The Placer herald., 1861-02-16
Letter from ]. G. Breckinridge to Govern
or MagofRn of Kentucky.
WASHINGTON, January 6, II

ture.
Within few weeks l have received many let
ters, C iety from Kentucky, asking my opinion
as to the prospect OF fair adjustment of our po-
| litlcal troubles which have not answered for
reasons satisfactory TO my own mind. among
which has been a lingering hope that some uc-
| ceptable plan of settlement might be proposed
by Congress, securing the rights and honor of all
| do not feel at liberty longer TO remain silent
and without intending to burien you with an
extended letter, will offer few thoughts upon
the condition of public affairs.
| am convinced that no thorough and satisf,c-
| tory plan will be proposed to the States ny Con-
gress. All efforts for this purpsse have disc loscd
differences too radical to admit OF agreement.
At an early day in the session, on ibe motion of
IA Senator from Kentucky (Mr. Powell, IL Com
mittce of thirteen Senators were appointed to
consider the state OF the country. and report
remedy. 1t was composed o.. representative men
from different parts of h" Union. After long
conferences. for many days the Chairman report
ed to the Senate that they bad been wholly una-
bile to agree, aud reference to The journal of the
Committee will reveal hc radical differences be-
tween the Republicans and others.
Propositions. conceived in spirit of patr otic
| concession. were offered by Senator Crltcndcn.
| re er to them because lbev concede much to the
spirit Of concillatioo They embrace the fol-
! lowing amendments to The Constitution:
| That Congress shall have no power to abolish
slavery in the forts. dock yards. aud Other places
| under It's jurisdiction in the Southern States.
Nor TO prevent the transportation of slaves
from sa, eholding State TO another. nor to
any Territory whore slavery may exist. whether
| the transportation be coasiwisc or inland
Nor TO abolish slavery in the District OF Col
umbia. white il exists in Maryland or Virginia
nor without the consent of The Inhabitants and
compensation to he owners.
And in regard to the Territories:
| That in all the territory now held or hereafter
to be acquired north Of latitude 36 deg. 80 min.
slavery or involuntary scrvitudc except as pun
ishment for crime, shall be prohibited, while in
all territory now held or hereafter to be acquired
south of said line. slavery of the African race
shall be recognized and protected: in both cases
the problion on one side OF the line and the
protection on the other, covering the period Of
| Territorial existence.
These provisions. the resolutions propose. shall
| be made u part of the Constitution, and together
with the features now in the Constitution relative
| TO the representation Of thrccHhs OF the slaves
and the return Of fugitive slaves shall not be sub
| ject TO llturc alteration AS subsequently modi-
! lied they contain, among other things, Il very
proper declaration that citizenship and suffrage
SHALL not be conferred on persons in whole or in
part OF African descent.
A glance ut these resolutions will show The
immense concession they offer for security and
peace. Leaving out of view for Il moment the
Territorial question, the other proposed amend
| ulcHtS uIc Dut vi lUc pIcStHt COHStl-
tuition. Congress has no power now TO abolish
slavery in the places within its jurisdiction in
the Southern States, nor to prevent the taanspor-
| tation of slaves from slave Oldiug State or
Territory to another. Nor are persons OF African
descent citizens of the United States. and the ba-
sis of Federal representation and the return of
fugitive slaves stipulated for in express terms
| in the present instrument. Ii it be said that
Congress may constiiuonally abolish slavery in
this District, will not pause to argue the qucs-
ton, but only enter protest against the assump-
| tiOn
| If agreed to they should be unamen liable parts
| Of the Constitution. since the North would sooh
have a sufficient number Of States to change the
| instrument in the manner prescribed by itself
1t must be confessed that it offers but II faint
| hope of security and goo faith when powers not
granted to Congress by the Constitution must
again be expressly denied and the provisions
| made unaltcruble. {, guard against apprehcnsions
of sectional and growing majority.
Upon these points then; as | suppose, there is
concession neither upon the one side nor the 9th
er. The free States are only asked to agree that
they will never use their growing power TO de-
prive the South Of existing rights. which are es-
sential to its safety.
| come, now, to the vast concession to the
North The Southern States assert with great
unanimity, the right of all the citizens of all
the States to enter the common Territories with
their property, of whatever kind, including slaves,
and to have it protected by the common Govern
ment The right is sustained by " highly re-
spectacle class of opinion in the Northern States
and has been affirmed by The highest judicial tri
bunal known to the Constitution. 1t does not
fall within the scope OF this letter to argue the
question. treat it as settled right, upon
which the argument has been exhausted.
| Mr.. Crittenden's Territorial amendment Offers,
| so far as the Southern States and their slave
property arc concerned. to yield this light in
| three-fourths of The existing territory to save it
in the remaining fourth. The citizens OF the
Northern States and thcr property are to he pro-
ected in oW the terriory--tbe citizens OF the
Southern States with their property in 0Ae.fourM
Of I.
| Prohibition of slave property north of 80 deg.
| 80 min.-recOgnition and protection OF it south
of that line and the rule to apply to all terri-
tory hereafter acquircd-this is the principle of
the proposed amendment. And the lust named
| feature is vital. If the Territorial question be
settled at ALL il should be settled for all time and
| locked up in the Constitution. Otherwise, there
can be no hope of exemption from incessant anti
| slavery agitation, and the country would be
thrown again into the midst OF political and imam
cial commissions. The Southern States cannot
afford to be shut off from all possibility OF cXpan-
| sion towards the topics o. the hostile action OF
| the Federal Government
| am sure that this plan OF adjustment has
been offered. not the full measure Of our rights
but as patriotic concession. with the hope o OBJ
tanning promptly security and peace In view Of
| the knowledge we have OF the progress OF pc
ltical anti-savery opinion, and OF the manner in
| which the Federal Government may be employed
| by hostile influences, it falls far short OF what
would be required in forming an original scheme
Of Government, or even in recOnsrncling the old
one After the experience we have had OF the
practical working of the system find it difficult
to cherish u we'll: :oundcd hope of permanent
security except by the introduction Of some elc-
ment which would give the South the power of
selfprotection
cannot suppose that Kentucky would consider
her rights, interests, and honor safe under any
settlement less thorough than this proposed by
Mr. Crittoudon Apv nttemut to emaSculate it