Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1861-01-25

sition Of constitutional laws and vlthdfnws
forever from contest between North and South
all territory which the latter desires to possess
constituting it State, with privilege be-
longing to all States, to adopt such domestic
institutions IS her own sense Of duty and IN
terest shall determine
If it IS objected that the population Of the
proposed State is too small to justify her ad-
mission Ito the Union at this time, we an
swer that it now contains larger white po-
pnlation than either o.; the States now in the
Union. and represented in both branches Of
Congress The present population Of New
Mexico, including Arizona, is estimated at
10000. 1t may also be objected that the
present resources Of the Territory are not
equal to the support cf State government.
Ii this objection has any foundation in fact,
il may easily be removed by liberal donations
such as Congress has lei stoto1e often made
4sto new States ON their coming into tue Union.
The Committee consider these and other
objections to the p an which might be sug-
gested, as too insignificant to weigh, for a
moment against the incalculable benefits to
all the States and all the people of all the
: States, which, it is hoped NAV flow from the
adoption of the measur proposed. Other
plans and modes OF adjustment have been
presented and considered by the Committee
All of them, however, involve the surrender
of opinions on questions of constitutional law,
long held bya large portion of the people
and too firmly grounded in their convictions
to Justify demand OF their Abandonment,
especially when the result desired by all can
be reached without such sacrifice.
From the beginning of our deliberations it
/ was apparent that the disposition of that por.
tion Of our territory lying South of the par
alleiof 36o 3W was the main subject of diff
1 fcalty The settlement of thatquestion was
however, complicated with a provision much
insisted ON for territory hereafter TO be ac-
! quired. This did not seem to the Committee
properly to belong to the subject The Com
mittec did not think proper TO extend their
consideration of the embarrasments arising
out of the occupation of territory now with
in our possession to territory which might or
might not hereafter be acquired.
/ 1t seemed to them improper, if not absurd
while our government wus threatened with
overthrow By an angry controversy touching
the dissolution of our present territorial pos
! sessions, to employ our time in arranging for
/ a partition amongst ourselves of the terrific
! rial dominions of neighboring nations, looking
to the future, which when it shall come, will
probably BRING with it circumstances and con-
] diticns which could not now be foreseen, and
! which, therefore, should be left to the judg
ments OF those whose duty it may become to
| consider and not upon them.
Thcsubject Of slavery in the District of
/ Columbia, and in those places in the slave
/ holding States wherethe Federal G Government
has exclusive jurisdiction, us well as theinter-
4 States slave trade have been disposed of bya.
resolution accompanying this report, and the
reason sc shat disposition briefly given IN
the resolution itself.
The rendition of fngitiYes from justice has,
at all times and especially lately, beena source
OF much irritation between the States, and
has recently connected itself. uuhapply, with
the subject of slavery. The provisions of the
Constitution have been differently construed
by the Governors of different States, leading
I to controversy untaYorable to the amicable
relations which shonld always subsist between
the States.
To remedy this mischief, the Committee
| have thought it expedient to transfer the duty
of acting upon acquisitions for such fugitives
from the Governor of the State to the Courts
dsof the United States, so as to secure Judi
cial construction of the Constitution. and also"
secure uniformity of action ON the subject,
and present bill for that purpose
The Committee have prepared several res
olutions which do not propose action on any
specific subject but which if adopted and ap
/ proved by vote OF the House, may serve to
announce principles which seemin some quar-
tiers to be questioned, while their adoption
may tend to correct errors and misrepresen-
\ tations that have obtaincd a too general be-
lief in the Southern section of the Union.
ghe intrinsic difficulties which belong to
the subject, must be the apology OF the Cons
mitteefor the time consumed IN coming to
the conclusion now submitted to the House.
If the result we have reached should fail to
accomplish the somuch desired end, the Com
Il mitfee still entertain confident belief that
y Congress will speedily adopt some measures
which will be aecepied by all as just and
fair basis upon which the fraternal relations
between all sections ofthe Union may be res
4 tored.
Its proper 70 state that the Committee
were not unanimous on all the propositions
reported but the majority of quorum was
obtained 10 them all 81 =
Following the report are the resolutions
aioptedb blythe Committees and the bills drawn
up to give effect to the proposed measures Of.
adjustment
MINORITY REPORT or TIE COMMITTEES or
TH1RTF-THREE.
WAsHfNaroS, Ja,i l5-4Ie ssrs Wash
barn, Of Wisconsin, and 1appan, Of New
Hampshire of tn Comuittee Of Thirty Iree,
have signed the fsIIowIng as Minority Re
port.
Resorletl, That the provisions OF the Cons
stitution are ample for the preservation Of the
Union and the pr lection o all The material
interests Of the country; that il needs to be
obeyed rather than amended and our extTac-
ton from our present difficulties is to be look
ed forinthe efforts topreserye and protect pubs
lie properly aud enforce the laws rather than
IN new GUARANTEES for particular interests, or
compromise or concessions to unreasonable
demands.