Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-12-24
mr.Cr,.tenden,s proposition.

Mr. Crfstenden,s Proposition.
A joint resolution proposing certain 0nasnd'ae'at'
10 the Constitution Of the United States.
WHEREAS. serious and alarming dissensions
have arisen between the Northern and South
ern States concerning the rights and security
of the rights of the slavehOlding States. and
especially their rights in the common Terri
tories Of the United States; and whereas it Is
eminently desirable and proper that these dis
sensions which row threaten the very exist
ence Of this Union, should be permanently
ouieted and settled by constitutional provis-
ions which shall do equal Justice to all sec
tions. and thereby restore to the people that
mace and goodwill which ought to prevail
between citizens of the United States, There
fore
Resolr.d. &C.. (two-thirds of both Houses
eOncurring,) That the following articles be
and are hereby submitted as amendments TO
the Constitution of the United States, which
shall be valid to all intents and purposes as
part of said Constitution when ratified by
Conventions Of three-fourths of the several
States:
Art. 1. In all the Territory of the United
States now held or hereafter TO be acquired,
situate north of latitude Sc deg. so minutes,
slavery or involuntary serVItude. except as a
punishment for crime, is prohibited while such
Territories shall remain Territorial Govern
menfs. In all the Territories south of said
line of latitude slavery of the African race Is
hereby recognized as existing, and shall not
be interfered with by Congress, but shall be
protected as property by all the departments
of the Federal Government during It's con-
tinuance; and when any Territory north or
south of said line, within such boundaries as
Congress may prescribe, shall contain the
population requisite for a member OF Con
gress, according to the then existing federal
ratio of representation of the people OF the
United States, it shall, if its form of govern
ment be republican, be admitted into the
Union en- an equal footing with the original
States. with or without slavery, as the con-
stitution of such new State shall prescribe.
Art. 2. Congress shall have no power to
abolish slavery in places under its exclusive
jurisdiction and situate within the limits OF
States that permit the holding of slaves
Art s. Congress shall have no power TO
abolish slavery within the District of COlum
bia so long as it exists in the adjoining States
of Virginia and Maryland, or either of them,
nor without the consent of the Inhabitants,
nor without compensation first made to own
ers of slaves not cOnsentiHg to such abolish
ment. Nor shall Congress at any time pro
hibit officers of the Federal Government or
members of Congress. whose duties require
them to be in said District from bringing
with them their slaves, and holding them as
such during the time their duties may require
them to remain there, and afterwards taking
them from the District.
Art f. Congress shall have no power to pro
hibit or hinder the transportation of slaves
from one State to another, or to Territory
in which slaves are by law permitted to be
held; whether the transportation be by land
navigable rivers, or by the sea
-..rt- 5. Congress shall have power to provide
by law. and it shall be its duty so to provide
that the United States shall pay to the owner
who shall apply for il, the full value of has fu-
gitive slave in all cases where the marshal or
other officer whose duty it was 20 arrest said
fugitive was prevented from doing 50 by VIC
Ience or intimidation; or when, after arrest,
said fugitive was rescued by force and the Ow-
ner thereby reverted or Distracted in the pur-
suit OF his remedy for the recovery of his said
fugitive slave under the said clause of the
COustii dtiOn and the laws made In pursuance
thereof And in all cases when the United
States shall pay for such fugitive, they shall
have the right IN their own name to sue the
county in which said violence or iutimida-
ton or rescue was committed. and to recOv-
CT from il with interest and damages the
amount paid BY them for said fugitive slave.
And the said county, after it has paid said
amount to the United States, may, for Its in
demuity, sue and recover from the wrong
doors or rescuers by whom the owner was
prevented from the recovery of his fugitive
slave in ike manner as the owner himself
might have sued and recovered
Art. s. No further amendment of the Con
stitutiOn shall affect the FIVE preceding arti-
ciez, nor the third paragraph of the second
section Of the first article Of the COnstItu-
ton, nor the third paragraph of the said sec
ton Of the fourth article Of said Constitution;
and no amendment shall be made to the Con-
stitGtiOu which viii authorize OF give 70 Con-
gTess any power to abOlish or interfere with
slavery in any Of the States BY whose laws il
Is or may be allowed or permitted
And whereas, also. besides the causes Of
dissension embraced in the foregoing amend
ments proposed to the Constitution OF the
United States, there are others which come
within the jurisdiction of Congress, and may
be remedied BY its legislative power: and
whereas, il Is the desire OF Congress, a. lar as
its power will extend, to remove all lust
cause for the popular discomfort and ag-
itatiou which now disturbs the peace Of tie
country and threatens the stability of its in
stitutiOus; therefore,
R.sotred, &c. That the laws now in force
tor the recovery of fugitive slaves are in
strict pursuance of the plain and mandatory
provisions of the Constitution, and have
been sanctioned as valid and constitutional
by the judgment of the Supreme COnrt of
the United States That the slavehOldine
States are entitled to the faithful observance
aud execution of those laws, and that they
ought not to be repealed or so modified or
changed as to impair their efficiency, and
that laws ought to be made for the punish
ment of those who attempt, by rescue OF the
slave OF other illegal means, to hinder or de-
feat the due execution of said laws.
>. That all State laws which conflict with
the fugitive slave acts of Congress, OF any
other constitutional act of Congress, or which
in their operation impede, hinder, or delay
the free course and due execution OF any Of
said acts, are null and void by the plain pro
visions of the Constitution of the United
States Yet those State laws, void as they
are, have given color to practices aud led to
consequences which have DISTRACTED the due
administration and execution of acts OF Con-
gres5, and especially the acts for the delivery
of fugitive slaves, and have thereby coutribu-
ted much to the disc0rd aud c0mmotion now
prevailing Congress, therefore, in the pres
eut perilOus juncture, does not deem it i'm
proper respectfully and earnestly TO recon-
mend the repeal of these laws 10 the said
States which have enacted them, or such leg
isIative corrections or explanations of them
IS may prevent their being used or perverted
to such misehieyous purposes.
g. That the act of September Is, 1850, COM
monty called the fugitive slave law. ought to
be so amended as TO make the fee OF the COM
missioner, mentioned in the eighth section of
the act, equal in ameunt to the cases decided
by him, whether his decision be in favor or
against the claimants And, to avoid miscOn-
struetion. the last clause of the 18th section
of said act, which authorizes the person hold
ing warrant for the arrest or detention OF
fugitive slave to summon TO his aid the posse
ooE.ikafas, and which declares il 10 be the DUTY
OF all good citizens to assist him in its execu-
zion. ought TO be 50 amended as expressly to
limit the authority and duty to eases in which
there shall lie resistance or danger OF resist
snce or rescue.
f. That he laws for the suppression of the
African slave trade, and especially those pro-
hibitllg the impsFtatiol Of slaves, ought 10
be made effeetaai ADD ought to BE- thoroughly