Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1860-01-02
Mr.. Douglas, Plan OF Adjustment.

Mr. Douglas Plan OF Adjustment
On Monday, December 24th, Mr.. DOUGLAS
introduced joint resolution into the Senate pro.
posing amendments to the Constitution of the
United States, with view Of restoring peace al d
preserving the Union. His proposition was read
frat and second time, and referred to the Com.
mittee Of Thirteen. IL is as follows:
joint RESOLUTION.
Re 0lDed by nte Senate and House of Represea-
tGfiUes of the United States Of America ia Con-
sress assembled, (tlcO thirds Of both Houses con-
carTing,) That the following articles be and are
hereby proposed aud submitted as enendmen's
70 the Constitution of the United States, which
shall be valid, to all n,ents and purposes, as part
of said Constitution, when ratified by ConYeC-
lions of three iourths Of the several States.
ARTICLE XIII.
Congress shall make no laws in respect to sla-
very or servitude 10 any Territory OF the United
States; and the status OF each Territory 10 res
pect TO servitude, es the same now exists by law,
shall remain unchanged until the Territory, with
such boundaries ss Congress may prescribe, shall
have population OF fifty thousand white inh4b-
itants, when the white male citizens thereof
over the age OF tventy.one years may proceed to
form a constitution and government for them
selves, and exercise all the rights of lfgovern-
ment consistent with the Constitution of the
United States; and when such new State shall
contain the requisite population for a member of
Congress, according to the then Federal ratio Of
representation, il shall oe admitted into the Union
on an equal footing With the original States, with
or without slavery, as the constitution of such
new State shall provide at the time of admission;
and in the mean time such new Safe shall be
entitled 70 one delegate in the Senate, to be
chosen by the Legislature, and one delegate in
the House OF Representatives, to be chosen by
the people having the qualifications requisite for
electors of the most numerous branch of the
Legislature; and said delegates shall have ell the
rights and privileges OF Senators and Represen-
tatiyes, respectively, except that Of voting.
SEC 2 No more territory shall be acquired by
the United States except by treaty or by the con-
current vote of two thirds of each House Of
Congress, and when 20 acquired the status thereof
In respect to servitude, it existed at the time
Of acquisition, shall remain unchanged until IL
shall contain the population Aforesaid for the
formation of new States, when it shall be sub
jsct to the terms, conditions, and privileges
herein provid d for the ex sting territories.
SEC 3. The area of all new States shall be as
nearly uniform in size as may be practicable,
having due regard 10 convenient boundaries and
natural capacities; and shall not be less than sixty
nor more than eighty thousand square miles, ex
cept in cases of islands which may contain less
than that amount.
SEC A. The second and third clauses Of the
second section OF the fourth article OF the Con-
stituton, which provides for delivering up iugi-
tives from justice and fugitiyes from service or
labor, shall have the came force in the Terrific
ries and new States In the States of the Union;
aud the ssid clsuse in respect to fugitives from
Justice shall be construed to include all crimes
committed within and against the laws of the
State from which the fugitive fed, whether the
acts charged be criminal or not in the State
where the fugitive was found.
SEC. 5. The second section of the third article
OF the Constitution, in respect to the Judicial
power OF the United States, shall be deemed az
plicable to the Territories aud new State. as well
as to the States of the Union.
ARTICLE XIV.
! Sec. l. The elective franchise and the right to
hold office, whether Federal, State, Territorial
or municipal, shall not be exercised by persons oi
the African race, in whole or In part.
Sec. 9. The United State. shall have power "a
acquire, from time to time, districts OF country il
Africa and South America for the colonization
at The expense of the Federal Treasury, OF sucE
| free negroes and mulattoes the several States
may wish to have removed from their limits, sDc
from the District Of Columbia AID such othei
places as may be under the jurisdiction Of Con
grsss
Sec. 3. Congress shall have no power to abol
ish slavery 10 the places under its exclusive uris
dicsion aud situate within the limits of States tha
permit the holding Of slaves.
Sec. a. Congress shall have no power 10 abolish
slavery within the District OF Columbia 60 loDl
as it exists in the adjoining States of Virgins
and Maryland, or either, nor without the con-
sent of the inhabitants, nor without just com
pensation frat made to such owners OF slaves ss
do not consent to such adjustment. Nor shall
Congress at any time pronibis officers OF III,
Federal Government or members OF Congress
whose duties require them TO be In said Distric
from bringing with the = their slaves and holdinl
them as such during the time their duties ma
require hem to remain there, and Gftersard.
taking them from the District.
Sec 5. Congress shall have no power to pro
hibit or hinder the transportation ol slaves iron
} one State to another or TO Territory in which
slaves are permitted by Law to be held, whethe
such transportation be b. land, nsvigabe rivers
or by sea ;but the African slave trade shall be for
ever suppressed, and it shall be the duty OF Con
gress TO make such laws as shall be Recesslr-
} and sffectual to prevent the migration or i'm
J ports.ion of slaves or persons owing service ol
labor, into the United States from any foreg
country, place, or jurisdiction whatsoever.
SEC In addition to the provisions OF th
third paragraph OF the second section of th
; fourth article Of the Constitution, Congress shs
have power to provide by lsw, and II shall be il
duty SO to provide, that the United States sha
pay to the owner who shall apply for it the fu
value of his fugitive slave in all ca es when th
} marshal, or other officer, whose duty il was {
arrest said fugitive, was prevented from 90 doin
by violence or intimidation, or when, after al
T rest, said fugitive was rescued by force and th
owner thereby prevented and obstructed in th
pursuit of bis remedy for the recovery of his fu
7 gtive slave under the said clause Of the Cons,i
6 tutisn and the laws made in pursuance thereo
And In all such cases when the United STATE
shall pay for such fugitiyss, they shall have Il
O right in their own name to sue the county
Y which such violence, intimi istion or rescue vi
/ committed, and to recover from is, with int
ests and damsges, the amount paid by them 4
said fugitive slave. ARd the said county, aft
J. it has paid said amounts to the United State
may, FOR its indemnity, sue and recover from
,, wrong doers or rescuers by whom the owner "
Ia prevented from the recovery Of his fugitive sla
,f IN like manner "a the owner himself may ha
e sued and recovered.
e SIC. Z. No future amendment of the Cons
3 tuition shall effect this and the preceding artic
d nor the third paragraph of the second section
n the first article of the Constitution, nor the tbi
n paragraph of the second section Of the -four
N article of said Constitution, and no amendms
d shall be made to the Constitution which "
10 authorize or give to Congress any power
ot abolish or interfere with slavery in any OF