Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-04

way imperfect or desired to delay its passage, wud
have been impelled to vote in the negative pom
the previous question: which would have place, the
bill beyond the reach of debate or amendment, and
put it Immediately upon its third reading, (eqiva
lent to its passage.)
We therefore protest against the reasoning which
implies that the negative votes on this que ton
afford any evidence that those who gave hem
would have been willing to enact the amendment
into law. Even Mr. STEPHENS rejects his own
reasoning in this respect SO far as it applies the
Southern members who voted with thi minority.
For them he readily finds an excuse e Their OBJ
ject," hes says "may have been toget voc upon tis
distinct question of the recognition blythe House
of the line established in 1920" Very well !!
But in view of the fact that this ameriment had
been previously voted down with signalunanimity
in Committee of the Whole House, dd it never
occur to the mind of Mr.. STEPHENS, IS it must
irresstibly occur to the minds of otherl that the
Northern members who voted precisely the same
way, on the vcry same question, might lave been
willing to grant the desired " recognition The
exercise of the same charity towards the members
of both sections who thus voted togethe would
have enabled Mr. STEPHENS to see the mater in
totally different light.
Now, let us look at the nature and effect of the
amendment proposed to the Arkansas biz by Mr.
ADAMS As preliminary, however, it is necessary
to state that the Bin under consideration did not
contain single word relating to slavery in Arkan-
sas. Slavery had already been recognised and le-
galized in that Territory by the terms of the Mis-
souri, compromise, and was fixed Constitution"
But the application for the admission of this Terri
tory as State was accompanied by form Of Con-
stitutioa which contained the following clause:
g Emancipation o; Slaves.
"Sec. l. The General Assembly shall have power to
pass laws for the emancipation ofsaves without the
of the They shall have power to prevent
emgrants to this State from bringing with them such per-
deemed slaves by the hws of any of the
United States. They shall have power to pass laws to
permit the of slaves to emncpate them, saving
the rights of creditors and preventing them from becom
ing public charge They shall hive power to prevent
slaves from being brought to this State merchandise
and also oblge the of slaves them with
humanity"
That this provision was repugnant to Mr.. Adams
and some other Northern members may very well
be conceived. 1t formed the first of about dozen
sections of miscellaneous character, which, proba-
bly, to provide for supposed Deficiencies in the pre-
cedng articles, were inserted in the Constitution i'm
mediaely following its ninth article, which related
to education, and would seem to have been the last
one of the original draft. Dissenting from the
particular clause above cited, Mr.. Adams gave ex-
preston to his disapprobation by proposing to make
the bill provide that nothing in this act contained
shall be construed as an assent by Congress to the
article IN the Constitution Of the said State relat-
ing to slavery and to the emancipation of slayes"
This amendment, it must be obvious to every one
who will calmly examine the question, was not de-
signed to EXCLUDE slavery from the new State.
A proposition having this object in view, which was
submitted in Committee of the Whole by member
only abolitionist in Congress, was, to the lasting
honor and sense of justice of the Ecrth, voted
down instantly without count; so that it was not
again proposed in the House. The amendment Of
Mr.. ADAMS was of an entirely different character,
and, if it had even been passed into law it would
not have operated to prohibit slavery in Arkansas
That this is correct view of it will be conceded to
be indisputable when state that, IN a1litton to
the provision above quoted from the ninth article
of the form Of Constitution proposed for the State
the fourth article Of that same Constitution con.
tanned several sections regulating slavery upon
which the amendment had no bearing The follow
ing is exact copy of the sections referred to, viz
" The manner of6ringing Suits against Tie State
% The General Assembly shall direct law in what
courts and in what manner suits may be commenced
against the State.
1928 They shall have power pass all laws that are
cessary to prohibit the introduction in this State of any
slave slaves who may have committed any high crime
in any other State or Territory.
IA. The General Assembly shall not have power to
pass any bill of divorce but may prescribe by law the
manner in which such shall be investigated in the
courts of justice, and divorces granted.
"25 The General Assembly shall have power to prohibit
the introduction of any slave slaves for the purpose of
obge the of any slave slaves treat them with
humanty and in the prosecution Of slaves for any crime
they shall not be deprived of impartial jury and any
slave who shall be convicted of capital offence shall suf
fer the degree of punishment as would be inflicted
on free white person, and other and courts Of JUS
tice before whom slaves shall be tried shall assign them
counsel for their defence"
See Vol. w. En-. Docs 10. ofReps. 1856.
The amendment Of Mr.. ADAMS, we repeat, did
not affect these several provisions. 1t was simple
proposition to say that Congress did not approve of
IN IF 8 A