ly
claimed in any of the original states, such fugitive may be lawfully
reclaimed, and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or
service as aforesaid."

This provision applied to all the territory of the United States
that was subject to the jurisdiction of the Continental Congress.

The constitution of the United States did not mention either slaves
or slavery. Its two provisions relating to the subject were the
following:

"The migration or importation of such persons as any of the states
now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited
by the Congress prior to the year one thousand, eight hundred and
eight, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not
exceeding ten dollars for each person. . . .

"No person held to service or labor in one state, under the laws
thereof, escaping into another shall, in consequence of any law or
regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but
shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service
or labor may be due."

The first clause quoted was intended to enable Congress to prohibit
the introduction of slaves after the year 1808, and this was promptly
done. The second provision was intended to authorize the recapture
of slaves escaping from their owners to another state. It was the
general expectation of the framers of the constitution that under
its provisions slavery would be gradually abolished by the acts of
the several states where it was recognized.

The first great controversy that grew out of slavery was whether
Missouri should be admitted into the Union as a slave state, and
whether slavery should exist in the western territories.

The following provision became part of the law of March 6, 1820,
approved by President James Monroe, and known as the compromise
measure of that year:

"That, in all that territory ceded by France to the United States
under the name of 'Louisiana,' which lies north of 36 deg. 30 min.
north latitude, not included within the limits of the state
contemplated by this act, slavery and involuntary servitude,
otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall
have been duly conviced, shall be and is hereby, forever prohibited:
_Provided, always_, That any person escaping into the same, from
whom labor or service is lawfully claimed in any other state of
territory of the United States, such fugitive may be lawfully
reclaimed, and conveyed to the person claim