334 



ments are instituted, in this republican country at least, for the express 

 purpose of protecting the weak. When they forget this, and lend their 

 omnipotence to aid the more powerful part of the body politic, to wrong 

 and oppress the weaker, they become nuisances, a curse instead of a 

 blessing, and forfeit all claim to the respect of mankind. 



I beg leave to look back a little in our history. On the admission of 

 Illinois into the Union, her politicians plead to have her northern boundary 

 placed at 42"" 30' N. It was objected to this, that the Ordinance of 1787, 

 for the government of the Territory N. W. of the River Ohio, provide^d 

 that her Northern boundary should be a line E. and W., drawn throuo^h 

 the southerly bend of Lake Michigan. The objection was overruled, and 

 she was admitted, with her northern boundary as she desired. The friends 

 of Wisconsin, (for she had few inhabitants at that time within her bor- 

 ders) saw a violation of her rights, murmured their disapprobation, and 

 the matter passed on, with a loss to Wisconsin of nearly eight thousand 

 square miles, from off her southern border. 



Next came the admission of Michigan, with her contest with Ohio 

 about boundary, which all but involved the two States in bloodshed and 

 civil war. AVisconsin was still nearly unable to be heard in the great coun- 

 cils of the nation ; though one magnanimous voice proclaimed her rights.* 

 But she had no representation, much less any votes. To appease the 

 Unrighteous thirst for dominion on the part of Ohio, her boundaries, as 

 established by the Ordinance of 1787, were again violated; and as a 

 compensation to Michigan for the robbery on her by the former State, 

 one-fifth part of the balance of our Territory was sliced off on the N. E, 

 and handed over to Michigan. To this outrage we submitted with impa- 

 tience, and justly complained of the high handed robbery, as a ruthless 

 disregard of its sacred obligations on the part of Congress. But sub- 

 mit we were compelled to, being without the power of resistance. We 

 comforted ourselves, however, as well as we could with the reflection, 

 that though we had lost our rights, our honor remained, and that on 

 attaining our majority, we would take good care to make ourselves heard 

 and respected in the National Councils. 



At length the time came for our own admission to the great confede- 

 racy, which was done with our boundaries including what the rapacity of 

 our older and stronger sisters had left us ; our fair proportions, though 



The late Hon. Jobu Quincy Adams. 



