Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-05-15
Remarks OF Mr.. Plants in the House Of Repre-
sentatives, May 13, 1861.
ON THE sEwARD-CoRwIN AMENDMENTS TO THE CON-
sTITUToN OF THE UNITED STATES.
(oFFIcIAL REpoRr.T

| Mr.. PLANTS said, he desired very briefly to
state his reasons for opposing the adoption
OF the proposition for amending the Constitution
now before the House. He said he had heard
of no reason for the adoption of the proposed
amendment, other than the presumed effect its
adoption will have in winning back to their alle-
glance the seeded States, and to prevent the
secession Of others. But he did not believe its
adoption would have any such effect. Whatev-
or else may he true, 1t is not true that the lead
ing spirits in the secession movement are fools.
But unless they are hopelessly demented, such
an amendment, adopted with the pretended OBJ
ect in view can have no such effect. They know,
as all the world knows, that the Republicans
without exception hold, and have ever held slave
ry to be purely local institution, limited to the
States which maintain it,and over which Congress
has no control whatever. And in this unanimous
opinion Of the Republicans he believed the masses
OF all other parties now concurred. If, then, with
this knowledge, the slave States have determined
to break up the Union and destroy the Government
established by the Constitution as IL s, does any
sane man pretend to believe that the adoption
of this amendment will bring back the revolted
States to their allegiance or prevent others from
joining them2
There is no evidence that single savel State
desires the adoption of this amendment, or that
it's adoption will have the slightest effect upon
the conduct of those dissatisfied with the Con-
sttution as it is. The proposed amendment
does no, meet the demands of the disunionists,
and no others have any objection to the Con-
stitution as our fathers bequeathed IL to us.
Nothing less than q radical change in the
structure and workings of the Constitution,
so as to give the control of the Government to
minority representing sectional class inter-
est, or dissolution OF the Union, will satisfy
1 3 lkoa a. Inaa IA
er. IL, in fact, does not make any practical
change at all, for nobody proposes to do what
the amendment purports TO prohibit. The SO.
cessionists are not so stupid as not TO see this.
Its adoption,t therefore, being unasked by them
being, 80 far as they are concerned, delusion or
sham, will have tendency rather to irritate
than to satisfy them. It can do no good, there.
fore, and will only tend to complicate our diff
culites, and widen the breach which it Ia pro-
fessedly intended to close up.
But, Mr.. P. said, there was another reason
which was conclusive with him, against the
t adoption of the proposition. ~
The General Assembly of the State Of Ohio
in generous response to her sister States o
Kentucky and Illinois, has adopted joint reso
luton, asking Congress-, in pursuance of the 5tl
Article of the Constitution of the United States
to call a general Convention Of all the States,
for the purpose Of doing whatever the exigen-
cies of the whole country and the sovereign will
of the people may require to be done. And hi
would not embarrass the action OF the Convention
representing, as it will, the sovereignty Of tht
people, by the adoption Of this impertinent lan(
uncalled Tor proposition. Can you not trust th,
people7 Are we, who were not elected for any
such purpose, and without the consent, ant
scarcely with the knowledge Of the peoples II
forestall the action of the people, themselves b.
passing an amendment to the Constitution whcl
in terms proposes to bind their sovereign will
forever, and prevent the people even by unani
nous vote, from undong our hasty work. Thi
may do in South Carolina but the sons of the fire.,
West are hardly yet prepared to bow their neck
TO the yoke!
Neither can the President or Congress
recognize the dissolution of the Union or th,
government formed by the secessionists- :
A state of things, therefore, exists un
known to the Constitution, and not contem
plated by its trainers. No department Of th,
Government can act outside Of the authority o
that instrument. Their plain sworn duty is Il
enforce the Constitution, and not to change OF
violate it. Large masses Of the people, includ
ing many whole States, have placed themselves
in oren rebellion to the Constitution. Shoult
the President attempt to enforce the laws ant
maintain the Constitution, not only those in th,
South, but members upon this floor, tell us tha
civil war will be instantly inaugurated. Are W,
prepared for war7 What good could possibly
result from III Admit that treason should b.
punished. But iftreason becomes SO strong as Il
become successful revolution, how will yor
punish the traitors
This amendment will either give to slavery @
sanction which the Constitution, as our fathers
made 1t, never gave, or it will not. II it does
its passage will be qualification Of sentiment
of the people of the State, and il 1t does not
then the transparent eham Is an insult to the
South. 10 any event the passage Of the resolu-
ton, under present circumstances, is i'll timed
uncalled for, improper.