Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-03-20
The Virginia Convention.

I send you the supplemental report Of the Com
mttee on Federal Relations, which, it is sup
posed will be adopted by the Convention, in con-
nection with the Border Conference plan and
rome other suggestions Of the committee, unless,
In the meantime, some act Of Government or In
structons from the people shall cause some Of the
Union men to change front.
AS near as | can ascertain, the Union party have
now a majority OF fifteen. The statement that the
Secessioniss only wanted tico to secure q majority
Is probably erroneous.
Branch, OF Petersburg, to-day said he should
bow TO the will Of his constituents, who, as you
are aware, have declared for secession.
The western men are urging the question Of
equality Of taxation with much determination.
Woods, Of Barbour, and Raymond, Of Marion,
made eloquent speeches on that side to-day
Randolph, Of Richmond, has just closed one of
the ablest speeches Of the session the secession
side.
The people are becoming impatient for action,
and the members seem to be aware Of the fact.
as follows:
Sec 1. In all the present territory Of the United
States, north Of the parallel Of thirtysix degrees
and thirty minutes Of north latitude, involuntary
servitude except In punishment Of crime, Is pro-
hibted In all the present territory south Of that
line, involuntary servtude, II now exists, shall
remain and not be changed; nor shall any law be
passed by Congress the Territorial Legislature
to hinder or prevent the taking Of persons held to
Union to said territory nor to impair the rights
arising from said relation, shall said hts be
In any manner affected by any preexisting law Of
Mexico; but the same shall be subject to judicial
cognizance In the Federal courts according to the
remedies and practice Of the common law. When
any territory north south of said line, within
such boundary az Congress may prescribe, shall
contain population equal to that required for a
member of Congress, IL shall If its form Of gov
eminent be republican, be admitted into the
Union equal footing with the orig NAL States
with or without involuntary servitude, az such
constitution Of the State may provide In all ter
| ritory which may hereafter be acquired by the
United States, involuntary servitude is prohibited,
except for crime, north of the latitude of thirty
six degrees and thirty minutes, but shall not be
prohibited by Congress or any Territorial Legis-
| lature south Of that line.
| Sec. 2. No territory shall be acquired by the
United States, except by discovery and for naval
| routes without the concurrence Of a majority of
all the Senators from States which allow involun-
l tary servtude and majority Of all the Senators
from States which prohibit that relation nor shall
territory be acquired by treaty, unless the votes Of
majority Of tbs Senators from each class Of States
| herein before mentioned be cast as part Of the
two-third majority necessary TO the ratification of
such treaty.
| Sec 3 Neither the Constitution, nor any amend
ment thereof, shall be construed TO give Congress
power to legislate concerning involuntary servi-
/ tude IN any State or Territory wherein the same
Is acknowledged or may exist by the laws thereof,
nor to interfere with or abolish the same In the
| District Of Columbia without the consent Of Mary
| land and Virg inia and without the consent of the
/ consent
just compensation; nor the power 10 interfere with
or prohibit representatives and others from bring
| ing with them to the District Of Columbia re-
tanning and taking away, persons so held TO labor
| or service, nor the power to interfere with or
| abolish involuntary service In places under the
excusiv juris fiction of the United States within
| those states and Terrt5ries where the same IL
established or recognized; nor the power to pro-
| hlhit the removal or transportation by land OF
water Of persons held to labor involuntary ser
wee In any state or Territory Of the United States
to any other State or Territory thereof where It ID
/ established or recognized by law or usage; and
| the right during transportation by sea or river
/ OF touching at ports, shores and landings, and
| landing in case of need, shall exist, but not the
night Of soourn or sale in any State or Territory
against the laws thereof. Nor shall Congress
| have power to authorize any higher rate of taxa
l ton on persons held to labor or service than on
| land.
/ The bringing into the District of Columbia per-
sons held to labor service for sale, or placing
| them in depots to be afterwards transferred &c
other places for sale mere handise is prohibit ted
| Sec. !. The third paragraph Of the second sec
ton OF the fourth article Of the Constitution shall
not be construed TO prevent any of the States by
| appropr ate legislation, and through the action
of their judicial and ministerial officers from en-.
forcing the delivery of fugtives from labor to the
| person to whom such service or labor is due.
| Sec. 5. The importation of slaves, coolies or
| persons held to service labor, into the United
| states and the Territories, from places beyond
| the limits thereof, Is hereby forever prohibited
| Sec. 6. Congress shall provide by law that the
| United States shall pay to the owner the full
| value Of his fugitive from labor, in all cases
| where the marshal, or other officer, whose duty
1t was to arrest such fugitive, prevented from
so doing by intimidation from mobs or riotou,
| ssemblages, or by violence, or when, after ar.
rest, such fugitive was rescued by l Ike intimida-
| ton or violence, and the owner thereby deprived
Of the same.
| Sec. .. The elective franchise and the right ia
| hold office, whether Federal or Territorial shall
not be exercised by persons Who are Of the African
/ race.
| Sec. 8. No one Of these amendments, nor the
| third paragraph Of the second section Of the frs
article Of the Constitution the third parag raph
OF the second section Of the fourth article thereof
shall be amended or abolished without the con.
| sent Of all the States.