Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-12-15
RICHMOND SATURDAY MORNING. DECEMBER

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dignity CT its constituent States in the Union now
frankly and hone SLY coLceded to il by the Norh and
elftc,ually secured to Il by constitutional p;oyoHs
We think that there have been reciprocal lau beth
sidea in the long sectional controversy which has
eliminated i;s final issue aud ils necessary PEI
sOutioa in the now apparently almost inevitable ssou-
tou OF the Union but also think that this .ime
for recriminaois which little belt true statesmen sud
patriots at such moment a. the present Aud low,
condensg into practical application the views geLtry
indicated 10 the above exp, ession OF not Oul;
sentiments, but what we well know TO be those OF our
people, we thrk that more practical and adequate
ulion of The pending crisis Of the Union would be
the adoption By Congress OF certain amendments to the
Constitution in part e1paI Atory and IN part new but all
in harmony With the peryadng spirit of the Copsl ion
and the Submission OF these amendments 10 conventions
or the Legislatures Of the States Tor ratification within
4 course OF the two months. We believe that such
amendments wOnli b., fUtiied by large msoiii,s IN
nearly ell the States Of the North and that they
be aud would be satisfactory to the patriotic OF
the South and that by the proposed course OF Gcol If
recommended by your committee aud aGopel by Con
gress I'll the present storm Of danger he Uncn Wil
by the 4th OF March next have oiled way rapidly
it has swept upon us, aHd that II will be iooSed by
new era of fratcrnal peace and urivenal prosperity
which may then wen Justify confident trust in The
pcrpctty OF this subimtst work Of human wisdom-the
constituted Union Cf the sovereign States of America
The amendments We therefore recommend to you, a.
the representative Of New York in the Committee oil
Ststes, are as iooSs:
l. The Territorial question n our view of the cxistii
diversity Of views aud the necessity OF practicable
compromise on that sui jsct wond be wisely settled by
return to that which from period long anterior
to the date OF the Missouri compromise the fair aud
sagacious policy Of the fathers, uamelya climate pari
tion by securing the South the right Of uanolested
immigration into and settlement iD the TcnorCs scuh
Of the Latitude SO deg. 30 min. during the period Of Ter
ritorial minority with the eight all necessary
protection TO their accustomed property which may lie
joyed by Northern immigrants M regard 10 htr vGr
Gus descriptions Of property; and with full right TO the
people Of each Territory TO determine their permanent
policy in regard to slavery and the negro on the
formation of their State constitution for admission into
the Union.
3 The federal Jurisdiction local spots within the
Sate such forts arsensls and over Interstate
merce should be declared capable of being applied
to any interference with the lawful rights Of property
recognized by the States locally concerned and tina, sim
ultaneousy with this guarantee TO the South in regard
inter State commerce., the revival OF the African slave
trade should be prohibited
g. Inasmuch as the constitution, in its wise di-trbu-
ton of the different kinds of representations intended
to be embodied in the three great branches of the egs
laiiye and executive pOwcr-the Senate, the House t
Representatives AID the Pres dent-has made the first
the representative of the equal Safe soyereig1tes the
second that of the people in their representative oal
districts and the third that of the whole aggregate peo
ple of the Union the mode of elecng the President
ought to be modified TO the o. ect OF his
being the representative Of the tue majority of the
whole and not that Of majority, which may happen 10
be the mere local majority ofa single section. With this
view the single electoral district system for the election
of the Presidential electors ought 10 be adopted with
two elecO large for each State as at present. proyi
sons being made for second election between the two
highest candidates. in the event of 10 candidate having
received the requisite mrj Ory on the first vote.
4 Although not directly connected with the contro
yetsy which has resulted in the present crisis think
that provision for the noE-egibly Of Presidents here
after elected would be acceptable to the general opinion
of the country and be highly beneficial in s influence
upon the administrative action OF the executive.
In addition to the foregoing proposed amendments Of
4 q Constitution OF the United States think that at
the present time very perncious of reciprocal
irritation between the sections Of the country would
be removed f certain amendments adoptd in the
existing legislation in regard to the rendition of fugitive
slaves On the part OF Congress VIC think that the fed
eral law ought 10 provide that alleged fugitive who
NAV no. admit the right OF his claimant should be de-
lyered over not 10 The immediate possession OF such
claimant but to the Marshal OF the district from which
he may bs alleged 10 have escaped there to receive
fn nul deliberate trial of the fact in issue aud that IN
the ol his unlawful tne or the county
should be liable to tie claimant for his full value. On
the part OF the States which have passed laws designed
for the obstruction Of the rendition of such ugves all
such laws ought to be repealed amended into conior
nifty with the solemn faith plghted in the Constitution
by each State 10 all the rest and convinced that
such repeal or amendment would promptly follow the
adoption Of tue above proposed modification OF the ex
isting federal law. JOHN COCHRANE,
GEORGE BRIGGS,
WM B MACLAY,
TII0S. J. BARR
DANIEL T. SlCKLES,
II. +. CLARK