England and America upon the subject--and to exhibit some of its effects upon the destinies of nations. It is compiled from what are conceded to be authentic and reliable books, documents, and records. In looking up material for that portion of the book which treats of slavery in the nations of antiquity, the compiler found small encouragement among the historians. "There is no class so abject and despised upon which the fate of nations may not sometimes turn ;" and it is strange that a system which pervaded and weakened, if it did not ruin, the republics of Greece and the empire of the Cæsars, should not be more frequently noticed by historical writers. They refer, only incidentally, to the existence of slavery. An insurrection or other remarkable event with which the slaves are connected, occasionally reminds the reader of history of the existence of a servile class. The historian of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire devotes but two pages to what he describes as "that unhappy condition of men who existed in every province and every family, exposed to the wanton rigor of despotism," and who, according to his own account, numbered, in the age of the Antonines, sixty millions! Yet "slavery was the chief and most direct cause of the ruin of the Roman Empire," if we may credit the assertions made in the legislature of Virginia shortly after an insurrection in that state. How few of the historians of England refer to the existence in that country of a system of unmitigated, hopeless, hereditary slavery. Yet it prevailed throughout England in Saxon and Norman times. In the time of the Heptarchy, slaves were an article of export. "Great numbers were exported, like cattle, from the British coasts." The Roman market was partially supplied with slaves from the shores of Britain. Pope Gregory the Great, struck with the blooming complexions and fair hair of some Saxon children in the slave market, sent over St. Augustine from Rome to convert the islanders to Christianity. In the time of Alfred, slaves were so numerous that their sale was regulated by law. As a general thing, however, feudalism strangled the old forms of slavery, and both disappeared in England in the advancing light of Christianity. The historians of the United States, also, with the exception of Hildreth, seldom refer to the subject of slavery. They perhaps imagine that they descend below the dignity of history if they treat of any thing but "battles and seiges, and the rise and fall of administrations." Yet the printed annals of congress, from the foundation of the government to the present time, are filled with controversies upon the ever prominent "slavery question "; and every important measure seems slavery issue" involved in it. to have had a " Meantime, and while awaiting the advent of a regular "philosophical" historian of slavery, we present an imperfect, but, we trust, useful compitation. The greater part of the volume is devoted to the Political History of Slavery in the United States. The legislation of congress upon subjects embracing questions of slavery extension or prohibition, has been faithfully rendered from the record; and the arguments used on both sides of controverted questions have been impartially presented. The parliamentary history of the abolition of the African slave-trade has been made to occupy considerable space, chiefly in order to lay before the reader the views upon the subject of slavery entertained by that class of unrivaled statesmen which embraced the names of Pitt, Fox, Burke, and others not unknown to fame. The history of the legislation of our own country upon subjects in which slavery issues were involved, will also bring before the reader another array of eminent statesmen, with whose familiar names he is accustomed to associate the idea of intellectual power. Chapters upon slavery in Greece and Rome have been introduced into the book, as various opinions seem to prevail in regard to the forms, features, laws, extent and effects of ancient slavery. Some point with exultation to the prosperity of imperial Rome with her millions of slaves; others with equal exultation point to her decay as the work of the avenging spirit of slavery. Others, again, contend that slavery was confined to but a small portion of the empire, and had small effect upon its prosperity or adversity. To gratify a class of readers to whom the relation of exciting incidents is of more interest than the details of legislative action, we have devoted a space to the abominations of the old legalized slave traffic, and to the increased horrors of the trade after it had been declared piracy by Christian nations. It is a fearful chapter of wrong, violence and crime. According to an enlightened philosophy," we quote from the Conversations Lexicon, "each human being retains inherently the right to his own person, and can neither sell himself, nor be legally bound by any act of aggression on his natural liberty. Slavery, therefore, can never be a legal relation. It rests entirely on force. The slave being treated as property, and not allowed legal rights, cannot be under legal obligations. Slavery is also inconsistent with the moral nature of man. Each man has an individual worth, significance, and responsibility; is bound to the work of self-improvement, and to labor in a sphere for which his capacity is adapted. To give up this individual liberty is to disqualify himself for fulfilling the great objects of his being. Hence, political societies which have made a considerable degree of advancement do not allow any one to resign his liberty any more than his life, to the pleasure of another. In fact, the great object of political institutions in civilized nations is to enable man to fulfill most perfectly the ends of his individual being. Christianity, moreover, lays down the doctrine of doing as we would be done by, as one of its fundamental maxims, which is wholly opposed to the idea of one man becoming the property of another. These two principles of mutual obligation, and the worth of the individual, were beyond the comprehension of the states of antiquity, but are now at the basis of morals, politics,' and religion." HISTORY OF SLAVERY. CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY SKETCH.-ANCIENT SLAVERY. Early existence of Slavery in the world.-The Mosaic institutions in regard to Slavery.— Hebrews, how reduced to servitude. The Jubilee.-Distinction between native and foreign Slaves.-Voluntary Slaves: the Mercenarii of the Romans; the Prodigals or debtor Slaves; the Delinquents; the Enthusiasts.-Involuntary Slaves: prisoners of war, and captives stolen in peace, with the children and descendants of both.-Voluntary Slavery introduced by decree of the Roman Senate.-Slavery in Rome: condition of the Slaves; cruelty to the old and sick; prisons for Slaves; Sicily: servile war and breaking up of the prisons.-Piracy esteemed honorable by the early Greeks.-Piratical expeditions to procure Slaves.-Causes of the gradual extinction of Slavery in Europe. Origin of the African Slave Trade by the Portuguese.-Followed by most of the maritime nations of Europe. IT T is certainly a curious fact, that so far as we can trace back the history of the human race, we discover the existence of Slavery. One of the most obvious causes of this, is to be found in the almost incessant wars which were carried on in the early periods of the world, between tribes and nations, in which the prisoners taken were either slain or reduced to slavery. The Mosaic institutions were rather predicated upon the previous existence of slavery in the surrounding nations, than designed to establish it for the first time; and the provisions of the Jewish law upon this subject, effected changes and modifications which must have improved the condition of slaves among that peculiar people. There were various modes by which the Hebrews might be reduced to servitude. A poor man might sell himself; a father might sell his children; debtors might be delivered as slaves to their creditors; thieves, who were unable to make restitution for the property stolen, were sold for the benefit of the sufferers. Prisoners of war were subjected to servitude; and if a Hebrew captive was redeemed by another Hebrew from a Gentile, he might be sold by his deliverer to another Israelite. At the return of the year of jubilee all Jewish captives were set free. However, by some writers it is stated that this did not apply to foreign slaves held in bondage; as over these the master had entire control. He might sell them, judge them, and even punish them capitally without any form of legal process. The law of Moses pro vides that "if a man smite his servant or his maid with a rod, and he die under |