Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-01-23

pfeJLQlCe with cOhcillatlOn, CNacllOh
with concession which ~surrenders no
principle, and violence with tlre-right
hand OF peace. Therefore, sir, so far
as the abstract question whether, by
the Constitution of the United States,
the b~ondsman, who is made such by
the laws Of a State, is still u a or on
ly property, l answer that, within that
State, its laws on that subject are su-
preme; that when be has escaped from
that State into another, the Constitu-.
ton regards him as a bondsman who
may not, by any law or regulation of
that State, be discharged from his ser
vice, but shall be delivered up, upon
claim, TO the party to whom his ser
vice is due. While prudence and JUS
tice would combine in uersuading you
to modify the acts of Congress on That
subject, so as not to oblige private per-
sons to assist in their execution. and
TO protect freemen from being, by an
abuse Of the laws, carried into slave
ry, lagree that all laws of the States,
which relate to this class of persons,
or any others recently coming from or
resident in other States, and which
laws eontravene the Constitution OF
the United States, or any law of Con-
gress passed in conformity thereto,
ought to be repealed,
Secondly. Experience in public af-
fairs has confirmed my opinion, that
domestic slavery, existing in any
State, is wisely left by the Constitu-
ton Of the United States exclusively
to the care, management and DISPOSE
ton of that State; and if it were in my
power, | would not alter the Constitu-
ton in that respect. If misapprehen-
sions of my position need So strong u
remedy, l am willing to vote for AN
amendment OF the Constitution, de-
claring that it shall not, by-any future
amendment, be SO altered as to confer
on Congress a power to abolish or IN
terfere with slavery in any State.
Thirdly. While | think that Con-
gress has exclusive and sovereign au-
thority to legislate upon all subjects
whatever, in the common territories
Of the United States; and while | GER
tainly shall never, directly or indirect-
ly, give my vote to establish or sane
ton slavery in such Territories, or any
where else in the world, yet the ques-
ton what constitutional laws shall at
any time be passed in regard to the
Territories, is, like every other ques-
ton, 10 be determined upon PRACTICAL
grounds. Ivoted for enabling acts in
the cases of Oregon, Minnesota aud
Kansas, without being able to secure
tn them such provisions as | would
have preferred, and yet l voted wise
ly. So now, | am well satisfied that,
under existing circumstances, a happy
and satisfactory solution of the difi-
culties in the remaining. Territories
would be obtained by similar laws,
providing for their organization, if
such Organization were otherwise r
ticable. If, therefore, Kansas were
admitted as a State, under the Wyan-
dotte constitution, asI think she ought
to be, and if the organic laws of all the
other Territories could be repealed, l
could vote to authorize the organiza-
ton and admission of two new States
which should include them, reserving
the right to effect subdivisions ofthem
whenever necessary, into several con-
%venient States; but 1 do not find that
such reservations could be cons.iu-
tionally made. Without them, the ul-
terror embarrassments which would
result from the hasty incorporation OF
States of such vast extent and various
interests and character, would out
weigh all the immediate advantage OF
such a measure. But if the measure
were practicable, l should prefer a diff
terent course, namely:-when the &c.
centric movements of secession and
disunion shall have ended in whatev-
er form that end may come, and the
angry excitements of the hour shall
have subsidized, and calmness once more
shall have resumed its accustomed
sway over the pubic mind, then, and
not until then-one, two orthree years
hence-I should cheerfuIly advise a
convention of the people, to be assem-
bled IN pursuance of the Constitution,
to consider and decide whether any
and what amendments of the organic
national law are to be made. A Re-
publican now-as L have heretofore
been a member of other parties exist
ing in my day. nevertheless hold
and cherish, as | have always done.
the principle that this government ex-
lists in its present form only by con-
sent Of the governed, and that it is as
necessary as it is wise, to resortto the
people for revisions of the organic law
when the troubles and dangers of the
State certainly transcend the powers
delegated by it to the public authori-
ties. Nor ought the suggestion to ex-
cite surprise. Governmentinanyf form
is a machine; this is the most complex
one that the mind Of man has ever in
vented, or the hand of man has ever
framed. Perfect as it is, it ought to
be expected that it will, at least rs Of
ten as once IN a century, require some
modification toSdapt it to the changes
of society and alterations of Empires.
Four:aly. hold myself ready now
as always heretofore, to vote for any
properly guarded laws which shall be
deemed necessary to prevent mutual
invasions Of States by citizens of 9th.
er States, and punish these who shall
aid and abct them.
Filthy. Notwithstanding the argu-
msnts Of the gallant Senator from Or
gon, General Lane) l remain of the
opinion that physical bonds, such
as highways, railroads, rivers and can
ais, are vastly more powerful for
holding civil communities together
than any moro .convants, though
written on parchment or engraved
upon iron. l remain, therefore, con-
slant to my purpose to secure, if pos
sibls, the construction of two Pacific
ro,lu-a-z 90 ~ ,-h;.I nI-n