The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-01-09
MIR. DongIas' Plan or Adjustment

On Monday, December gath, Mr.. Doug
las introduced a joint resolution into the
Senate proposing amendments to the Con.
stitutiOa Of the United States, with view
of restoring peace and preserving the Union
His proposition was read first and second
time, and referred 10 the Committee Of Thir.
teen. 1t is as follows:
JoIkT RESOLUTION.
ResOlUed By Lhs Senats and House Of Rep.
TeSentGtives IN Congress assembled, (ttoo
thirds Of both Houses coacarrtn9), That the
| following articles be and, are hereby pro-
posed and submitted ss amsndne to the
Constitution Of the United States, which
! shall bs valid, TO allintents and purposes as
part Of said Constitution, when ratified by
Conventions of three fourths of the several
States.
ARTICLE XIII
| Congress shall make no laws'in respect
to slavery or servtude in any territory Of
| the United States; and the stutus OF each
territory in respect to servitude as the same
now exists by law, shall remain unchanged
until the territory, with such boundaries as
Congress may prescribe. shall have a popu-
Iation of f ty thousand white inhabitants,
when the white male citizens thereof over
the age of twenty.one years may proceed TO
form constitution sad government for
themselves, and exercise all the rights OF
sef.government consistent with the Consti-
tuition OF the United States; and when such
new State shall contain the requisite popu-
laton for member Of Congress, according
to the then Federal Ertio,of representation (,
it shall be admitted into the Union on an
equal footing with the originsl States With
or without slavery, IS the constitution OF
such new State shall provide at the time OF
admission; and in the mean time such new
State shsll be entitled to one delegats in
the Senate 10 be chosen by the legislature,
and one delegate in the House OF Repre-
reseDtatives, to be chosen by the people
having the qualifications requisite Tor cleo
tors of the most numerous branch OF the
Legislature; and said delegates shall have
all the rights ard privileges OF Senators and
Representatives,, respectively, except that of
voting.
Sec 2. No more ,earitory shall be ac-
CURED by the United States, except by treaty
or by the concurrent vote OF two thirds OF
eich House OF Congress, and when 30 &C.
quired the status thereof in respect to servi-
Lude, Rs it existed at the time OF the RCqui-
silion, ehall remain unchanged until it shall
contain the population aforesaid for the for
nation of new States, when 1t shall be
subject to the terms, conditions and pri7i-
leges herein provided Tor tbs existing Ter
ritorios.
Sec. 8. The area OF all new States shall
be nearly uniform in size as may be praCtic
able, having due regard for convenient
bound aries and natural caps cities; and shall
not bs less than sixty nor more than eighty
thousand square miles, except in caae o.
ieIands whoh nay contain less than that
amoHnt.
Sec. 4. The second and third clauses Of
the Constitution, which provides for deliver
ing Up 'u9itives from justice and tugiiVcs
from service or labor, shall hsve the same
force in the territories aud new Stetes as in
the Sta,es Of the Union; and the said clause
iu respect to fusitigas rom justice shall be
construed 10 include ell crimes committed
within and against tho laws OF the Stsss from
which the fugitive flsd, whether the acts
charged be criminal or not in the Stste
where the fugitive was found.
Sc. 5. The second section Of the third
arts!e Of the Constitution, 10 respect to the
judicial power Of the United 5tstes sh,I BE-
deemed applicable to ,hs Territories AMI
new States as well as 10 the Sta'ss OF the
Union.
ARTICLE XIV.
Sec. /. Tbs elective franchise and the
right to hold odics, whether Federal. State,
| Territorial, GA municipal, sh aII not be exer.
cised by persons OF the African race, in
whole or in part.
Sec. 2. The United States shsll have
power to acquire, from time to time, districts
of country in Africa and South America tor
the colonization at the expense OF the Fed
eral Treasury, of such free negroes and
muattoes es the several States may wish to
! have removed from their limits, and from
the District OF Columbia md such other
places as may be under the jurisdiction OF
Congress.
', Sec. 8. Congress shall have no power to
abolish slavery in the places under its exclu
sive jurisdiction and situate within the limits
of States that permit the holding OF slaves
! Sec. 4. Congress- shall have no power
to abolieh slavery within the District OF CO.
lumhia go long 40 it exists in the adjoining
States of Virginia and Maryland, or either,
nor without just compensation hrst made
such owners of slaves as do not consent to
such abolishment Nor shall Congress at
sny time prohibit officers OF the Federal
Government or members OF Congress, whose
duties require them to be in said District,
from bringing with them their slaves and
holding them as such during the time their
duties may require them to remain there.
and afterwards ticking them from the Dis.
trict.
Sec. &. Congress shall have no power
to prohibit or hinder the transportation Of
slaves from one State to another, or to a
Territory in which slaves are permitted by
law to be held, whether such transportation
shall be by land, navgable rivers, or by sea |;
but the African slava trade shall be forever
suppressed, and it shall be the duty of Con-
gress to make such laws as shall be neceS-
ssry and effsctual to prevent the migration
or importation of slaves or persons owing
service or labor, into the United States fro N
any foreign country, place, or jurisdiction
whatsoever.
Sec. 6. In addition TO the provisions Of
the third paragraph OF the second section Of
the fourth article of the Constitution, Con-
gress shall have power to provide by law,
and it shall be its duty 80 to provide, that
the United States shall pay to the owner
who shall supply for it the full value of his
fugitive slave in sll cases when the marshal,
or other officer, whose duty it was to arrest
said fugitive, was prevented from SO doing
by violence or intimidation, or when, after