, 1861-01-03
A PLAN OF COMPROMISE,
Lckter from a Member Of MIR. Fiji.
moresz Cabinet,
The following letter Is handed to us forpub-
1lcation BY tho gentleman to whom 1t is ad-
dressed. Tha wfftet YVES member Of Mr.
Fillmorefs Cabinet.

The following letter Is handed to us forpuh
1lcatio4 BY. tho gentleman to whom 1t is I'D
dressed. Tha wfftet YVES member Of hi
Fillmoro's Cabinet:
srAEs1os, W., Dec. Is, 1860.
DEAn Cu21sMAN: have read with interes
your remarks on the unfortunate condition o
The country. The time has now come Whe1
ono OF two things must inevitably occur-eith
er . satisfactory adjustment Of pending din
cult1ca, or Q permanent separation Of the fire.,
md slave States. There Is no division Of opin
lou on this subject in the SINE States. fhs
cnly Question debated is, whether we snal
separate at once, Of make ote tnore effort 10,
peace. am mn advocate for the lsttGr conrss
and will task NIL my energies, in the comln{
Legislature, to prevent rupture. How fal
this Is ::ossible remains to be seen. The cast
ern portion Of the State Is ripe for separation
out hope more moderate counsels will pre-
rail among western members.
10 insure harmony VIC must hare renpa!
OF thc fersonM Liberty bills, and IN homes,
aud faithful execution Of the Fucitive HIayf
law, and Of the Inv for the rendition OF fugi
tivcs IRON justice, aud We must consent fc
such notifications Of the Fugitive law as viii
remove aomc Of the features most obnoxions
to the people Of the ffee States without i'm.
pairing Its efficiency.
=. 1t Will bc necessary to provide cffectua]
guarantees against interference with the inter
state Slave tr1de, OF with the institution in the
District Of Columbia, and in the arsenaIs. &c,
In tho United States
sent the great bone of contentiou} mr 1,la1 ri
adjustment would be this:-The Territories
being common property, acquired bY the com
mon blood and treasure Of both sections. It is
obvious that neither section Is entitled to thl
tha9 Mnols e t' o. them; The North, BY its dogma
that slavery shall be excluded from the Ter
rtor1es,' substantially claims all. The South
By its dogma Of slavery protection " in ull
TIE Territories, virtually claims all Neither
OF these pEetensfons Is founded In Justice. md
neither can be admitted. The diversity il lie
habits and pursuits Of the people Of the two
sections forbid the idea Of q joint occupation.
The question arises, What are we 10 do y
ihcre arc but two modes Of eettlemeut-by
Jorxe, and by compact.
In the case OF individuals who are Joint own
ers OF 4 trnct Of land which cannot be occu-
p'ed III common, court Of equity would soon
SETTLE 1t by partition. Why should not the
North and South settle their dispute in the
same sa Nayy tet division line be run along
the parallel Of 56 deg. 80 min. from the west.
EN- line Of Missouri to the eastern line of
california, and thence with the line Of that
state. southwark and westward to the Paci6c
Let 1t be agreed that the normal condition of
all the territory which We now have, or may
.>1e'A'ts ae4u1G nu1iu ol tQat line, shall be
lree, anu the normal condition Of all that
VIC now own, or may hereafter acquire
south Of that line, shall be Slave. Let the
normal condition continue until after the
states carved out Of the territories. shall be
admitted into the Union. Atter their admis-
SION they can change their stains as they
please.
This is departure from the principle Of the
Missouri Compromise, in this: That it likes
the status Of the territories on both sides OF
the line irrevocab1y (by constitutional amend
mentl until after the States are admitted, and
no State should be admitted until 1t has a popu.
latlon equal to the rate Of representation.
1ly rcason for suggesting this change is,
that experience has demonstrated the difficul.
" Of adjusting the question Of Slavery in ter
rltories. II it Is LETT to the pcoplc Of ter
ritories, either through thcif 1esisla-
lures or convention, it will hc 4 standin.
Invitation to border ruf1ianisul, brawling dem.
aSoSues and Sharp's-rihc fauatics, TO repeat
the scenes in Kansas; and should . coustitu-
lion be adopted, we should have 4 renewal Of
the Lecomptou Drama in Congress.
BY postpouing the final settlement Of the
status Of the new counties until alter their adj
mission, you ettcctually place 1t beyo.,d khe H.
rtsdtetioH 9f Congress, and render It a purely
domestic q,testto" to be settled By the people Of
the State for themselves; squuttcr sovereignty
Is suspended by popular sovereignty, and ali
angry strife is banished.
AS supplement 10 this measure. would
suggest, lst, that the laws against the African
slave trade be strictly enforced, nnd I'd. add a
guarantee that no new Territory, North or
South, should ever be acquired, e1ce1N by tyea,y.
which of course would require tVu-thirds 0f
the Senate to ratify it.
These provisions seem to nc fair and lust.
and ought to be satisfactory to both sections
Each would get all it really wants. The two
systems Of civilization and labor would he lrft
1rce to progress, side by side, without inter-
ference, and each would minister to tic pros
pcrity Of the other.
Thc South would have q guarantee for what
it is nov entitled to under the Constitution.
and the North would be e1Iectual]y secured
against theacquIeition Of BOW territory for the
purpose Of charging the urea of slavery.
Should the two sections have the rood
sense to accommodate their difficulties. VIC
should soon have return Of good feeling, and
enter on new career Of prosperity, will thu
aS-ttrs,ncc that our Union would Ic perpctu-
ated. The mere apprehension of r1lpture
.ils resulted in depreciation Of the currtncy.
public stocks, crops, lands and slaves, proba.
ply not less IN amount than five hundred mill.
ions. This is but the beginnin, of the evil,
Let US commence cutting each others Threats,
ind who can calculate the immense destruction
Of pecnn!ary interests, to say nothing Of the
still more important social, moral and relio;ons
md political evils that would ensue.
May God In his mercy incline the heart of
our people to wisdom, and save us from tho
aorrid cllamities incident to internecinc strife
And bloody tratricidal war.
Very truly, your friend and ob't scrv't,
ALEX II. Il STUART.