Glasgow weekly times., 1861-02-28
The Guthrie versus the Critten1en Res.
,ss -s.a. clutions. -r5

Tho Guthrie basis Of Compromise, which
ha. been agreed on by The Peace Confer
! enee st Washington differs in some i'm
portant particulars from The Criltsnden res
olution.. The distinctive features of the
Guthrie propositions are these: ...
That slavery shall be prohibited In oil
Territories North Of 36 deg, 80 min,, and
that South Of that line i. shall be recognized
as existing, and that the United States
Courts and all the departments Of the Ter
ritorial Government shall protect it, &C.
ccrding to the laws Of the State from which
the slave shall have been brought-ths Ter
riiory to be finally admitted into the Union
as State, with or without Slavery, al
its Constitution may prescribe. 1t was al
so proposed that no Territory shall hereaf-
ter be acquired BY the United States with
out the concurrence Of q majority Of the
Senators on both sides Of Mason and Dix
on's line. This it is understood, is modi-
fed SO as to require three fourths Of the
Senate, irrespective Of sections.
This scheme has The advantage Of the Crit
ienden plan in two important points. First,
II does NOT involve the necessity Of framing
Territorial Slave Code but simply trans.
fers the local laws of the States, for GER
tain purposes. 70 the Territory. Congress
is cleared from all responsibility in the
matter. 1t is 10 have no positive pow er
in connection with il on the one side or the
other. and thus the whole subject out Of
congressional Jurisdiction, an end is pu, to
congressional agitation. The Cri,tenden
proposition does not secure this. It sim
ply provides that slavery shall be protect
ed South Of the Missouri Compromise line,
but leaves the means and modes undeter-
mined True, 1t ostensibly prescribes that
Congress shall not interfere with slavery,
and devolyes the protection of the proper
ty upon Gall department Of the Territorial
Government" But those departments are
necessarily subject to congressional cogni-
zance, and so long as the means and modes
of extending the protection are left un-
provided for, Congress would inevitably
hold controversy upon the matter, and
decide upon il indirectly If. not d;rectly.-
Mr.. Guthrie's measure obviates this by
specifying explicitly what il 10 be the
basis and the character Of the protee.
tion 10 be enjoyed, viz: the same protection
that is afforded in the States from which
the slaves are brought. This leaves nc
chance for congressional dispute. sf~,a.
Again, this Guthrie plan does, not like
the CrittendeD, stimulate the acquisition
Of a new lerritery for the behoOf of the pc.
euiar institution. The later project, guar
anteeing projection TO slavery, not only in
the present domain of the United Slate.
south Of the Missouri Compromise line, bIi
in all such territory TO be hereafter acquired
presents direct incentive 10 lihbusteriDg
It's whole effect would be 10 ihsuperuad one
enormous evil to another. The mere ex.
tension Of slavery, under any circumstances
would be odious to the North; bat doubly
$50 when effected by robbery and spoliation,
Mr.. Guthrie did well to guard against thi,
latter svll In the N nnner be has. or course
i, may be taken for granted 5ihat three
Ifourths Of the Senate will not sanction ony
dishonest acquisition Of neg territory
The proposed amendment would forever
put and end TO the business of fiIibusterine
by the slavery propagandist. Herein it'
effect would be precisely the reverse o
that of the Crittsnden plan, and, sefar
cannot be too strongly commended. -