New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-05

moi on,y present The most efecual means Of destroying
n but would Danish all hope Of its peaceabe recon-
.tr,etiou Resides in tho fraernal coniict, a. VHt
amount Of blood and treasure would be expended ren
derng future reconciliation between w STATES nP
shIe' In the meantime who can foretell what would
be tho sufeings and pivatiohs OF the peope curing
It's existencei ,r..
The facti, that our Union rests upon public opinion
and can mover DO cemened by the blood OF its citizens
shed In civil war II il cannot live IN the VI
tho PEOPLE, il must one day perish Congress poses
avoid WA not placed in their hand TO preserve II Dy
force.
But NAV be permitted soemnly TO invoke my conn-
tryen 10 pause and deliberate, before they determine
to destroy this, tie gandest temple which hay eyer
been dedicated to human freedom since the world Dc
gan Ii has been consecnied by the biood'oi our
fathers by the glcres Of the past and by the hopes Oh
the future. The Union has already made us the most
prosperous and, long, WILL If preserved, rend0F pr
The most powerful nation on the face of the earth. D
every foreign region of the globe tho title OF American
citizen is held In the highest respect and when pro-
nouneed ia foreign land Gauges the hearts Oh 1un
we reach the brink of the yawning abyss, we shall re-
coil with horror from the last fatal plunge BY such
dread catastrophe the hores Of the friends Of freedom
throughout the world would be destroyed, and long
night Of loaaen desposm would egshroud the nations
Our example for more than eighty years would net
only be loet but it would be quoted as a conclusive
proof that man Il unfit for seif-government.
1t is not every wrong-nay, not every grievonss
u
alternative. This onglt TO be the last desperate
remedy Of despairing people, AFTER every other con-
sttutonal means of conciia;ion bad been exhausted.
We should reflect that under this free government
there is an incessslnt ebb and How in public opiaon
baTe its day. firmly believe that 4 has already
reacl ed and passed its eliminating point But ~ N
the midst Of the existing excitement, tho Union shall
perish the evil may then become irreparabie: Con;
erees can contribute much to avert It 10y proposing and
recommending to the Legislatures OF the several states
the remedy for existing eyils, which the Consituon
has Itself provided for its own preservation Tis has
been tried OF different critical periods OF opr history,
and always with eminent suecess. II IL to he fonld IN
the 9th article providing for its own amendment.
Under tls article amendments have been proposed by
twohirds of both Homes of Congress and have been
ratified by the Legislatures Of three-fonlhs Of the
several States" and have consequently become parts
of the Constitution. To this process the country Ia
indebted for the clause prohibiting Congress from
passing any law respecting an establishment OF re-
hgon, atrdPing the freedom Of speech or OF tho
press or of the right Of petition. To is are, also
indebted for the bill Of Rights, which secures the
people against any abuse OF power by the Federal
tertared by the friends Of State rights at that period
az to have rendered il extremely doubtful whether the
Constitution could have long survived without these
amendments.
Again, the Constitution was amended by the same
process after the election Of PRECEDENT Jefferson by the
House of Representatives, in February, 1903. This
amendment rendered ncce sary TO prevent recur
renee Of the dangers which had seriously threatened
the existence Of the Government during the pendency
of that election. The article for it, own amendment
WIS intended TO the anicbe dtstment OF con-
heting constitutional questions Ike Tie pTetcnt, which
might arse between the Governments Of the States
and that of the United States This appears from co.
temporaneous history. In this connection, l shall
merely call attention to few sentences III Mr. Mad-
sons Justly cecbraed report in 1923 TO the Legislature
of Virginia In this no ably and concusivey defended
the resolutions of the preceding Legislature against
the structures Of several other State Legislatures.
These were mainly founded upon tie protest OF tho
Virginia Legislature against the Alien and Sedi-
ton Acts" ss "ptlpa6le ard alarming infractions
OF the Constitution In pointing ont the peace.
full and constitutional remedies, and he referred
70 Doue ether 10 which tie States were author
lied 10 resof. such occasions, TO concludes by
saying that the Leg5lanrce Of tie States might have
made direct representation to Congress with view
tO obtain resciLGng Of the two Offensive acts they
might have represented to their respective Senators III
Congress their wish that wotlrds thereof would pro-
pore an explanatory amendment to te Constitution,
or twcthrls Of themeelyes If such had been their
option, might, By IN application to Congress- have OBJ
tained convention for thu same object.
This is the very courfe Which 1 earnestly recon-
mend IN order 81 obtsia an Explanatory amendment
of tie Constitution the subject Of Slavery. Tbs
might originate with Congress the State Legi,la-
lures, may be deemed most sdN table TO attain the
obic...
Tho explanatory amendment might be confined 10
the final settlement Of the true construction OF the
Constitution on three special POINTS
l. An express recognition of the right Of property
in slaves in the Ste;es where 1t now exists or may
hereafter exit.
9 Tie duty of protecting this right in all the
mon Territories throughout their territorial existence,
and until they shall be admitted States into the
Union, with or without Slavery, as Their constitutions
may prescribe.
g. a Ike reeogniti Of the right Of the master to
have his slave, who has escaped from one State to
another, restored and delivered up" TO him, and Of
the validity of tho Fugitive Slaveaw enacted for this
dacIQ hot all
impairug or defeating this night violations of the
Constitution, ano consequently null and void.
Il may be objected that this construction Of the Con-
situation has already been settled b. the Supreme
Court of the Uni.ed States, and what more orgt to
be required Tie answer IL that very large pro-
portion Of the people Of the United States still contest
the correctness OF this decision, and will
from agitation and admit lite binding force until clearly
estabhed by the people Of the several States in their
sovereign character Such explanatory amendment
would IL is believed, forever terminate the existing
dissensions aud restore peace and harmony among tie
States.
ought not to be doubted that such appeal to the
arLilrament established by the Constitution tself
world be received with favor by all the States Of the
Corfsderacy. In any event 1t ought TO be tried in
spa Of coniDaton before any Of these States shall
| separate Themselves from the Union.
Wien entered upon the dutgs q tue Presidential
Office the aspect Lei er Of our foreign nor domestic af
ftirs was at all satisfactory. We were involved in
dan seTous COM eaons with several nations and two
If our Territories in state of revolution AGAINST
tho Government. restoration Of the African slave
trade had numerous and powerfuladvocates. Unlawful
military expeditions countenanced by many OF
our citizens and suffered, in defiance Of the eff
forts oftle Government to escape from shores for
the purpose Of making war upon the unofepdng peo-
pie Of neighboring republics with whom we were at
peace In addition to these and other difficulties, we
experienced Sulsion ia monetary affairs, soon after
my advent to pos err Of unexamped severity and OF
runous consequences 10 all the great interests Of the
country. When we take retrospect of what was
then our condition. and contract this with its material
rrnarartv ni the fimn of the Late Presdl nl M .,nn