Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-05-24
From the Ohio Statesman.
Remarks OF Nr. Plants in the House of
Representatives, May 13, 1861.
on THE sEwARD-CoRwIN AMENDMENTS To TIL
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED SITES.
foFFlcIAL REroRT.)

Mr.. PLANTS said, he desired very
briefly to state his reasons for oppo sing
the adoption Of the proposition for
amending the Constitution now before
the House. He said he had heard of no
reason for the adoption of the proposed
amendment, other than the presumed
effect its adoption will have in winning
back to their allegiance the seeded
States, and to prevent the secession Of
others. But he did not believe its
adoption would have any such efect.-
Whatever else may be true, 1t is not
true that the leading spirits in the Sc
cession movement are fools But unless
they are hopelessly demented, such an
amendment, adopted with the pretended
object in view can have no such effect.
They know, as all the world knows, that
the Republicans without exception hold,
and have ever held slavery to be purely
Vocal institution, limited to the Stutes
which maintain it, and over which Con-
gress has no control whatever. And in
this unanimous opinion of the Republi
cans he believed the masses Of all other
parties now eoncurred. If, then, with
this knowledge, the slave States have
determined to break up the Union and
destroy the Government established by
the Constitution as it is, dees any sane
man pretend to believe that the adoption
of this amendment will bring back the
revolted States to their allegiance, or
prevent others from joining them?
There is no evidence that. a single
slave State desires the adoption of this
amendment, or that its adoption will
have the slightest effect upon the con-
duct of those dissatisfied with the Con-
stitution as it is. The proposed amend
ment does not meet the demands of the
disunionists, and no others have any OBJ
lection to the Constitution as our fathers
bequeathed it to US. Nothing less than
radical change in the structure and
workings of the Constitution, SO as to
give the control of the Government to Il
minority representing sectional class
interest, or dissolution of the Union,
will satisfy the secessionists. This
amendment does neither. 1t, in fact,
does not make any practical change at all,
for nobody proposes to do what the
amendment purports to prohibit. The
secessionists are not so stupid as not to
see this. Its adoption, therefore, being
unasked by them-being, so far as they
are concerned, delusion OR sham, will
have tendency rather to irritate than
to satisfy them. 1t can do no good,
therefore, and will only tend to com
plieate our difficulties, and widen the
breach which it is profess edly intended
to close up.
But, Mr.. 2. said, there was another
reason, which was conclusive with him,
against the adoption of the proposition.
The General Assembly Of the State Of
Ohio, in generous response to her sister
States OF Kentucky and Illinois, has
adopted joint resolution, asking Con-
gress, in pursuance Of the 9Th Article OF
the Constitution of the United States; to
call a general Convention of all the
States, for the purpose of doing whatever
the exgencies Of the whole country and
the sovereign will Of the people may re-
quire to be done. And he would not
embarrass the action of the Convention
representing, as it will, the sovereignty
of the people, by the adoption of this
impertinent and uncalled for PROPOSE
tion. Can you not trust the people?-
Are we, who were not elected for any
such purpose, and without the consent,
and scarcely with the knowledge of the
people, to fores tall the action of the pco-
pie themselves by passing an amend
ment to the Constitution which in terms
proposes to bind their sovereign will fol-
ever, and prevent the people even by a
unanimous vote from undoing our hasty
work? This may do in South Carolina
but the sons of the free West are hardly
yet prepared to bow their necks to the
yoke! <
This amendment will either give to
slavery a sanction which the Constitu-
ton, as our fathers made it, never gave,
or it will: not If it does, its passage
will be qualification Of the sentiment of
the people Of the State, and if it does
not, then the transparent sham is an in
suit to the South. In any event the
passage Of the resolution, under present
circumstances, is ill-timed, anealled for,
and improper.