They saw that it would have to be decided, as almost all political questions of great importance must be decided, by compromise and concession.

They had high ideals, and they strove to realize them, as near as might be; otherwise they would have been neither patriots nor statesmen.

They were men of affairs, accustomed to deal with other men; and they understood that few questions of real moment can be decided on their merits alone.

Such questions must be dealt with on the principle of getting the greatest possible amount of ultimate good, and of surrendering in return whatever must be surrendered in order to attain this good.

What had to be done was to appeal to the love of country and shrewd common-sense of the people in the different States, and persuade them each to surrender on certain points, so that all could come to a common agreement.

It issued an earnest appeal to them to follow New York's example without regard to the value of their titles, so that the Federal Union might be put on a firm basis.

This last proposition was important, as it outlined the future policy of the Government, which was to admit the new communities as States, with all the rights of the old States, instead of treating them as subordinate and dependent, after…

It yields a little more than a livelihood to men of energy, resolution, and bodily strength and address; but it does not yield enough for men to be able to pay heavily for the privilege of undertaking the labor.

Throughout our history the pioneer has found that by taking up wild land at a low cost he can make a rough living, and keep his family fed, clothed, and housed; but it is only by very hard work that he can lay anything by, or materially…

The truth is that people have a very misty idea as to the worth of wild lands.

Even when the soil is rich they only possess the capacity of acquiring value under labor.

It is an opportunity of which advantage can be taken only at the cost of much hardship and much grinding toil.

The first guaranteed complete freedom of worship and religious belief to all peaceable and orderly persons.

The second provided for trial by jury, the writ of habeas corpus, the privileges of the common law, and the right of proportional legislative representation.

The sixth and most important article declared that there should never be slavery or involuntary servitude in the Northwest, otherwise than for the punishment of convicted criminals, provided, however, that fugitive slaves from the older…

This was the greatest blow struck for freedom and against slavery in all our history, save only Lincoln's emancipation proclamation, for it determined that in the final struggle the mighty West should side with the right against the wrong.

It was in its results a deadly stroke against the traffic in and ownership of human beings, and the blow was dealt by southern men, to whom all honor should ever be given.

It laid deep the foundation for that system of widespread public education so characteristic of the Republic and so essential to its healthy growth.

It provided that complete religious freedom and equality which we now accept as part of the order of nature, but which were then unknown in any important European nation.

It guaranteed the civil liberty of all citizens.

It provided for an indissoluble Union, a Union which should grow until it could relentlessly crush nullification and secession; for the States founded under it were the creatures of the Nation, and were by the compact declared forever…

We cannot realize the greatness of the change because of the fact that the change was so great; for we cannot now put ourselves in the mental attitude which regarded the old course as natural.

The Ordinance of 1787 decreed that the new States should stand in every respect on an equal footing with the old; and yet should be individually bound together with them.

England, Holland, France, and Spain, when they founded colonies beyond the sea, founded them for the good of the parent state, and governed them as dependencies.

The home country might treat her colonies well or ill, she might cherish and guard them, or oppress them with harshness and severity, but she never treated them as equals.