Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-03-26

! 70 Cali convention OF the several states o
the Union,
Mr.. BLAKESLEE said:
Ma. SPEAKER-The passage OF this Reso.
luton by this Legislature is the initistory
step, 30 far as far as Ohio is concerned, toward
the calling by Congress Of a Convention iOr
the purpose Of proposing amendments to the
| Constitution OF the United States.
The great men who embodied their ideas
of gOperRmenf in the American Constitution,
thereby demonstrated their superior ability
70 originate an organic law 10 combine the
! Colonies, and TO form a more perfect Union,
establish justice insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defence, promote the
general welfare, and secure the blessings oi
Liberty to themselves and their posterity.
That Constitution is a daguerreotype Of
those great men whose names we reverence,
and whose virtues we cherish.
Under its influence there has been wrought
out the problem Of a government by the peO-
pie, and the demonstration has developed a
nation, the freest and happiest that the world
ever saw.
The elements OF unculhvated nature have
receded, and towns, and cities, and States, in
their stead have sprung up as if by magic.
1t IS our WogHa Charta, under the protee
ton OF which men have felt that safety and
perfect security which the Christian feels,
when in child-like faith he trusts in an inf
nitely kind and Omnipotent protecting Prov
idence.
Our vines and our fig trees are around our
dwellings, and our homes are Gus an earthly
Paradise.
The stars and stripes are a protecting angel
in every land, and at home and abroad we
teel assured that we have the respect of all
mankind.
The wise men who inaugurated this gov.
ernmenL and adopted this Constitution an
ricipated thai amendments might become
necessary to adapt it to the changed condi-
lion Of things as the nation should become
developed, and they wisely provided for such
amendments to be made without disturbing
the harmony of the States.
THIS Resolution contemplates such a Con-
vention as is provided for in the Constitution
ITSELF and is therefore eminently proper if the
condition Of the country is such as to re-
quire it.
l shall therefore, Mr.. Speaker, for d few
moments, ask your attention to the PROPOSE
ton whether sdch Convention is demanded
by any existing state of the country, which
inquiry embraces the further proposition
whether such action can result in the adop-
ton Of any amendments to the Constitution
that shall make that instrument any better,
or more perfect to secure the States the ends
which it was established to secure.
We have its object definitely stated in the
preamble which our patriot fathers prefxed
TO it. Which was, to form a moro perfect
union, establish justice, insure domestic tran.
guilty, provide for the common defence,
promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings Of Liberty to ourselves and our
pOsterity.
To the advancement of some or all Of
/ these ends should all our efforts to amend
that instrument be directed. And unless we
n reasonably expect to accomplish this end
we should never attempt to change, by adding
to or detracting from this sacred chart Of the
liberties Of our country.
The clamor Of the excited people under the
varying influence OF the present time may
con rol the action of the citizen, but the
cool, deliberate Judgment of the legislator
should lead him to consider well his position
before be determines his course with refer
ence to those things that are to remain the
permanent fixtures Of national policy.
The formation Of the National Government
was the act of sovereign States, and these
STATES retained all the natural rights of SOW
ereignty not expressly transferred by the
Constitution to the General Government,
leaving the States full and exclusive contr !
of their local governments, and the exclusive
guardianship OF their local institutions.
That germ Of a nation has, under this Con-
stitution, expanded into life and developed
a great and prosperous, and free and happy
people.
The reserved rights of the States have
been exercised in harmony with those-grant-
ei, while the granted powers have been
found to be sufficient to enable the General
/ Government to exercise all the functions OF
government without disturbing the States in
the enjoyment of their rights reserved. The
wisdom and patriotism and craftsmanship
evinced in this instrument, command our ad-
miration-and before we consent to any
amendment to it, or shall consent TO inaugur-
ate a Convention 70 consider any proposition
to amend it, we may well inquire whether
the Constitution needs 70 be amended to en-
able the Government under it to secure the
blessings Of Liberty to US and to our pos
terity.
VINO demand any amendment to the
Constitution, and what Amendments do they
prOpOse2
Are the rights Of any State trespassed
upon or are the granted powers too tree,
or not sufficiently explicit to enable the gov
ernment to protect the rights Of the States or
/ the rights cf the American people or it1
own rights against foreign powers-Or to put
/ down insurrection or rebellion at homer
/ Mr. Speaker it was an unfortunate con-
cession our fathers made, when they permit
| ted a clause to be inserted into the Constitu.
ton, that seemed to recognize even the
existence OF slavery-and they are only inst
ified, if at all, from the fact that it existed in
some Of the States Of the Confederaey, and
they yielded, perhaps necessarily, 10 the srbi
trary demand Of the States in which it eT
listed.
Yet they were careful to leave it State
institution, not to be fostered or maintained
by the general government-and their Ian
guage is that of men obliged, under the
force of circumstances, to do that which theil
better judgments told them would always b
regarded as of at least doubtful consistency
That partial recognition of slavery, miscon,
strued by designing and interested slavehOld
ers into a sanction OF the system, and ever
to pledge TO protect and encourage its ox
tension into territory not then even acquired
added TO the increased demand for slave labo
and slave produce, and the increase of slaves
has been the fruitful source of all our ma
tionAl troubles. This forced construction o
the Constitution has entered into our polii
cal canvass, and determined the selection o
candidates for the Executive chair. And i
has controlled the confirmation Of the ap
pointments for the Judiciary.
Since 1882, when the inbred constitutions
treason oil South Carolina was inaugurate
into tangible system, by John q. Calhoun
down to the present time, the Judiciary ha
been under the control of the South; an
since 1887, the South, with population {
less than one-fourth Of the free population {
the nation, has had a majority Of the Judge
of the National Court of deynier resort. An
the construction Of the constitution b
that Oo,ra bae r4niE,rnnlv fandpd IN gus