Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-03-06
THE PEACE CONFERENCE.


pcct of peace and quiet being restored through
out the country is Frightening daily. Ever
since the presence OF President Lincoln in
Washington city confidence is being restored,
and through his influence the Illinois deega-
tion in the Peace Convention from that State
were induced to vote for the proposition final
ly adopted. Our own State, too, had its noble
advocates of peace, without degrading the Re-
publican party, in the persons of ex-G Gov. Pol
lock and Thos. E. Franklin. The former, in
particular, worked day and night, for the res
toration of peace and tranquility from the con-
fusion and troubles brought about by the DEM
ocratic party. 1t twill at once be observed that
even before our party got into power they ac
complished more towards restoring peace and
harmony in this nation than the Democrats
were able or willing to do. Give President Lin
coin six months trial and we feel sanguine that
our country will flourish more than ever.
The following are the propositions adopted
on the 9th February by the Peace Conference
at Washington. The first section was that Of
fered by MIR. Franklin of Penn'a, and the sec
| ond that offered by Mr.. Summers of Virginia
SECTION l. In all the present territory of
the United States, north of the parallel of thir
ty-Six degrees and thirty minutes Of north lat
itude, involuntary servitude, except in pun
ishment of crime. is prohibited. In all the
present territory south OF that line, the status
| of persons held to involuntary service or labor,
as it now exists, shall not be changed nor
shall any law be passed by Congress or the
| Territorial Legislature to hinder prevent
| the taking of such persons from any of the
States of this Union to said Territory, nor to
| impair the rights arising from said relation
but the same shall be subject to judicial cog
nizance in the Federal courts, according to the
course of the common law. When any Terri
| tory North or South of said line, within such
| boundary as Congress may prescribe, shall
| contain u population equal to that required for
| member of Congress, it shall, if ITS form of
| government be republican, be admitted into
! the Union on an equal footing with original
| States, with or without involuntary Servtude,
| as the Constitution of such State may provide.
SECTION 2. No territory shall be acquired
| by the United States, except by discovery and
| for naval and commercial stations, depots, and
| transit routes, without concurrence of ma
jority of all the Senators from States which al
| low involuntary servitude, and majority of all
| the Senators from States which prohibit that
relation; shall territory be acquired by trea-
| ty, unless the votes of majoritY. of the Sena-
| tors from each class of States he abefore men,
| toned be cast as part of the two-thirds major
| ty necessary to the ratification of such treaty.
SECTION 3. Neither the Constitution. nor
any amendment there of, shall be construed to
| give Congress power to regulate, or control,
within any State, the relation established or
recognized by the laws thereof touching per-
sons held to labor or involuntary service there
| in, nor to interfere with or abolish involuntary
| service In the DIT. of Columbia without the con-
sent of Mary land and without the consent of the
| owners. or making the owners who do not con-
Snnf Of
terfere with or prohibit representatives and
| others from bringing with them to the District
| of Columbia, retaining, and taking away, per-
| sons so held to labor or services nor the pow
| er to interfere with or abolish involuntary SER
| vice in places under the exclusive Jurisdiction
| of the United States within those States and
| Territories where the same is established or
| recognized nor the power to prohibit the re-
moval or transportation of persons held to la
| Dor or involuntary service in any State or Ter.
! ritory of the United States to any other State
| or Territory thereof where it is established or
| recognized by law or usage; and the right du-
| ring transportation, by sea or river, of touch
| ing at ports. shores, and landings, and of
| landing in case of distress, shall exist; but
| not the right OF transit in or through any
State or Territory, or of sale traffic, against
the laws thereof. Nor shall Congress have
power to authorize any higher rate of tax
alton on persons held to labor or service
|
trict OF Columbia Of persons held to labor
or service for sale, or placing them in depots
| to be afterwards transferred to other places
for sale as merchandise, is prohibited.
SECTION 4. The third paragraph of the Sec
ond section of the fourth article of the Con-
stitutiOn shall not be construed to prevent
any of the States, by appropriate legislation
and through the action of their iudicia and
ministerial officers, frcm enforcing the deliv-
cry OF fugitives from labor to the person to
whom such labor or service is due.
SECTION D. The foreign slave trade is here
| by forever prohibited and it shall be the duty
| of Congress to pass laws to prevent the impor-
tation of slaves, coolies. or persons held to SER
vice or labor. into the u. States and the Terri
tories from places hey ond the limits thereof.
SECTION 6. The first, third, and fifth sec
tionS, together with this section of these a.
mehdments, and the third paragraph of the
second section of the first article of the Con-
stition, and the third paragraph of the Sec
| ond section of the fourth article thereof shall
not be amended or abolished without the con-
sent of all the States.
SECTION Z. Congress shall provide by law
that the United States shall pay to the owner
the full value of his fugitive from labor, in all
cases where the marshall, or other officer
whose duty it was to arrest such fugitive, was
prevented from so doing by violence or intim-
| idation from mobS or riOtouS assemblages, or
when. after arrest, such fugitive rescued
by like violence or intimidation, and the own
er thereby deprived of the same and the ac-
| ceptance of such payment shall preclude the
| owner from further claim TO such fugitive.
| Congress shall provide by law for securing to
| the citizens of each State the privileges and
| mmunities of citizens in the several States
| After recommending Congress to adopt the
above, the Conference adjourned sine die.
| March 4.-The Senate rejected the Peace
| rex Int