Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-04-04

considered tantamOunt 10 the acua acquisition vi
territory sonth OF thrtysx deg. so min aud the per
pstual establishment of savefy therein; whereas the
veTy declaration that territory hereafter acquired souta
of that hac is 10 be slave territory would operate IN IL
scf as a perpetual nterdct upon any such acqnsiuSi'
Under the present arrangement OF the constitution,
whether terri ory Is to be acquired by treaty requiring
two thirds of the Senate, by majority of the two
Houses rregularly done in the case OF IexSs,-
the power of acquiring now rests with the Northern
States aud be believed, that they would ever oil
their free w acquire territory south oi thry-sN
deg thirty min when in virtue of precxising coUs-
stitu,iona compact the territory would be psO Jdeto
sltve territory, the moment It is acquired
Besides the unseemy spectacle, III tie eyes oil til"
world OF undertaking TO parcel out our neghbors ter
ritory among ourselves before have acquired it, 1t
appeared to many on in the Convention at Washing
ton that it would be far better for the interests OF the
South well for the paramount harmony aud eqlal
rights OF both sections, 20 frame new organic rule for tue
acuuito on OF territory and make il part OF the cons
tiuton by which the concurrg assent OF both sections
shuu be made necessary for such acquisition.
Under such rule all projects for the aggrandzement
of one section at the expense OF the other would be ar
rested and territory would be acquired only where
a clear national interest demanded It, IL, for example,
the Northern ates should wish hereafter to acquire the
Cinadas or other lucent British possessions, from
tves Of geographical prcpondeance, such rule would
pat il st orce in the power OF the South to prevent 1t
and vcs uerSd if the Southern States should, without
any sufficient national consideration desire TO extend our
territorial limits in the direction Of Mexico and Central
America the North would equally have it in its power,
by the same provision, TO arrest its accomplishment
While each section would thus be armed according to
the lust theory of wellbaanced Confederate Govern
ment with constitutional power Of defending ls dis
tiucliye interests against the ambitious irregular
croachmeuts Of the other the proposed rule would, IN
no case, prevent the acquisition Of territory, where
it was called for by considerations of national charac-
ter.
The door would be left open in every for de-
liberation for compromise for amicabe arrangement
If it should become the inter OF The Northern
States os well might be- in order % extend the market
for their manufactures aud the field jr the employment
of eir navigation, 10 enlarge tie national limits, by
honorable negotiation on the sde CT Mexico, the South
might saw will sent 20 it, unless you admit Us
TO fair parc patton Of the territory with cur peculiar
Institutions Or, if the Northern StGes should desire
territorial enlargement in their own vicinity, the South
gh. say, cannot agree 10 It, unless you allow US
core pondiug expansion, by fair and honorable means,
il quarter.
Such were toe considerations which led to the second
section in the plan of adjustment proposed by the Peace
Conference making it henceiorNard constitutional rule
that territory should % acquired only by concurrng ma
iortes OF the Senator's both OF the saveholdug and OF
the nou ayehOdug sections and that treaty for the
acquisition of territory hOui be valid unless TIE votes OF
a Jry of the Senators of each section should be Civ
ea as part of the two-thrds GRITTY Of the whole body
r,Qure for TIE ratification Of treaties. The practical
operation Of Ar. CriuoBden's amended proposition, in
declaring beforehand that all future acquired territory,
south OF thirt,x degrees thirty minutes should be slave
territory wcn be to array he Northern States IN solid
laux against auy such acquisition and thereby render
Impossible. The plan OF the Peace Conference, by
l.v1g the GetHaon OF territory in each particu-
lar case an open question, and by giving each section
check upoa the other would invite mutual concessions
aud equitable arrangemeuts and secure 70 the South
tar better chance of future expansion, if its interests
should require l.
This well timed conception formed originally part of
was vas clei the Kentucky Resolutions, submitted by
Mr i;hri.; bat the committee Of member for each
Sae whom all the various propositions were referred,
substituted IN place of il provision requiring four h'ths
OF all the members Of the Senate for the ratification OF
treatc, by which territory IS acquired Ny able and elo-
qlrnt coc cue whose cheering presence am happy 20
have the b. uet Of this evening (Juiee Summegs then
brought forward in improved and perfected .om the
p-opOsticu Originally submitted hy tie Kentucky dele
ion On 70 first trial of it IN the Convention, il wos
i.,t hy majority Of one two votes but, recon-
sdera ion being moved il aitergads carried by
msjority Of twelve 70 siy To bis tact iorehCught, and
good temper foN-czsus, You are Indebted for what
I cauUot but consider decided improvement upon the
amended prOp0s ion of my honOrcd friend, the dlstiu
gished Senator OF Kentucky and which, if it should
ever become part OF the Constitution uy TIE national
siuctiou viii be- in other respects most important ad-
di0n to the checks aud balances OF our iedcraye sys-
| ten.
proceed uow 20 the third section Of the proposition
OF the Peace Conference, which covers, by cOmprc'
heu-yc GCcariuOr, the ground With the second,
third, and fourth articles and part OF the siNIh article
Of Mr. C'iteulsls proposition. 1t relates to the long
di pacd questions Of the power Of Congress to abolish
or interfere with slavery in the District o. Columbia, or
in fors arseua and other places over which the United
States exercise 'uSye jurisdiction within the limits oil
the respective States aud h' power a'o 10 r'gulte con
troll aud restrain the transfer of slaves from Que slave
| holding State 10 another.
MS last power have heard earnestly contendcd for
on the floor OF the Senate Of the United States, ncu
ded in the power to oguac commerce among the States,
by even high authority on constitutional law as
| Mr. Web.ter when il became my duty to meet him in
mos unequal contest so far the strength OF u cham
pions was concerned hut With firm conviction that an
nyincibe ally truth, my side The same Opin-
on vaS generally entertained at period not long past,
by the public men of tic &orth and although it has
gradually given way to discussion, aud TO inina,
tou, OF opinion BY individual ridges from the bench Of
the Supreme Court the question mas never yet so far as
am informed been olmnly and ldciG'is settled by
shat august tribuua In Ike marier it is within the
rsooe0tOn ~ all of Us tat a power to abolish OF pro-
bbit slavery in the sric; OF Columbia, aud by parity
Of reason within the forts and arsena over which the
United States exercise exclusive jurisdiction has been al
NEST universally asserted in the nonsavehoding States
and petitions fer tue exercise Of that power vese for
long time OF the most offensive ana dangerous forms
| OF anti-sllveTy agitation.
The adjustment recommended by the Peace Confer.
ence proposes to cut oil, and forever, all these
of agitation and controversy, by an article to be
incorporated into the fundamental compact OF the States,
declaring in Xpcit tems that neither the Constitution,
nor any amendment thereof shall hereafter be
strued give Congress any of the powers referred TO-
Looking forward at the s9p Ae, X tne possible eon-
tiugeEeY thel The nsnsaFelQdilg Stas may, at some
rsu,o,s period form so large majority OF tho Bates of
the Union 10 enable them, by the requisite three
iouths to carry amendment Of the Constitution az
fectiug the institution of slavery in the Southern States
the proposition of the Peace Conference 'urhe- rr.
vdes ny its sixth section, ken il SvGuectob vita the
ore W, sF0 nov considering. thai no such amendment
shall eSer be made without the unanimous consent of all
che States. No more absolute security tksn tls car
possibly be siien sgalnas Nv ,ntereyehee with the do
uieste institutions OF lhe South.
In providing these various guarantees, tho pfepas,
ton o. the Feace Conference while keeping steadily in
EieN the ssie objects the proposition Of Mr. Crtten
den, does not always employ the same language. The
reasons OF this difference OF ehaseoOgy have been, al
ready, trust, sufficiently justified and explained. That
the language employed Is appropriate and elective 10.
IFS purposes, authorized to concrde from the
ac which will be attested ~ the Ournal of the Cot
terence that h comprehensive and important secticc
~e nave iust been reviewing received lie gnapimous
votes of all the slsyehodins aieS represented IN the
Conference; svi vita sNt asinse individual Dissent OF
4ny T,eHber OF their aeiegat8Gl recorded
e9me nov - comparison Of the proposition ~ inc
Peace Conference with that Of Mr. Srenden which calls
for few words OF explanation and development Mr..
O,Nendens proposition established the principle taa!
"h'r" e officer OF the law Is rr2ySaea ~ violence 'u
the Naturalization o. eIecuting the act for the
rend,on OF fngisesaves the United S;ates sheud pay
to the owner the fg value Of his slave ana made it the
duty of Congress provide for such payment The same
principle and obligation are established in almost the
same words and under the sanctions Of solemn consu
tunonal amendment by the nrogo.itisn OF tue Peace
Conference lt Ne Grttendeus proposition, after the