Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-01-17
Proceedings of Congress.

oyerfowing, aad the distinguished gentle
man was listened to with the utmost inter,
est aad attention by Senators and specta
tors. He commenced by avowing his ad-
herance to the Union in its integrity; with
his party. his country. his State, or with
out either, as they may determine; IN every
event, whether OF peace or war; with every
consequence. whether Of honor or dishor-
or. life or death. After rehearsing what
courses will not save the Union, lie de-
sres truce, at least, during the debate on
/ the Union. 1t cannot be saved by proving
secession illegal or unconstitutional; nor
can anything be gained by discussing the
! right of the Federal Government to coerce
States. If disunion is to go on, this qucs-
tion will give place to the more practical
one, whether the many seeding States
shall coerce the remaining members to ac-
ouiesce in a dissolution. He argues
against the folly Of separation, its effect up
on the standing of the United States
among the nations of the world, the diff
culties a new Southern Confederacy would
encounter in forming treaties, and liable at
any time to become the prey of stronger
powers. In summing up his arguments,
he states:
F0stly-That while prudence and justice
IN
the acts of Congress so as not to compel pri.
vate persons to assist in the execution of the
Fugitive Slave aw, and to prevent frcemen
from being, by abuse Of the law, carried in
to slavery, agree that all State laws contro.
vening the Constitution or any law of Con
gress, ought to be repealed.
SecOHdiy-Domestcs slavery existing in anv
State is wisely left by the Constitution exclu-
sively to the care, management and dispos-
ton Of that State. would not alter the Con
stitution in that respect, if in my power. |
am willing to vote for an amendment of the
Constitution declaring that it shall not, by
any future amendment, be so altered as to
confer on Congress power to abolish or in
terfere with slavery in any State.
Thrdiy-While | think Congress has ex
elusive authority to legislate for the Territor
les, and while | certainly shall never directly
or indirectly give my vote to establish, or sane
ton slavery in the territories yet the ques-
ton with regard to what constitutional laws
shall be passed in regard to the Territories,
is to be determined on practical ground. If
Kansas were admitted under the Wyandotte
Constitution, could vote to organize the or
ganization and admission Of the remaining
States, if such reservation could be constitu
tionally made but if the measure were prac,
4. l.. Il
namely: that when the eccentric movements
of secession and disunon shall have ended
and the angry excit8ments of the hour sub
sided then, say, one, two or three years hence,
| would checrfully advise convention of the
people to decide whether any and what
amendments Of the organic national law shall
be made
Fomth-I am ready now, as heretofore, to
vote for laws to prevent mutual invasons of
States.
FtfM-l remain constant in favor of two
Pacific Railways-one to connect the ports
around the mouths OF the Mississippi, and
the other towns on the Missouri and the Lakes
with the harbors on our western coast. He
concluded with the expression Of an mistaken
faith in the Constitution and the Union. He
feels sure that the hour has not come for this
nation to fall. Its people are not peryerse or
wicked enough to deserve so dreadful and Sc
we're punishment as dissolution. This IN
ion has not yet accomplished what good for
mankind was manifestly designed by Him
who appoints the seasons, and prescribes the
duties Of States and empires. No, sir: if
cast down to day by faction, it would rise
again and reappear in all its majestic pro
portions to morrow. Woe! woe to the man
that meanly lifts his hand against it. 1t shall
continue to endure, and men in after times
shall declare that this generation which saw
ed the Union from such sudden and unlocked
for damages surpassed in magnanimity even
that one which laid its foundations in the
eternal principles of liberty, justice and hu-
manity.
The majority Of the committee of thtr-
ty-three in their report made on Monday,
propose an amendment to the Constitu-
ton providing that no amendment thereto
interfering with slavery shall originate in
any other State than slaveholding State,
and to be valid shall be ratified by every
State in the Union.
They also submit an enabling bill for the
admission of New Mexico as State on an
equal footing with the original States, and
a fugitive slave bill which gives the right
Of trial by jury to the slave claiming liber-
ty in the State whence he escaped, and re-
leases any citizen from assisting the Uni
ted States Marshalls in the capture or de-
lection of the fugitive except when f9e4e
is employed or apprehended for the release
Of the fugitive.
The committee submitted joint resolu
ton deprecating personal liberty bills, (but
not by that name), and requesting tht
Northern States to cause their statutes K