Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-01-18
JOINT RESOLUTION

arisen between the Northern and Southern States,
concerning the rights and security of the rights of
the saveholding States and especially their rights
in the common territory of the United States and
whereas, 1t is emnshtly desirable and proper that
those dissentons, which now threaten the very ex-
istence Of this Union should be permanently quiet
ed and settled by constitutional provisions which
shall do equal justice to all sections and thereby re-
store to the people that peace and goodwill which
ought to prevail between all the citizens of the
United States therefore,
Resolred by The Senate and House Of Representa-
tees Of The United States IF america in Co,lqress as
seabled, t,co-thirds Of both House concurrao That
the tollowing articles be- and are hereby proposed
and submitted as amendments 10 the Constitution
OF the United States, which shall be valid to all in
tents and purposes as part of said Constitution when
ratified by conventions of thrcefourths OF re sew
eral States.
Art l. In all the territory of the United States
now held hereafter acquired, situated North Of
latitude thiIty-six degrees and thirty minutes sla-
very or involuntary serviiude, except az a punish
ment for crime, is prohibited, while such territory
shall remain under territorial government.-|
In all the territory South of said line Of lati-
tude slavery of the African race is hereby re-
cognized as existing, and shal not be ihterfer-
ed with by Congress- but shall be protected as
property by all the departments OF the territorial
government during its continuance; and when any
territory, North and South of said line within such
boundaries as Congress may prescribe, shall contain
the population requisite for member of Congress,
according to the then Federal ratio of representa-
ton Of the people of the United States, it SHALL if
its form of government be republican, be admitted
into the Union on an equal footing with the origin
al States, with or without saveryaas the Constitu-
ton of such new State may provide.
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. 3. Congress shall have no power to abolish
slavery within the District of Columbia, SO long as
it exists in the adjoining States of Virginia aud
Maryland or either, without the consent of the
inhabitants, nor without just compensation first
made TO such owners Of slaves es do not consent to
such adjustment. Nor shnll Congress at any time
prohibit 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, such, during the time
their duties may require them to remain there, and
afterwards taking them from the District
| Art 4. Congress shall have no power TO prohibit
or hinder the transportation of slaves from one State
to another, to n territory in which slaves are by
law permitted to he held whether that Transports
ton be by land, navgable rivers, or by the sea.
Art 3. That, in addition to the provisions of the
third paragraph of the second section of the fourth
article of the Constitution of the United States,
Congress shall have power TO provide by law and
it shall be its duty TO so provide, that the United
States shall pay to the who shall apply for il
the full value Of his fugitive slave in all cases
when the marshal or other officer, whose duty it was
to arrest said fugitive, prevented from SO doing
by violence OF intimidation when, after arrest
said fugitive was rescued by force and the owner
thereby prevented and INSTRUCTED in the pursuit Of
his remedy for the recovery Of his fugitive slaves
under the said clause Of the Constitution and the
laws made in pursuance thereof And in all such
cases. when the United States shall pay for such fu
gitve, they shall have the right in their own nam,
to sue the county in which said violence intimida
ton, or rescue was committed, and to recover from
it, with interest and damages, the amount paid b,
them for said fugitive slave. And the said county
after it has paid said amount to the United States
o may, for its Indemnity, sue and recover from thu
n wrong-doers, or rescuers, by whom the owner wa
prevented from the recovery of his fugitive slav
in like manner as the owner himself might hav,
q sued and recovered
o Art. 6. No future amendment of the Constitution
shall affect the five proceeding articles nor the thir
paragraph of the second section of the first articl
of the Constitution, the third paragraph of tn
# second section of the fourth article of said Consti
tuition, and no amendment shall be made to tn
Constitution which will authorize or give to Con
greSs any power to abolish OF interfere with SLAYER
in any of the States by whose laws it is or may b
~ allowed or permitted.
70 ResotUed, 8. That we tender cordial greeting {
n our faithful allies of the North who have SO Ion
battled for our rights and endcavored to beat bac
the tide of fanaticism in their midst, we hail theI
as brethren good and true aud bid Il em stand firm
q Iy by us in the preservation of our General Go,
|, ernment in its whole constitutional vgor as tn
'sheet anchor of our peace at home and our safet
80 abroad.
" 10. That we cannot regard the Constitution
Is the United States as more compact TO be broken
~ the will of cach but rs more and greater than thu
the great bond of the people, establishing mol
90 perfect Union for themselves and their poserty
ne ly to be dissolved by by common consent or r
~ yoution.
ho IL. That we recommend to the Legislature
the State toput these amendments in form and sul
NIT them TO the other States, and that if the disc
e ganzation of the present Union is not arrested TIL
in the States agreeing to these amendments of II
Federal Constitution shall form a seperate Confe
ency, with power to admit new States under OF
ce glorious Constitution thus amended
es, II. That it is expedient to call "A Convention
a the border, free and slave States and such 9th
tic States as may see fit to unite with them to oonsi
by er the best mode of settlement of the questio
he which now agtatc and threaten td destroy the Un
ur of these States.
" IL. That we depore the existence of Union
zee he held together by the sword with laws to be e
be forced by standing armies 1t is not such Unit
as our fathers intended, and not worth preservn
=
u" cd in any convention. of States the repsesentat
~ should be chosen by the people themselves.
we After the reading of Mr.. Houses amendmel
ID W. F. Lowe, Esq, offered, as an amendment
III lieu of Mr. Houses amendment, the following res
~. buttons:
Ir- Rssoloed That we, portion of the people
Tennessee willing, in the spirit Of fraterni
ti- and compromise, TO accept the Crttcnden Propo
tons as a basis for the settlement of the queso
ify now threatening the pcrpetuity of the Union,
i've shonld the people of the Northern States refuse
st accept and ratif these propositions then the Sou
est ern States will be justified in seeking OUT of {
Union that equality which is denied them WITHIN
rnt Resolued That in the opinion OF this meetir
OPP Tennessee ought not to submit in this crisis to
ere doctrine that it is the duty of the General Cover
or ment to the seeding States and, should
ent Federal Government under the administration