Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-04-07
Spefial Motifes.

She will come in by annexation, as State
with her present system of labor, without
which her vast wealth and resources could
not be developed.
But suppose these gentlemen desire little
Northern annexation somewhere, or some
Southern acquisition, do you not perceive
that it puts it in the power of the South at
once to say, not one foot, unless foot for
FOOT It enables Us to bring in Southern
territory and plant Southern institutions
upon it as tribute to the equal power with
which this section arms us. 1t cuts off all
the difficulties as to what shall be the cOndi-
ton of territory after territory comes in,
and compels you to settle these in advance,
and if not settled in advance, not to bring
it in at all. And when any high political
necessity shall require that these annexations
shall be made, there will always be found the
requisite majorities, both by treaty and re-
solution, to make them.
/ am free, then, to declare that in my de-
liberate judgment, these two sections, taken
together, make a better disposition of the
territorial question, than the Crittenden pro-
position dOes-equal in all the securities
which it confers equal in all the rights
which it maintains, and better in regard to
that which may lie before us in the future.
But l will not detain the Convention longer
upon this point. The next or third section
combines and embodies, substantially, the
second, third and fourth sections of Mr..
Crittenden's plan. 1t prohibits Congress
from interfering with the Institution of
slavery within the States. 1t denies the
power to interfere with slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia, except with the consent of
| Maryland, and with the consent of the
| owners, or making compensation to such
owners as do not consent. 1t contains, also,
| denial of power on the part of Congress to
| interfere with slavery in places under the
| Jurisdiction of the General Government, and
within the limits of the slave States, embrac-
| ing navy yards, dock yards, forts, arsenals,
| &c. 1t prohibits Congress from preventing
representatives and others from bringing
| with them to the District of Columbia, or
| taking away with them, persons held to
service.
In an amendment to the Constitution moth
| ing ought to be regarded as small or unim-
portant, for every amendment to that instru-
| ment should be treated with gravity, ard
considered as of consequence. Now, in this
last paragraph, there is an enlargement of
the Crittenden amendment in this
"Nor shall Congress at any time prohibit
officers Of the Federal Government or members Of
Congress, aOhose duties require them to be in said
District, from bringing Uuh them their sldues and
holding tiena as such, during the time their duties
may require them TO Tenaain there, and afterwards
| taking them from the District"
You perceive that is Limitation of privi-
lege, to Federal officers and members of Con-
gress, to be exercised only while they remain
| in Washington engaged in the performance
| of their respective duties. We struck off
| those restrictions and adopted the following
| terms instead
| Nor the power to interfere with or pro-
hibit representatives and others from bring
| ing with them to the District of Columbia,
retaining and taking away persons so held to
| labor or service"
| The privilege is not limited to the case of
federal officers or representatives, or restrict
| ed to the period of the performance of their
| duties, but all persons have the right to take
| their slaves with them to the District OF Col
umbia, and to remain as long as they desire.
| The third section, continuing its prohibit
| tions upon the powers of Congress, declares:
| Nor the power to prohibit the removal or
| transportation of persons held to labor or
| involuntary service in any State or Territory
| of the United States, to any other State or
| Territory"
Here is another announcement of the same
| right contained in the first section; the right
| of transfer and migration from any State or
territory where slavery is recognized, not
| only to any other State where il is recogniz-
| ed, but to any territory-a double cumula-
| tive recognition of the same right to take
slaves TO territory where that condition is
| recognized:
Nor the power to prohibit the removal or
transportation of persons held to labor or
| involuntary service in any State or Territory
OF the United States to any other State or
Territory thereof trtere Il is established or Tecog-
nized by ldtO or usage; and the right during
| transportation, by sea or river, of touching
| at ports, shores and landings, and of landing
in case of distress"
will remark that here is a valuable addi-
| ton to MIR. Crittenden's plan. Mr.. Critten-
| denis proposition is this
Congress shall have no power to prohibit
| or hinder the transportation of slaves from
| one State to another, or to a Territory in
| which slaves are by law permitted to be held,
| whether that transportation be by land, nav
! igable rivers, or by the sea.'
1t will be seen that this provision being
| the 4th article of Mr.. Crittenden's project,
simply affirms the right of transportation
| with slaves from one State to another, or a
Territory in which slaves are by law permit
| ted to be held. The additional provision
| found in the Peace Conference adjustment,
| is in these words:
'And the right during transportation by
sea or river, of touching at ports, shores and
landings, and of landing in case of distress"
| There is no provision in the Crittenden
proposition for touching at landings, shores
and ports, and no provision whatsoever as to
| landing cargo, in case of distress.
We all believe it an important object to
secure the recognition of these rights, and
| which are over and beyond what is contained
in the PROJECT, which the General Assembly
said would be acceptable to the people of
this Commonwealth.
l will read the whole of the clause liz the
Peace Conference report upon this subject of
| transit:
And the right during transportation by
sea or river, of touching at ports, shores and
landings, and of landing in case of distress,
shall exist, but not the right of transit in or
| through any State or Territory, or of sale
and traffic against the laws thereof"
This last is a modification of the transit
privilege contained in Mr.. Crittenden's plan
By the Peace Conference proposition you
have the full privilege of transportation by
sea and rivers, with the privilege of touch
ing at landings, ports aud shores, and OF
landing cargoes in distress; but you are not
to travel by land with your slaves through
States, or traffic in slaves in States against III.
latcs of said States.
i Now, Mr.. President, one great object we
have all professed, and which 1 trust we al
have at heart, is to make such settlement
of these slavery issues, which so much dis
tut b the peace of the country, as shall re-
move and extinguish them forever. 1t ought
to be done in such mode as to leave as few
Irritating sources of difficulty open as prac
ticable. Now, to pass through the interior
OF non-slaveholding States by railway, turn
pike and other avenues OF travel and trans
portation, with slaves, either for sale or per
sonal use, subject to the prejudices of ar
anti-slavery population, might be regarded
OF doubtful expedieney and propriety, if the
right of interior transportation were fully
scared. The exercise OF such right nigh
serve to keep in existence, in greater or les
degree, irritations which are hurtful to oul
interests. and which should be suppressed.
But again, this provision only inhibits thi
right of transit through the States or Terri
tories where it is prohibited by the Law
thereof Those of US who have any claim t.
belong to the States Rights SCHOOL, hav,
always. myself, claimed to be '9S and g!