Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-01-24
The Report Of the Committee Of
ThirtYeThreo,

IuirtysInfe0s
Our columns have already contained an
ineligible abstract of the report made
from the Committee of Thirty Three, BY
the Hon. Thomas Corwin. We present,
however, some additional particulars. The
report is quite elaborate, and we have not
room for it in full. The "personal liberty
laws" are touched upon, and confidence is
expressed that that pretext for disunion will
be removed. Suggestions are made as to
the amendment of the Fugitive Slave Law,
so as to prevent abuse of it in the arrest
of persons not slaves. The difference be-
tween Abolitionists and Republicans is de-
fined. The Chicago Platform is quoted
to show that the Republicans would not
interfere with slavery in the States. To
clinch this, the Committee submit an
amendment to the Constitution:
"Whereby any power to interfere with
slavery in the States is forever denied to
Congress till every State in the Union, by
its individual State action, shall consent 10
its exercise.
A compact account is given of the con-
troversy respecting slavery in the terrific
ries. The report says:
We see strong and opposite parties main
tanning opposite opinions on this very ques-
ton; these hostile opinions are strenuous
ly adhered to on each side, leaving little
or no hope of agreement without surren-
der of convictions honestly entertained
An adjustment founded upon legal princi
Piles, in which all will agree, seems quite
impossible.
The establishment of slavery in New
Mexico by the Legislature, is mentioned al
so the provision of the act of 1850, that
New Mexico shall be admitted into the
Union, with or without slavery, as her con-
stitution may ordain. The Committee
here propose:
To admit New Mexico into the Union as
State, on an equal footing with the orig
inal States. By this course the faith Of
the nation, pledged in the act of 1850,
will be preserved, and territory lying south
of the parallel SO deg. 80 min. will be dis
posed Of, and the subject matter of con-
troversey removed from the jurisdiction of
the Federal Government. Thus all claim
ed by the South will be obtained while the
Northern portion of our remaining terrific
ry will be subject to such law as the Con-
slitution and Congress may furnish for
its government.
Objections are thus met:
If it be objected that the population of
the proposed State is too small to justify
her admission into the Union, al this time,
we answer that it now contains larger
white population than either of two States
now in The Union, and represented in both
branches of Congress. The present pop
ulation of New Mexico, including New
Mexico, is estimated at O5,COO. This
computation of era and population may
not be correct, put is based on reliable
data. 1t may also be objected that the
present resources of the territory are not
equal to the support of State Govern
ment. If this objection has any founda-
ton in fact, it may be easily removed by
liberal donations, such as Congress has Of
ten before made to new States on their
coming into the Union.
As to the acquisition Of territory:
From the beginning of our deliberations,
it was apparent that the disposition of that
portion of our territory lying south of the
parallel of SO min. 80 deg. was the main
subject of difficulty, The settlement of
that question was, however, complicated
with a provision much insisted on for ter
ritory to be hereafter acquired. This did
not seem to the Committee properly to be-
long to the subject. The Committee did
not think proper 10 extend their censidera-
tion of the embarrassments arising out of
the occupation of territory now within our
possession to territory which might or
might not be acquired.
The question of the requisition of fugit-
ives from justice, which has been complica-
ted with the slavery question, is referred
to the U. S. Courts. The report concludes:
1t is proper to observe, that the Com
nittee were not unanimous on all the res.
olutions and bills presented, but MAORI
ty of quorum was obtained on them all.
THOS. CORWIN, Chairman.