The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-08-16
upon the subject on Slavery, what Was done =
This joint resolution was passed by Q two-thirdi
majority in each House


Resolved BY As Senate and House Of Reprs'snis-
fipss ofns Unitsd States Of America, congrs. as
ssmbisd. That the following article be proposed TO
the Legislatures Of the several States. asan amend
ment 10 the Constitution or the United states,
which, when ratified by three-fourths OF said Leg
isatures shall be valid TO all intents and purpos
es, as part OF the said Consultation, viI'
ARr. 10. No amendment shall be made to the
Constitution which will authorize or give To Con-
gress tho power 10 abolish, Interfere, within any
State with the domestic Institution thereof incud-
Tag that % persons held 10 service VI labor by the
laws OF said state.
Is not that very conclusive' Here is an
amendment 10 the Constitution OF the United
States to make the Constitution unamendable
uron that subject, as il is upon some other SUBJ
jects; that Congress, In the future. should have
no power to legislate on the subject Of Slavery
within the States. Talk about compromise"
and about the settlement of This question; how
can you settle IL more Substantially How can
you get guaranty that is more binding than
such an amendment to the Constitution This
places the institution OF Slavery in the States
entirely beyond the control of Congress. Why
have not the Legislatures that talk about ere
construction" and compromise" aud "guar-
antics" taken up this amendment TO the Con-
stitution and adopted itl Some States have
adopted il. How many Southern States have
done soi Take my own State, for instance
Instead OF accepting guarantees protecting them
In all future time against the legislation Of Con-
gress ON the subject Of Slavery, they undertake
to pass ordinances violating the Constitution Of
the country, and taking the State out Of the
Union and into the Southern Confederacy. Ii
is evident too that with many the talk about
compromise and the settlement Of this question
Is mere pretext, especially with those who un-
derstand thequestion.
What moro was done nj the last session OF
Congress when the North had the powerl Let
US tell the truth. Three territorial bills were
brought forward and passed. You remember
n lSt7, when the agitatfoa aroIe In reference
to the Wilmot proyiso. You remember in 1880
the contest about slavery prohibition in the Ter
ritories You remember in 1854 the excitement
in reference to the massachusetts bill, and
the power conferred ON the Legislature by it,
Now we have Constitutional amendment, pro-
posed at q time when the Republicans havS the
power; and at the same time they come forward
with three territorial bills, and In neither OF
those bills can be found any prohibition, so far
rs Slavery is concerned, in the Territories. CO.
dorado, Nevada, and Dukota, are organized
without any prohibition of Slavery. But what
do you find in these billsi Mark, Mr.. Presi-
dent, that there are no Slavery prohibition;
mark, too, the language OF the sixth section,
comforting power upon the Territorial Legsla
ture
| Il.
islative power Of the Territory shall extend to all
rightful subjects Of legislation consistent with the
Constitution OF the United states and the proyis-
ions OF this act but no law shall be passed inter-
ferng with the primary disposal Of the soil no
tax shall he imposed upon the property oil the
United States nor shall the lands other proper
~ of nonresidents be taxed higher than the lands
passed lmpsiring the rights OF private property
| nor shall any discrimination DO made In taxing
different kinds Of property but all property sub
ect TO taxation shall be In proportion " the value
OF the property taxed.
Can their be anything more clear and conclu-
siye First, there is no prohibition; next, the
/ Legislature shall have no power to legislate so
as to impair the rights of private property, and
shall not tax one description Of property high
err than another. Now Mr.. President, right
here | ask any reasonable. intelligent man
throughout the Union, to take the amendment
to the Constitution, take the three territorial
bills, put them all together, and how much OF
the Slavery question is left Is there any Of Il
LETT Yet We hear talk about compromise; anu
it is said the Union must be broken up because
you cannot get compromise. Does not this
settle the whole question: There is no Slavery
prohibition by Congress. and the Territorial
Legislatures are expressly forbidden from Leg
islating so as to impair the rights OF property.
| know there are some who are sincere in this
talk about compromise; but there are Others
who are merely making Il pretext, who come
here claiming something in the hope that II will
be refused. and that then, upon that refusal,
their States may he carried out of the Union
| should like to know how much more secure we
can be in regard to this question Of Slavery
These three territorial bills cover every squire
inch OF territory we have got; and here Is an
amendment to the Constitution embracing the
whole question, 50 far as the States and the pub
lie lands Of the United States are concerned.
| am as much for compromise as any one can
be; and there is no one who would desire pOre
than myself TO see peace and prosperity restor-
ell to the land; but when we look at the con-
dition of the country, we find that rebellion is
rife; that treason has reared its head. dis
| tingushed Senator from Georgia once said,
"Wheu traitors become numerous enough,
I treason becomes respectable" Traitors are
getting 20 be 80 numerous now that / suppose
treason has almost got to be respectable; but
God being willing, whether traitors be many or
few, as have hitherto waged war against trail
tors and treason, and in behalf of the Govern
ment which was constructed by our fathers,
intend to continue it to the end. lApplause in
the galleries.
The President pro tempore-0rder.
Mr.. johnson, of Tennessee-Mr. President.
we are in the midst OF q civil war; blood has
been shed; lifi has been sacrificed. Who CON-
menced IL or that we will speak hereafter
Use. Traitors and rebels are standing with arms
i In their hands, and IL is said that We must go
forward and compromise with them They are
in the wrong; they are making war upon the
Government; they are trying to upturn and
destroy our free institutions. say to them the
compromise have TO make under the existing
circumstances is, "ground your arms; obey the
laws; acknowledge the supremacy OF the Con.
stitu,ion-when you do that, will talk TO you
about compromises" All the compromises that
1 have to make is the compromise OF the Con-
stitution of the United States. Ii Is one OF the
best compromises that can be made, We lived
under il from 1889 down to the 10th Of Decem-
Der, 1850, when South Carolina undertook to
90 out Of the Union. We prospered; we adj
yanced in wealth, in commerce, in agriculture,
in trade, in manufactures, in all the arts and
sciences, and in religion, more than any people
upon the face Of Gods earth had ever done
before i'm the same time. What better COM
promise do you want! You lived under 1t till
you got to be great and prosperous people.
IL was made by our fathers, aud cemented by
their blood. When you talk to me about COM
promise, | hold up to you the Constitution un;
der which you derived all your greatness, and
which was made by the fathers Of your, country.
II will protect you in all your rights.
This is making square work in destroying
the truth Of this resolve. We might have
offered our own testimony to its utter untruth
as we were cognirant Of the passage OF all
these acts referred to by Mr.. johnson. but we
preferred to give the testimony ola witness
whose Democracy we know will stand the
investigation of any Northern Democrat.
The fifth resolve is however the one which
stamps the convention as being formed on
the model of the Hartford Convention. 1t
abOunds in "palpablc absurdities," false
statements, and cunning differences. 1t is
the sneak Of the concern.
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