Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-04-04

| When any Territory south Of that line cop.
tanning a sufficient population for one mem.
. OCT OF congress on an area Of 90, 600 square
miles shall apply for admission as a State,
/ 1t shall be admitted with or without Sll-
/ very, as ITS constitution may determine.
with this correction the propositions
which are to be regarded as the basis of =
settlement are as follows:
! ! Rec@3ninenlins % the repeal OF all the Personal
=. THAT The Fugitive Slave Law be amended for the
hIe'rnung OF kidnapping, and to provide for
. 'i.S elHti%auon OF the Commissioners fee, &e.
%. ihat the Constitution be so amended as To pro-
.'.'., .H interference with slavery in any of tbs
H,tt.s "acre il now EXISTS.
!. That Congress shall u1t abolish Sl,varv -, ,bs
ttivih ueclIards arsenals. &c. IN the District
~ t"luiaba without the consent OF Mary land and the
,uSS1 oi the inhahitants OF the District norwithout
. That Congress shall no, interfere with the inter
o. I''t there shah i've perpetual prohibition ofthe
Atug5n slave trade
The "a progesition As corrected oy Mr. Hale is
The trst two propositions may be regard
ed substantially as one. The Fugitive
Slave law being justly regarded as afford
ing facilities for kidnapping free persons
aud taxing them into slavery, many States
beiieYed Il necessary to pass laws for
the prevention Of this crime, called. per-
sonal liberty bills When the fugitive
slave law shall be altered SO as to prevent
the very evil that personal liberty bills
were intended to remedy, then there would
seem to be no improperly in asking the
States to repeal them. These bills are
very offensive to the South, being regarded
as violation Of their constitutional
rights, aud are one of the chief causes of
complaint. The North alleges that they
are required to protect free persons from
unlawful seizure under the fugitive slave
law. Now when the South consents to
change the fugitive slave law SO as to pre-
vent all danger from this source, is it un-
reasonable in them to ask the repeal of
these offensive bills? I did not so regard
1t, therefore, if it aided the cause of peace
| consented to it.
The third proposition which proposed
that the Constitution should be so amenl.
ed as to prevent any interfere nee (by Con-
STess) with slavery in any of the States
where it now exists, simply puts into a dig
tlnct and unmistakable form doctrine
that has always been held by the Republi-
can party, so far as / know, without ex-
ceptlon. We declared it in the Chicago
Platform, IN all our conventions and speegh
cs before the election, on every occasion
and in every form, and when asked by I'm
ION men IN the Border States to put it in
such shape that there could be no doubt
about It, that apprehensions excited By de.
signing and unprincipled demagogues as to
the purposes of our party might be allayed
and the hands of Union men strengthened.
was that request unreasonable? Ifrefused
BY Us might they not with some show Of
reason doubt our sincerity and good faith
in the declarations on the subject? [ OF
course agree there was no necessity for it.
as the Constitution now gives Congress no
power over the subject, as every Republi.
can member of Congress, without excep
ton, has this session voted that it did not.
Still | did not think it either wise or ne
oessary to refuse this request, especially as
it was alleged, and | have no doubt truly.
that 1t would tend to hasten peace and pre-
vent total dismemberment of the Union
The fourth and fifth propositions were
not to be Constitutional amendments, but
simply joint resolutions of Congress, agree
ng not to DO what nobody proposes to do,
md which | presume not a single Repubi-
,an IN Congress contemplates doing or at
5empting to do. 1t is precisely the ground
aiken by Mr.. Lincoln on the subject be-
fore his nomination and election. No Re-
publican that | know of believes that it
would be wise or expedient to attempt it,
md yet this harmless resolution that may
be repealed by any subsequent Congress
hat thinks proper to do 50, is regarded, it
seems, as very dangerous concession tc
slavery. .
pass by the sixth proposition, as pre-.
ume no one would object to that
The Territorial question is the only one
If real difficulty, and has exercised the
rends OF the Union more than all others.
Lo appoint it SO as not to sacrifice our prin-
:iples and yet satisfy the Border States
vas unquestionably difficult task, and
therefore, is not yet accomplished and may
lever be. Yet | firmly believe the
erms Of my proposition are no real
giving up Of Republican principles, and
hey certainly did at the time satisfy the
representatives of the Border Slave States.
It will be observed that il does not receg-
lize slavery as existing south of that line,
md does not establish or protect it there.
It simply agrees to let the subject remain
IS it is under the act of 1850, and allows
hem to come into the Union when of suf-
icient population, with or without slavery,
5 provided by the same act | have long
maintained that freedom needs no legisla-
ION for its protection in the Territories.
Nj 1t asks or requires is fair play and an
honest administration of affairs. Even
ylth all the injustice and oppression ofthe
Federal Government with its Border Ruf.
lans, corrupt Judges, dishonest officials
md regular army, it overturned slavery in