The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-03-27

slaves Tue argument of the gentleman ls, that be,
cause aisr twenty years, the Constitution could Be
amended In laying a" cspitstion other tax 10 pro-
portion 10 the census enumeration prescribed by
The Constitution that therefore, although the Con.
stilul.on is nat sesdedthe guarantees ii confer q,
10 slavery and slave representation do not exist
BY the same process of reasoning, be ought 10 have
upset the whole Constitutes, which ! sgppose
he has, IN It's effects him. Why, sir, It seems to
be trifng, no, arguing, 10 urge That because Con-
sutution Is amendabc, II Is void. On the eDBrary l9
be amendabe, implies that II exists Even the three
hleprescntaiion of our slaves, no one doubts Is,
consututonaily speaking, aInendabe but il Is Tery
like the right OF man 10 cut down The roof tee Of
his house He cut IL down, but Il will oyerwbeln
himself and bls family its ruins So Of this compro
mise Of the Constitution In the kepresenatOn on b.
floor. Does ANY la this House OF out Of ID
Massachusetts, OF in the whole world believe that
Is practicable, consistent with The existence II tb
Constitution the Union, TO abolish, by any amsrl
menl Of the Constitution, the Southern Represent.
ton ON this floor No, sir. No one believe az,
such thing. The very fact which the geptsm,1
from Vermont relies for this strange eoneb
zion, that those features Of the Constitiob VIII,
refer 10 slavery were alone exempted for tweply
Year,, from any alteration, even BY an auep6
ment Of the Constitution, shows that tbsy
the most delicate IN the whole instrument and NJ
last that ought be amended. The propasIt,oT,
for amending II Ia this particular, made by Vsrron
and Massachusetts, 10 only pait Of that system OF
agitation, whose object lie 70 break the Union d, de-
Troy the South. We understand IL aGd tbjDk all
such Arguments as that have ast noticed lfom ,t.
gentleman from Vernon, are equally intslligbIe -
Their absurdity Is their greatest meaning
But this ia great struggle for sectional power bs
tween the North and the South So gentlemen bs,.
argued and If We may judge from their apparent We
hemence, We might be induced 10 believe thai th
most serious appreheosions Of being oyerwhellpsJby
the South, alarmed heir bosOms. Sir, look 10 m,
change Of power In the two sections since th. Tor,
nation Of The Union. l. the South 10 her 6r, ,sI,
tive position Of po~erl Far from IT, Every een,u,
has added 10 the power Of the nonslaYehodnR State
| and diminished that Of the South. We are gruWtDg
weaker, ano they stronger, every day. AK VOC. y,
II the spft OF the Constitution Strengthen the slrony
gsinst the weak1 What are ali It's checks and bl,
anees Of power, bat to protect the weak and re,an
the s,rongI The very object Of Constitution 10 al
free governments, Is TO restrain power. The weak
only can be oppressed the strong only can Oppe,s
II this measure, therefore, will tend To stIeng ken h.
weaker interest In the Union, II will be moving M
strict accordance with the whole spirit Of the Con,l
tuition. What has been the whole tendency Of th..
Government, but to be welded by the majority 70,
sectional aggrandzsnent, 10 defiance Of the hnib
tons Of the Constitution and the rights Of the u.
nonty2 Sir, what rs unchecked power, but d despa.
lsml-
Here the Speakers hammer ell-the allotted hour
having transpiredl