Without the prohibition the company would probably not have undertaken its experiment in colonization; and save for the pressure of the company slavery would hardly have been abolished.

Congress wished to sell the lands, and was much impressed by the solid worth of the founders of the association.

The New Englanders were anxious to buy the lands, but were earnest in their determinating to exclude slavery from the new territory.

The slave question was not at the time a burning issue between North and South; for no Northerner thought of crusading to destroy the evil, while most enlightened Southerners were fond of planning how to do away with it.

The tact of the company's representative before Congress, Dr.Cutler, did the rest.