miles of canal, at an expense of three millions of dollars. Another measure of defense, reciprocal for both the Atlantic and Canadian frontier, is the opening a communication by canals, where practicable, and by artificial roads, where canalling is not feasible, between the Atlantic and the west. The points specified in the report, for this object, are, from Albany to the lakes; from Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond, to the Ohio; and from Charleston and Augusta, to the Tennessee river.

As particularly applicable to the defense of the Canadian frontier, a canal communication from Albany, to lake George and lake Ontario, the secretary remarks, are necessary, both of which are in progress by the state of New York. A communication, also, from Pittsburgh to lake Erie, by the Alleghany river, which, in its main navigable branch, approaches within seven miles of the lake, is important for the same object.

"The real strength of the southern frontier," the secretary remarks, "is the Mississippi, by the aid of which, assisted by the force of steam, an irresistible force can at once be concentrated at the point of danger." The improvement of the navigation of that river, therefore, is the most important measure of defense, for the south. Most of the improvements suggested, are of the first importance to the commerce, agriculture, manufactures, and political prosperity of the country; but are not, on that account, the less necessary for military purposes. Scarcely a road or canal can be designated, which is useful for the operations of war, which is not equally required for the industry and prosperity of the community.

The secretary recommends a survey of the routs, and an estimate of the expenses, to be done principally by the engineers attached to the military service; and the employment of the army, to a certain extent, in the construction of the works, with a provision for extra pay, while employed in that service.

In answer to that part of the resolution which required information of what already had been done, he states, that a road from Plattsburgh to Sacket's harbor, opening a direct communication, on the most convenient rout between lakes Champlain and Ontario, had been commenced; one from the southern boundary of the state of Tennessee, to Madisonville, on lake Ponchartrain, within twenty-seven miles of New Orleans, fifty miles of which were already completed; and one from Detroit, to the rapids of the

Miami, seventy miles of which were finished. The course of the latter road lying through the public lands of the Michigan territory, brought into view, and rendered accessible, a large portion of fertile country, which was rapidly settling.

Employment of soldiers on roads and canals. This report of the secretary, brought under discussion an interesting question, how far the military could, with propriety, and consistently with the views with which the soldier enlisted, be employed in constructing roads and canals. The appropriate business of a soldier, is to fight, and not to labor; and fatigue duty had usually been confined to the erection of temporary fortifications, and the opening of military ways, necessary for immediate operations. The construction of a road, over which it might be convenient for an army to pass, at some future period, in case of a war, it was admitted, was but remotely connected with the military. On the ground, however, that employment was better than a state of idleness, and that for extra pay the soldier's consent might be obtained, a resolution passed the senate, by the casting vote of the president, appropriating ten thousand dollars to this object. The session terminated by the expiration of the period for which the house of representatives, and one third of the senate, were elected, on the third of March, 1819.

CHAPTER IX.

First session of the 16th congress-Message-Admission of Maine and Missouri-Preparatory proceedings of Maine-Her case connected with Missouri-Proposed restriction-Origin of African slavery-Arguments in favor of allowing it in Missouri-Against its further extension-A compromise-Excitement occasioned by the discussion-Proceedings of several state legislatures, and of the corporation of the city of Savannah upon the subject-Tariff Separation of the committee of commerce and manufactures-Report of the committee on manufactures-Tariff bill-Bill abolishing credit for duties-Auction bill-A navigation act-An act prohibiting intercourse with the British American colonies-Fourth census.

First session of the 16th congress. The first session of the 16th congress commenced on the 6th of December 1819. Mr. Clay was elected speaker by an almost unanimous vote. The president's message, communicated on the 7th, was a plain business-like state paper, the prominent parts of which were a detailed account of the Spanish negotiation; and of an unsuccessful attempt with the British cabinet to obtain a participation in their colonial trade.

Maine and Missouri. The subject of the admission of two new states, one at the eastern and the other at the western extremity of the union, and distant from each other about two thousand miles, from the importance of a question incidentally raised respecting Missouri, occupied almost the whole attention of congress. The question assumed a seċtional character, and towards the close of the session was attended with more asperity, than any which had agitated that body since the declaration of war.

Proceedings of Maine. The district of Maine is separated from Massachusetts proper by the intervention of New Hampshire. The local situation of the two sections, clearly indicated a division, whenever the population and the wishes of the inhabitants of Maine should call for it. In June, 1816, an act passed the legislature of Massachusetts, making provisions for taking the votes of Maine, upon the subject of a separation; and providing for that event in case fiveninths of the whole number of votes returned were in favor of the measure. The act also provided for calling a convention of delegates from the towns in that district, by whom the votes should be received and counted; and on

there appearing to be the requisite number, the convention were authorized to form a constitution for the proposed new state. Such was, at this time, the harmony subsisting between the different sections, that there was but a small majority not amounting to five-ninths in favor of a separation. The convention however were desirous of effecting the object, and resorted to a singular mode of computation to bring it about. They found that on comparing the majorities of the votes in those towns which were in favor of a separation, with the majorities in those which were against it, and rejecting from their computation all other votes, leaving those on one side to balance the other, they somewhat exceeded five-ninths. This they decided to be, in their opinion, a compliance with the act; but as there were some doubts upon the subject, they referred it to the next legislature, and adjourned until after its session. That legislature at once decided, that the requisite number of votes in favor of a separation had not been given, and declared that the powers of the convention were at an end.

The sense of the people of the district was again taken upon the subject in the year 1819, when there appeared to be a large majority in favor of a separation. The legislature of Massachusetts gave their consent, and the people of Maine proceeded to form a constitution. Early in the session these proceedings were laid before congress. The provisions of the constitution upon the subject had been complied with, and no objection appeared against receiving this new sister into the American family. The first clause in her bill of rights, declaring that all men at their birth are free and possessed of equal rights, necessarily excluded slavery from her system. A bill passed the house of representatives for her admission as a matter of course, and without debate, except in some of its minor details.

Admission of Maine connected with Missouri. In the senate this bill was amended, by annexing to it a provision for the admission of Missouri. Mr. Roberts, of Pennsylvania, proposed another amendment, providing that the further introduction of slavery into the new state should be absolutely and irrevocably prohibited. This proposition arrayed the south against the north; the slave-holding against the non-slave-holding states, and called forth all the talents and much of the rancor of the champions on each side. The application for the admission of Missouri had been presented the last session, and a bill for that purpose had passed the senate. In the house of representatives it was amended

by annexing a clause restrictive of slavery, similar to the one now proposed; and the bill was lost in that congress by the final disagreement of the two houses on the subject. On the appearance of the application of Maine at the commencement of this session, the advocates for the unrestricted admission of Missouri, deemed it a favorable opportunity to carry through the measure by connecting the two subjects. Various attempts were made to separate them, but without success; and the existence of Maine as a state, was, by this mode of proceeding, made to depend on a question which had no relation to her case.

Origin of slavery. The proposition that all mankind are born free, and with equal rights, had found its way into the declaration of independence, and the congress of 1776 had, in behalf of the people of the United Colonies, "pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honors," for its support. The same proposition had been transplanted into the bills of rights prefixed to most of the state constitutions, and was considered as the corner-stone on which the American republics were built. That one portion of the human race could have any legitimate right to hold the other in perpetual bondage; or that there was any thing in the form, complexion, or intellect of the African negro, which should divest him of his natural rights, were propositions in the abstract, too absurd to find an advocate. Notwithstanding the principles on which involuntary, perpetual slavery is bottomed, are palpably false, the fact of its existence beyond the period of human research, cannot be denied. War has been coeval with the existence of the human race. One of its first maxims was, that each belligerent had a right to take the life of his enemy, and this, it was claimed, included all other modes of disposing of his person, when in the power of the victor, of a less severe nature. Hence it became a universal principle of ancient warfare, that the conquerors had a right to subject the vanquished to death, or perpetual slavery. The interest of the victors, enforced by the supplications of their prisoners, generally led to the latter mode of disposing of their persons. The purchaser, when the prisoner was sold, was supposed to have obtained all the right of the original captor, and to have the absolute power of life and death, over the slave and his posterity. When the humane principle, that the lives of prisoners were to be preserved as the subject of exchange, or restoration at the close of the war, came to be introduced into the modern belligerent system, the original ground of slavery