Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-03-08
O III Uindifator.
@rAuNToN. VA.
FRIDAY. MARCH 8, 1861.
8. M. YOsT, Editor ana Proprietor
geport Of the Peace Congress.

Report Of the Peace Congress.
The following was passed by the Peace
Congress Wednesday, as a series of amend
ments to the Guthrie proposition. The first
and second sections are, with soine slight
though important changes, the resolutions
offered respectively By Mr.. Franklin. Of
Pennsylvania, and Mr.. Summers. Of Tir-
ginia:
Sec. /. In all tie present territory Of
the United States, north of the parallel Of
thirty six degrees thirty mintites Of North
latitude, involunta' seryitude, except in
punishment of crime, is prohibited In all
the present territory south Of that line the
status of persons held to service or labor. as
it now exists, shall not be changed. For
shall any law be passed by Congress- or the
Territorial Legislature to hinder or prevent
the taking of such persons from any of the
States of this Union to said Territory, nor
to impair the rights arising from said rela-
ton. But the same shall be subject to iu-
dicial cognizance in the Federal Courts ac-
cording to the course Of common law. When
any territory, north or south of said line,
with such boundary as Congress may pre-
scribe, shall contain population equal to
that required for member of Congress, it
shall, if its form Of government be republican,
be admitted into the Union on an equal foot
ing with the original States, with or with
out involuntary servitude, as the constitu-
ton Of such State may provide.
SEC. 2. No territory shall be acquired by
the United States. except by discovery and
for naval and commercial stations, depots,
and transit routes, without tho concurrence
Of majority of all the Senators from the
States which allow involuntary servitude.
aud majority Of all the Senators from
States which prohibit that relation; nor shall
territory be acquired by treaty, unless the
votes Of majority of the Senators from each
class of States hereinbofore mentioned be
cast as part Of the two-third majority nee
essary to the ratification of such treaty.
SEC 8 Neither the Constitution, nor
any amendment thereto. shall be construed
to give Congress power to regulate, abolish
or control, within any State or Territory Of
the United States, the relation established
or recognized by the lavs thereof touching
persons to labor or involuntary servitude in
the District of Columbia without the con-
sent Of Maryland, and without the consent
of the owners, or making the owners who
do not consent just compensation; nor the
power to interfere with or prohibit represen-
tatives and others from bringing with them
to the city of Washington, retaining and
taking away, persons so bound to labor or
service; nor the power to interfere with or
abolish Involuntary service in places under
the exclusive Jurisdiction of the United
States within those States and Territories
where the same is established Or recognised;
nor the power to prohibit the removal Or
transportation of perrons held to labor or
involuntary service in any State or Terri
tory of the United States to any other State
or Territory thereof where it is established
or recognised by law or usage; and the right
during transportation by sea or river, of
touching at ports, shores aud landings, and
of landing in case Of distress, but not for
sale or traffic, shall exist; nor shall Con-
gress have power to authorize any higher
rate of taxation on persons held to labor or
service than on land The bringing into
the District Of Columbia Of persons held to
labor or service for sale, or placing them in
depots to be afterwards transferred to other
places for sale as merchandise is prohibited,
and the right Of transit through any State
or Territory against it's dissent, is prohib
ited
SEC. 4 The third paragraph of the Sec
ond section of the fourth article of the Con-
stitution shall net be construed to prevent
any of the States, by appropriate Legislation
and through the action Of their judicial and
ministerial officers, from enforcing the de-
livery of tugitives FROM labor to Che person
to whom such service or labor is due.
SEC. S. The foreign slave trade is here
by forever prohibited, and it shall be the
duty OF Congress to pass laws to prevent the
Importation of slaves, coolies, or persons
held to service or labor, into the United
States and the Territories from places be-
yond the limits thereofs
SEC. 6. The first, third and fifth sections,
together with this section six of these a.
mendments, and Che third paragraph of the
second section of the first article Of the Con-
stitution, and the third paragraph of the
second section Of the fourth article thereof, |
shall not be amended or abolished without
the consent Of all the States.
SEC. T.. Congress shall provide by law
that the United States shall pay to the ow-
ner the full value of his fugitive from labor
in all cases where the Marshal Or other Of
fcer whose duty It was to arrest such fugi~
tives, vas prevented from SO doing by vio-
lenee or intimidation from n1ob5 or riotods
assemblages, OF when. after arrest, such fn-
gitive was rescued b5 like violence or imtifn-
idation, and the owner thereby prevented
and INSTRUCTED in the pursuit Of his remedy
for the recovery Of such fugitive. Congress
shall provide by law for securing to the cit
liens of each State the privileges and i'm
munites of the several States
The seventh section was so amended that
when the fugitive negro was paid for he was
to be free.
The report was then taken up and voted
on by sections. The first and second Sec
tons were adopted after scene of thrilling
effect. The States Of Illinois, Virginia and
North Carolina voted against the first Sec
ton: whereupon Mr.. Granger, of New York,
made severe speech, said to be powerful.
Illinois stood up and changed her vote, and
was followed by North Carolirs and Fir- !