No great while after the adoption of the original Constitution, North Carolina ceded to the Federal Government the country now constituting the State of Tennessee; and, a few years later, Georgia ceded that which now constitutes the States of Mississippi and Alabama.  In both deeds of cession it was made a condition by the ceding States that the Federal Government should not prohibit slavery in the ceded country.  Besides this, slavery was then actually in the ceded country.  Under these circumstances, Congress, on taking charge of these countries, did not absolutely prohibit slavery within them.  But they did interfere with it—­take control of it—­even there, to a certain extent.  In 1798, Congress organized the Territory of Mississippi:  In the act of organization they prohibited the bringing of slaves into the Territory from any place without the United States, by fine and giving freedom to slaves so brought.  This act passed both branches of Congress without yeas and nays.  In that Congress were three of the “thirty-nine” who framed the original Constitution.  They were John Langdon, George Read, and Abraham Baldwin.  They all, probably, voted for it.  Certainly they would have placed their opposition to it upon record, if, in their understanding, any line dividing local from Federal authority, or anything in the Constitution, properly forbade the Federal Government to control as to slavery in Federal territory.

In 1803, the Federal Government purchased the Louisiana country.  Our former territorial acquisitions came from certain of our own States; but this Louisiana country was acquired from a foreign nation.  In 1804, Congress gave a territorial organization to that part of it which now constitutes the State of Lousiana.  New Orleans, lying within that part, was an old and comparatively large city.  There were other considerable towns and settlements, and slavery was extensively and thoroughly intermingled with the people.  Congress did not, in the Territorial Act, prohibit slavery; but they did interfere with it take control of it—­in a more marked and extensive way than they did in the case of Mississippi.  The substance of the provision therein made in relation to slaves was: 

First.  That no slave should be imported into the Territory from foreign parts.

Second.  That no slave should be carried into it who had been imported into the United States since the first day of May, 1798.

Third.  That no slave should be carried into it except by the owner, and for his own use as a settler; the penalty in all the cases being a fine upon the violator of the law, and freedom to the slave.

This act also was passed without yeas and nays.  In the Congress which passed it there were two of the “thirty-nine.”  They were Abraham Baldwin and Jonathan Dayton.  As stated in the case of Mississippi, it is probable they both voted for it.  They would not have allowed it to pass without recording their opposition to it, if, in their understanding, it violated either the line properly dividing local from Federal authority, or any provision of the Constitution.