The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1850-04-18

clear and cxpliei, the true meaning OF those
clauses in the Constitution, about which
they have honestly differed.
The amendmes,s | would propose are az
follows
|. Let it b. declared tina, the third clause
Of the eighth Section OF the 'irss Article
which gives to Congress ihc power " !"
regulate commerce among the scveraiN
states. shall never be construed to confer
amy mower over III. slave trade between the
States.
? Let i, be declared. that the sixteenth
clause of the same Section of the same
Article. which gives 10 Congress the power
To .xerc,,e exclusive legislation - over the
Drtriet OF Columbia, and other places IN
tae dave states shall never be construed 10
coafer any power over slavery IA those
places.
3 Let it be declared. that the Federal
Government. ,hall have the power 10 ac-
qa,re territory To belong to the states com
posing the mon. and tina, when acquired,
It shall hc the duty Of the Government, at
once to .uh.di,ide ii into ter tories of con
,euient .i1e, designating the -ife and c-iab-
l,.h over them territorial governments. with
no provision. A. to slavery. giving to the
pent lc Of those territories the power 81 leg.
stating Tor ,hcm.el'e,, upon al s1'Joci-'
except upon that OF slavery, and allowing
them. when thew have sufficient number
of iahabitaut.. citizen, Of the nited States.
to meet aud form state Governments. and
be admitted into The | nion upon equal
terms with the original States
/ LIT it be declared that tho nr.t \rtele
of the amendment, To the Constitution, Sc
curing to thc people. the night peaceahly
To assemble. and petition the t'ascrnment,
Tor a redress Of gfteyaucc@,' shall never be
construed to allow Congress, the privilege
Of receiving. discussing. referring, or report
lus upon any petition upon the subject OF
slavery.
: Let the fith Article be So amended as
to place this compromis, between the
slave holding and non.-layc holding States.
upon the same ground as that, between the
large aud small States, in reference 10 their
equal representation in the senate and pro.
h,blt an, further amendment Of the Con.
-titu, N upon the subject Of slavery, except
hy the unanimous consent Of al the STATES.
Other amendment. may he necessary,
which do no, occur Ia me at this moment {,
but which will doubtless be suggested to
yeu, b, y"ur ripper judgment. have been
more nteu, to discover some plan, by which
thu, dak cloud that has SO long hung upon
our ho.ton could be dispcllcd than TO ar.
range the details OF 1t.
Coul thu. exciting aud dangerous qucs.
ton De once removed, ! see no Other rock
I
he wrecked Can any one doubt, that if
the amendments have proposed, had been
originally adopted rs part of the 'onstl-
tuition, the difficulties and dangers to which
onr | niou is now exposed, would have been
all avoided How fortunate Tor our country
would it have been, had they been substtu
ted in $50. for the Missouri compromise.
But il is not yet too late ito form more
perfect 'nion.' and. by SO doing, laugh to
scorn the predictions OF those, who !nok To
the dissolution OF the union of these states,
as evidence that man i, incapable of self
government,
: cannot IN the eompas, of n letter, argue
the necessity of each OF the amendment. |
have proposed 1t seems to me they will
strike the common ,eu.a Of every rctlrctng
man, aud meet the appreciation al every
lover Of his country. aud friend OF the Il.
ION The first aud second Grc necessary 10
quiet the apprchrnsion- of our people, and
remove from their minds all fear, for the
future The third would cnablr Us To ne.
quFe more territory Mt any future time,
without cndangcring the uion b. adopt
ing the iourth our members Of oagrc-s
could meet at the Capitol of our common
country. like band oi b5uthcrs 10 discus,
and pass upon such measure. a. may bee
suggested fer ", the common defence. aud
general welfare ithout it We cannot
hope Tor peace, or the pcrpetuitv OF the
MON lie knows bat litlo of human na.
ture who supposes that harmony and good
feeling can be restored. between the two
section. of the mon, unless the discussion
ot tie slavery question is hushed in the halls
Of Congress Such discussion. must here.
after. a they have heretofore done, lead to
elimination and rccrinnnallon Ia heart.
burn,ag- aud to hatred Such DISCUSSIONS
or the | mon, must terminate. Without the
fifth the rest would be useless The evil
day would be postponed but it would not
the less surely come. and when We would
he les, prepared for II than nov. We have
at this time, territory enough 10 form be-
tween 10 aud 80 additional States as large
as PENNSYLVANIA. Let TIL, question termi 4