Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-02-22
Ube gree Nrea9
II Z u 4 ] y . ] U =
FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY %, lsG
MR.. CoELAME2 on THE MODE OF
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION.

On the 7th inst, Senator CollAmer took
the occasion Of the presentment o! a petition
to the United States Senate, to remark on
the proper course to be pursued IN proposing
amendments to the Constitution. We find
his remarks reported at length in the Con-
gresslonql Cube. They show the usual close
discrimination Of that able Senator fiom this
State, when discussing constitutional ques
tions. Mr.. Collamer said
have a memorial which desire 20 pre-
! sent. l present the memorial of j. Blake and
81 Others, inhabitants of Swanton, Vermont,
rraving fJr the adoption Of the measu re
commonly known as the Border-State Propo-
sitions. Ii is rarely, think, that | trouble
the Senate; but desire now to make some
remarks, for which beg indulgence for a
few moments, in relltion to this subject.
am not proposing u make remarks about
secession, or coercion, or slavery, or the merits
Of any of these topics at all but the petition
which have presented invokes the exercise
of the power Of Congress in relation to
amendments to the Constitution. 1t is upon
that topic that wish to speak for few
moments.
Mr.. President, am willing at all times,
j when the occasion properly calls Tor 1t, to
/ exercise the powers that we legtimately have
| by the Constitution but in my estimation,
/ no exigencies can ever justify us in resorting
| to any sort of devices and expedients which
the occasion may call for, that are not con-
! sistent with the fair construc'i1n Of the pro-
visions Of that instrument. Now, sir, what
! IS the true meaning, the fair import, Of the
! powers which are gwen in the Constitution
| to Congress in relation to its amendment
| When the Constitution was adopted, and
| those who made it were about to put in ex-
excise this great experiment, having created
| for the first time General Government with
| all its departments, and curtailed in large
| proportion the powers which the States had
! previously exercised, to correspond with it.,
| they said " Now, it may be that this Con-
stitution does not invest sufficient powers IN
the General Government for its smooth and
successful operation. Experience may show
that. What then shall be done in such q
contingency? 1t will be contingency in
which Congress will have ascertained by ex
pertinent precisely what further power they
need. We say, therefore, that when Con-
gress have thus ascertained that they need
any more delegated power, they shall have
authority to propose amendments 10 the
Constitution, which they shall send to the
States or to the people of the United States
| Gi YOU please) in their States, either in Con-
yenition or in their Legislatures, for their
adortion and il three fourths of them adopt
them, they shall become n portion OF the
! Constitution"
This was wanted for the use Of Congress.
| No occasion was required for calling any
| National Convention but tie occasion
would be one which experience would devel-
ope. and which Congress would feel the need
Of. and such was the arrangement to meet
that contingency Bat they further said
8. Perhaps upon experience and upon trial,
| il will turn out that we have transferred too
much power from the States to the General
| Government it may work hard Tor the
| States they may need to have amend menus
now. what provision shall we make, what
arrangement shall we prepare, tor snch
contingency Ii cannot be reasonably eA-
nected that Congress will, in such an event,
make anv propositions for amendment 60
s,rin themselves of power which has been al
ra,dv delegated to them. We therefore
must not look to Congress for reilef IN sucn
IN emergency at ALL" Hence 1t was that
rrov;si,n was made in the same article foi
snch an event, for such a contingency, by PFC,
r;d;ng that if two thirds of the States shall
Mass ssl2 resolutions requesting the call OF gen
eral Convention for the purpose OF proposlns
amendments to the Constitution, ConsreS'
shall call it. Cos,;
They said. if the States want the Cens.' (. .sa
luton amended, let them amend 1t as l. M wa
made, by a national convention let 'ns,, nsr
see each other all around let them compar