The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-03-06
The Peace Coference

The Peace conference lot eacn anu al
of the propositions which were finally
adopted by. that body. They thus
fairly represented says the Phila. Press
the general sentiment of the masses of
the people Of all parties in favor of
peaceably adjusting all existing diff
culties, restoring peace and harmony,
and preserving the Union. Ultra
men Of the North and t. South may
object to some Of the provisions adopt
ed, but there is no good reason why
they should not be considered accept
able to every portion of the country
and offensive to none, by all who are
not so much blinded by sectional ami
mosities az to secretly desire com
plete disruption of the Confederacy or
an unremitting warfare against the in
stitution Of slavery. Some practical
difficulties yet interfere to prevent the
direct action of the of the people upon
the resolutions of the Peace Confer
ence, but it is to be hoped they will
be surmounted. The Constitution
contains the following provision in
reference to the modes in which it can
be amended
Congress, whenever twothirds of
both branches shall deem it necessary,
shall propose amendments TO this Con-
stitution; or, on the application of the
Legislatures of two-thirds Of the sew
eral States shall call a Convention for
proposing amendments, which in eth
er case, shall be valid to all intents
and purposes, as part of this Consti-
tuition, when ratified by the Legisla-
lures of three fourths of several States,
or by Conventions IN hreefourths
thereof, as the one or the other mode
Of ratification may be proposed by
Congress-
In transmitting a statement of its
action to the House and Senate, the
Peace Conference, by an accompanying
memorial, requested that it should he
submitted "to conventions an the
States, as article thirteen of amend
ments to the Constitution of the
United States" To carry out this
plan, it is necessary that two-thirds of
each branch of Congress should endorse
or agree to submit to the people the
propositions of the Peace Commits
sioners, AMI direct that Conventions
held in the several States should de-
eide for or against them If this is
done, the citizens ST the whole coun'
try will have ca 'gs.ccer5unity of express
sing their opiE:isl7 y the polls, when
they elect deleg5,@s, y the State Con-
yentions thus srtt'->--.Ged.
The Peace Ct1Svroaoe was com
posed of men Of eucA high standing,
and they were sef1srI;ed together uu-
der such pecuHsr e.Fes Instances, that
their deliberations have commanded
much attention, and will possess as
much moral weight, although net the
same legal force, as those of regular
Convention called to modify the Con-
stitution in the way designated in the
extract we have quoted. They have
provided for the complete protection
Of all the rights of the South without
unnecessarily offending the predjudices,
or in any way doing injustice to the
citizens Of the North md they have
eyinced great judgement and wisdom
in arranging basis of adjustment
which all fair minded and conservative
men can cordially support.
AS one people, the inhabitants of
all the States have passed through
many common trials and dangers, and
attained for the nation degree of
prosperity unparalleled in the history
of government. 1t is the widest fol-
iy to destroy all the happiness of the
present andall the hopes Of the future
on account of differences of opinion
upon minor and comparatively trivial
subjects. We are all conscious that as
our Great Republic sails proudly on
ward the slavery question rises up
ike rock before us. IF the ship of
State issteered carefully and prudently
we can glide safely by it. IF madness
and folly rule the hour we will dash
recklessly against it, shivering our po-
litical system into Thousand fragments
and endangering the welfare and the
very existence of more than thirty
millions Of people. Such course may
suit fanatical reformers, who would
urge the adoption of impracticable
theories at every hazard-who would
not hesitate to tear down the whole
fabric of our Government, if they
thought that it's falling ruins would
crush the institution they so bitterly
hatel; but the instinct Of self preserva-
zion alone, not to speak of higher and
nobler impulses, will prompt the great
mass of our citizens to evince now the
same patriotic and national spirit-the
same anxiety to preserve the Union
nubroken-which rendered our exper-
imeat of self-government so wonder