Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-12-12

constitutional remedies, and be referred to none
other to which the States were authorized to resort
on such occasions, he concludes by saying, " that
the legislatures Of the States might have made
direct representation to Congress with view to
obtain resembling of the two offensive acts or they
might have represented to their respective senators
in Congress their wish that two thirds thereof would
propose an explanatory amendment to the Constitu-
ton or two-thirds of themselves if such had been
their option might, by an application to Congress,
have obtained convention for the same object" ..
This is the very course which earnestly recon-.
mend in order to obtain an Explanatory amend
ment" of the Constitution on the subject of slavery
This might originate with Congress or the State
legislatures, as may be deemed most advisable to
attain the object
The explanatory amendment might be confined
to the final settlement of the true construction OF
the Constitution on three special points:
/. An express recognition Of the right of prop
erty in slaves in the States where it now exists
may hereafter exist.
2. The duty of protecting this right in all the
common Territories throughout their territorial ex-
istence, and until they shall be admitted as States
into the Union, with or without slavery, as their
constitutions may prescribe.
3. A like recognition of the right Of the master
to have his slave, who has escaped from one State
to another, restored and delivered up" to him,
duu Vi ItC FdllulIy VI luSlNe-Sdfc law CudClCO
for this purpose, together with declaration that all
State laws impairing defeating this right are VIC
lations of the Constitution, and are consequently
null and void H~
1t may be objected that this construction of the
Constitution has already been settled by the Su-
preme Court of the United States, and what more
ought to be required? The answer is, that very
large proportion Of the people Of the United Stntes
still contest the correctness of this decision, and
never will cease from agitation and admit its bind
ing force until clearly established by the people of
the several States in their sovereign character Such
an explanatory amendment would, it is believed,
forever terminate the existing dissensions and re-
store peace and harmony among the States
1t ought not to be doubted that such an appeal to
the arbitrament established by the Constitution
itself would he received with fvor by all the States
>ef the Confederacy. In any event it ought to be
tried in spirit of Cancellation before any of these
States shall separate themselves from the Union.
When entered upon the duties of the Presiden-
tial Office the aspect neither our foreign nor do
nestle affairs was at all satisfactory We were in
voved in dangerous complications with several ma.
tions, and two of our Territories in state OF
revolution against the Government restoration
of the African slave trade had numerous and power
full advocates. Unlawful military expeditions were
countenanced by many of our citizens and were suf
fered in defiance of the efforts of the Government
to escape from Shores for the purpose of making
war upon the unoffending people of neighborng re-
pubRcs with whom We were at peace In addition
Vto these and other difficulties, experienced re-
yGlson in monetary affairs after my advent to
yPnVer, of unexampled severity and of ruinous con
Sequences to all the great interest of the country
Wha1 we take retrospect of what was then our
condition and contrast this with its material pros
perik at the time of the late Presidential election
We bave abundant reason to return our grateful
thanks to that merciful Providence which has never
forsfken us as nation in all our past trials.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
WASHINGTON Dec 2 1890