Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-04-10

submitting this Peace Conference (" propo-
sition to the consideration of the Frankfort
Conference if it should be found acceptable
to the Convention as plan of settlement.
am very sure that this adjustment would
prove entirely satisfactory to an immense
msjority of the people of Virginia. Ii we
are satisfied with il as settlement, let it be
submitted to the Frankfort Conference as sat-
isfactory to US. 1t is eminently proper that
it should be propouuded for consideration
there. In the Conference at Washington, this
plan was accepted by four of the slave States
represented; Tennessee, Kentucky, Mary land
and Delaware. The vote of Virginia, as is
now ascertained, would have been given for
it as a whole, had it been practicable, under
the parliamentary rule, to have taken a vote
on it as an entire proposition. Missouri did
not vote. North Carolina was divided three
to two, the majority being against it. Now.
under these circumstances, let it be recon-
sidered in Conference of slave States. Let
us send it as il is, without additional sections
or the addition of new topics. Disturb it as
little as possible. 1t is plan of infinite
value. 1t has the value of having been adop-
ted in Conference of twenty-one States.
/ do not object to the mere change of words
not changing the sense, or to make the sense
more explicit. l think it would be expedi-
ent to omit the addition to the last section.
1 do not believe it would be less acceptable
to the North, while it would be more accept
able to the South, freed from that paragraph.
These alterations, with every other feature of
the adjustment, would, of course. be the sub
ject of free consultation at Frankfort. The
scheme OF guarantees which shall finally be
proposed by that Conference, / have no doubt
will be such as all patriotic men, North and
South, will concur in, and such as will find
its way into the Constitution in the form of
amendments.
Now, sir. having, l am very conscious, in
an unsatisfactory manner, examined the va
rious sections of which this report is COM
posed, let me inquire what has been obtained?
Take that report of your Commissioners as
it is, and can it be denied that a very great
advance has been made in securing the guar
antees that were desired in regard to our
rights under the Constitution? The terrific
rial question has been settled and adjusted by
the first section. The territories are divided
between North and South, and equality of
right secured and perpetuated. do not in
tend to add to the remarks submitted yester-
day upon that section, further than to supply
a mere omission, which, at that time, did not
occur to my mind, and it is this to remind
the Convention that the territory of Arizo-
MIA, by an act of Congress has been attached
to and made part and parcel of the terri
tory of New Mexico. So that when we speak
of New Mexico, or the New Mexican law
when we examine this first section, which de-
clares and fixes the condition of persons held
to service on the south side of the line of Sc
Cove must remember, in that connection,
that all the territory that we now own south
of that line is comprehended and united un-
der one territorial government, and EN-
braced in the same code as far as regards
slavery.
l will not recapituiate the advantages pos
sessed and the guarantees presented by this
adjustment. They are present to the memory
and comprehension OF all. The denial of
powers to the general government, contained
in the third section, are OF the highest import
and consequence to the States. The equality
of power, in the acquisition of territory, the
concession of perfect equality of power to
the unequal and weaker sections, is, in my
opinion, of itself worth infinitely more than
all the effort which has been made, and should
be secured by the most diligent endeavor,
and with any reasonable delay in time which
may be necessary to procure it.
Then there are the provisions directed to
the reclamation of the fugitive slaves, and
compensation Tor those unreclaimed and
finally, the irrepealability of those guaran-
tees, and of certain provisions to the Con-
stitution of vital Importance to the Southern
States.
These measures, taken together, meet fully
every cause of apprehension which has here
tofore disturbed US, and close every avenue
of trouble and annoyance which can be
reached by constitutional amendments. l do
not hesitate to say that they are miles in ad-
vance of any line proposed by any party in
Virginia, six months ago. Sir, these amend
ments will remove every difficulty by which
we are surrounded. They are guarantees
upon which the country may repose, and with
entire security.