Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-02-28
S02,O11
Total. ,7e5 ,e65
Population. 10 900, OGO


Mr.. Speaker, we can never have peace be-
tween the North and the South, in my judg-
ment, on this question of slavery, without a
line of partition; on the north Of which slave
ry shall be prohibited, and on the south of
which it shall be allowed and sustained
Then the agitators in both sections would be
silenceG; for there would be no debatable
ground; there could be no dispute. Our
fathers seeing this radical difference of opin-
ion between the North and the South, divided
the original territory, at the close of our war
of Independence, or soon thereafter, giving
to the North five States-Ohio, Indiana, Illi-
nois. Michigan, and Wisconsin-and giving
to the South four States-Kentucky, Tennes-
see, Alabama, and Mississippi. We have
seen that they again partitioned the Louisi-
ana purchase by this very line, in 1920, and
again run this line through Texas; and now
it is proposed to run it through to California
from the Rio Grande. and thus forever settle
this dispute. Neither party can say it has
conquered in this unhappy strife; for you of
the Republican party get the old Missouri
line re-affirmed aud established, the repeal
of which gave birth to your party; and the
principles OF the Chicago platform will be
applied to all that portion of the common
territories lying north of the line of 36S 80
north latitude, while the South gets slavery
protected in all of the Territory lying south
of the line during its territorial existence
Nor are those who advocated the doctrine
of popular sovereignty, as applicable to the
Territories, precluded from the support of this
proposition because of its inconsistently
with that doctrine. This proposition pro-
poses to make an amendment of the Consti-
tuition. so as to make that constitutional in
express terms which you have heretofore de-
MED was warranted by that instrument;
whilst we of the constitutional Union party
get that which we have long and earnestly
labored fora final settlement of the slavery
agitation upon terms fair and honorable to
all sections. Then, sir, why can we not all,
with one voice, sustain and support it as q
fair adjustment and compromised This, sir.
will give quiet to distracted and agitated
land, aud peace, like Halcyon, will again
sit on our waters.
The second, third, and foutE propositions
merely forbid Congress to do that which the
Republicans profess not to desire to do-to
abolish slavery in the forts, arsenals, and
dock-yards; to abolish slavery in the District
of Columbia, and the interstate slave trade;
aud this proposition is to place it out of your
power, so as to relieve you of the tempta-
ton aud us of the apprehension in regard to
these matters
Article five is to give to the owner pay for
slaves forcibly or fraudulently taken from
him by mobs; to which / hear no serious OBJ
lection. These are the leading features of
this proposition. 1t is not, sir, what each in
dividual man would be willing to accept,
that should engage our deliberations but
what propositions will heal the wounds that
now affilet our common country, call back
our sisters who have, in a moment of anger,
become estIanged, and once more form the
family circle around our national hearth
stone. Sir, am not welded to any set
phrases, or to any mans proposition. I am
willing. ready, and eager TO accept substan-
tial justice at the hands of the North at any
moment. i care not who makes the proposi-
ton, nor will cavil at words; this prefer
to any which has yet been offered. 1t would
be political empiricism in US to pass as a
compromise that which would not recon-
struct our shattered Union, and hush the
wild storm which now sweeps over the land.
And this proposition, or some proposition
with this as basis, must be passed to effect
that desired object. = -
M. Speaker, now pass to the considera-
tion OF the propositions of the majority OF
the committee Of thirty-three, as reported by
tneir chairman, lAr. Corwin,l not stopping
70 consider the first anendment-thato Of Mr..
burch, OF California, which Il Q proposition
tor convention Of all the States. As com