New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-28
DID our LAST CONGRESS- FAIL 80
EyISCE A AGONCIIIAT0RY sPFRHTs

n
Tie Albany EUsning Journal, in Some recent
structures ostensibly the course of this Journal
but in fact reaching far beyond us and impeach'
ing the conduct of the Republican members Of
.the last Congress, and Of Republicans almost
universally asserts that nothing was done by
that Congress designed or calculated to strength.
en- the Union party Of the Border States in tteir
struggle with the SecessioUists. These are the
precise words Of its manifesto Of the 10th inst :
"Tinay Congress adjourned h1Drg done noag sad moth
Eg sreHgu.eA eaeoayag; ne mon nsn Of S brJeT
Scies TheD tie rugse Within those states tIsns
and Tenues,ee followed 1eo great and powerful States
lost to the Union bee%lse ihe EeGocsn M ress oid %
discharged their r,t and Gae. duty IN 'snan by and
'Chicago Platform"
Here is a grave and damaging charge pre-.
ferred against "ihe Republican Press and
" Republican Representatives, by a prominent
journal. 1t is calculated to cripple their inGu-
epce and their energies evermore. is Il tyVe
We propose TO bring il TO the test of history:
|. After the Secession OF the. Cotton States,
and the consequent withdrawal Of their Members
from Congress, the Republicans had for the first
time clear ascendency in either Hogse. They
were of course at liberty to shape and pass bills
as they saw fit. Among their most important
acts were those organizing the three new Terri
tories Of Dakota Con the tppor Missouri},
Colorado (Rocky MOuntans), and Nevada (east
Of California, and including the Carson, Walker,
and Humboldt River ysllegs.) These new Ter
ritories covered about haf the present territorial
possessions Of the United States. There were
strong indictments TO incorporate on AnH-slsvery
proyiso or restriction IN each Of thcee bills'' as
the XXXth Congress did in thet organizing the
Territory of Oregon. Ii it be urged tbot there
was no serious danger of Slavcrs being estsb-
Ilsbed in these Territories, the response is ready
that there was no greater danger in the case of
Oregon. Yet the first clearly Republican Con-
oress resisted tie Indictment and organized these
Territories BY acts utterly silent with regard to
Slavery. That this was q concession, and very
sensible concession, to the public sentiment Of
the Border States, calculated to strengthen the
Union party tbeFein, is gratefully recognized III
Andrew Jobnson's glorious Union speech 10 ths
Senate last moElh.
(And here. it may be well TO nste that there
is net in the organic act constituting nor in tho
laws governing any Of oun six present Terrific
res word to which the Slavery EItensispists
can take exception. They may grumbie that no
provision positively protecting Slavery is found
there. but that is the extent sf their grievance.
TIE acts organizing New-Acxico, Utah, dad
Nebraska stand to-day as they wero drafted by
Senator Dougias and voted for by mCa of the
anti Proyiso Members)
III. But the last Congress did not stop bnrs. il
framed and passed, in good part LIZ Republican
votes project Of Constitutional An.sndmen
whereby the Federal Constitution was made for
ever unchaneea6le In 30 far ss 1T might ahec
the right OF each State 10 upheld sllHery. Le
us here reprint it
Resrsd by ne Senate ard Bo,s Of Rc/.esstois,s Of N
be proposed the Legll1,es 8, the several s.ats N =
aiaeadse. q t9e Cess,it1tos ~ a 'hs u,isa sqs whit.
ia al eat sd purposes. as Peat 81 The saa Cos ,on v1
which suthoIize iye 10 Conge tie power 70 eUoi.
Or Interfere within uny Sets WITH ihs domestic naitaon
thereof including that Of rsscn hea 10 service bo by IL
laws OF said Siste"
This Amendment was sa/passed with expires
relerence to the position and the apprehension
Of the Border States. 1t was forcibly urged that
sbould the Cotton Stages so ont, leaving but 81
| or eight Slave States in the Union with t@ent
Free States aud more in embryo, tbose Ere
States might at any time amend the Constitutio
so az to give Congress power to abolish SLAYER!
The Amendment in question guarded against tn
danger. 1t was substantial, practical conccI
sion to the Border Slave States, ons that shei
Union Members asked for. and which the
deemed of decided consequence. And had thei
several States accepted i in the spirit in whic