Question

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That in all that territoriceded by France to the United States under the name of Louisiana, which lies north of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes 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 convicted, shall be, and is hereby, forever prohibited:

Provided always, That any person escaping into the same, from whom labour or service is lawfully claimed in any State or Territory of the United States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labour or service as aforesaid." provide the point of view of the author of authors above.

Answer 1

The author's point of view in the excerpt suggests support for the Missouri Compromise, an act of Congress intended to maintain the balance between free and slave states while allowing slavery south of latitude 36° 30' with exceptions and ensuring escaped slaves could be reclaimed by their owners.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt in question presents a point of view deeply rooted in the historical context of the Missouri Compromise. This piece of legislation is a reflection of the delicate balance attempted by the U.S. Congress in response to the contentious issue of slavery within the newly acquired Louisiana Territory. The authors of this legislation aimed to maintain the balance of power between slaveholding states and free states by allowing slavery south of the 36° 30' latitude, with the significant exception of Missouri, and prohibiting it to the north of this line.

Furthermore, the provision included a safeguard for slave owners, whereby escaped slaves could be reclaimed even in areas where slavery was banned. This clause mirrors the language in Article IV, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, which stipulated that fugitive slaves must be returned to their owners. Meanwhile, Section 2 of the Thirteenth Amendment later granted Congress the power to enforce the abolition of slavery through appropriate legislation, marking a significant departure from the original compromise.