The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-02-14

controversy which now divides the
States of this Union," we are not with
out the hope that it may soon meet a
satisfactory Adjustment by speedy
return Of the dissatisfied States to their
full and proper allegiance to the Con
stitution and the Government, and the
submission of their grievances to the
arbitration of the Congress of the
United States-the only proper and le-
gally constituted tribunal to settle such
differences. =.
Yonr committee are not insensible to
the feeling of devotion to the Union
which has prompted this appeal, yet
they lament that the language in which
it is couehed is such as to lead to grave
doubts of the propriety of acceding to
the requests which it contains, and that
it is accompanied with proposed basis
of adjustment which is entirely at vari-
ance with all our ideas of public policy,
the maintenance of self-respect as CO.
equal members of great confederacy,
and the enduring principles of Justice,
Liberty and Humanity.
Theinvitation is extended to all slave
holding and on-slaveholding States
"who are willing to unite with. Virginia
in an earnest effort to adjust the pres
ent unhappy controversies in the spirit
in which the Constitution was framed,
and consistently with its principles so
as to afford the people Of the slacehold-
ing States, adequate guarantees for
the security Of their rights" As an
indication of what those guarantees
are taken and supposed by them to be,
the resolutions referred to us undertake
to reoite what they = the General
Assembly of the State of Virginia
would consider fair and proper basis
of such settlement, as follows: "
"Resoived, That in the opinion OF
the General Assembly of Virginia, the
propositions embraced in the resolu-
tions presented to the Senate of the
United States by the Hon. John j.
Crittenden, so modified as that the first
article proposed as an amendment to
the Constitution of the United States
shall apply to all the territory of the
United States now held or hereafter
acquired south of latitude thirty-six
degrees and thirty minutes, and pro-
vide that slavery of the African race
shall be cffectually protected as prop
erty therein during the continuance of
the territorial government, and the
fourth article shall secure to the owners
of slaves the right of transit with their
slaves between and through non-slave-
holding territories, constitute the basis
of such an adjustment Of the unhappy
} controversy which now divides the
States of this Confederacy, as would
be accepted by the people Of this Com
monwealth."
So far from being conciliatory, this
resolution precludes all possibility OF
adjustment. Itnot only makes slave
code for present territories south Of
$3.50 an ultimatum, but demands that
all the domain hereafter acquired shall
also be dedicated to slavery. No ter
ritory south of $3.50 shall ever be ad-
mitted into the Union as free soil. No
matter what the choice of the people
may be who inhabits those regions no
matter what the climate or productions
may be; no matter what the character
of the people or the capabilities of the
country, from the moment it is recog.
nized as territory of the United States
slavery is legalized, protected and es-
tablished throughout its length and
breadth. The resolution demands that
slavery shall be forced upon an unwill
ing people, forced on them in defiance
of their wishes and protests and powers
of resistance!
Without stopping to analyze further
this proposed basis in all its bearings
your committee unhesitatingly express
their belief that the people of this State
I should not and would not consent tt
Y any compromise with the slave States
e which allowed or favored the extension
! of African slavery into any of the com
/ mon territories of the nation, to say
nothing of granting the further com
D promises and demands therein con
i tanned, which would practically annu
e and render void one of the most cher
o ished and sacred provisions of ou
}, State Constitution--that providing tha
y slavery shall neUer exist in this State
i except in punishment of crime.
d Your committee have also me
r another, to them, serious objection
J. The assembly of Commissioners j
e called at place and time when an
# where undue excitement exists, an,
l. where the danger that men may b
y swayed by passion and prejudice, rath
7, er than by reason, patriotism and jude
D. ment, is most imminent. The time fo
o convening the convention is by far to
l. summary and hurried to allow tha
careful and cautious deliberation th
a magnitude of the interests which is t
S. assume to dispose and decide, impers
% lively require. Sixteen days from tn
passage of the resolutions, to the a
rs sembling of the Commissioners,
al much too brief period of time I
a, transmit the resolutions to distar
b., States, allow them to be presented |
n, the various legislatures, to allow ii
legislature to calmly and judiciousl
as mark out course of action and sett
pe upon enlightened and patriotic citizel
is TO represent and enforce their view
IN and after all this to allow the Commi
rs sioners to reach the place of assemblir
A. = " -