The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-12-10


crossing of any national boundary. Our
national strife springs net from our per-
manent part, not from the land we in
habit, not from our national homestead.
There is no possible severing of this, but
would multiply, and not mitigate, evils
among US. In all its adaptations and
aptitudes, It demands union, and abbors
separation. In fact, it would ere long
force reunion, however much of blood
and treasure the separation might have
cost. Our strife pertains to ourselves. to
the passing generations of men, and it
cannot, without convulsion, be hushed
forever with the passing of one generation.
In this view, [ recommend the adop-
tion of the following resolution and arti.
cles amendatory of the Constitution of
the United States:
ResotUed, By the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives of the United States of America,
in Congress assembled, two-thirds of both
Houses concurring, that the following Arti-
cles be proposed to the Legislatures or Con
ventions of the several States, as Amend
ments to the Constitution of the United States,
all or any of which Articles, when ratified by
three -fourths of the said Legislatures or Con-
ventions, to be valid as a part or parts of the
said Constitution, viz:
AnTIcLE-Everv State wherein Slavery now
exists which shall abolish the same therein at
any time or times before the first day of Jam
uary, in the year of our Lord one thousand
nine hundred, shall receive compensation from
the United States as follows, to wit:
The President of the United States shall de-
liver to every such State bonds of the United
States, bearing interest at the rate of - for
each slave shown to have been therein by the
Eighth Census of the United States, said bonds
TO be delivered to such State by installments,
or'in one parcel, at the completion of the
nbolishment, accordingly as the same shall
have been gradual or at one time within such
State and interest shall begin to run upon
any such bond only from the proper time of
its delivery as aforesaid and afterward. Any
State having received bonds as aforesaid, and
afterward introducing or tolerating Slavery
therein, shall refund to the United States the
bonds so received or the value thereof and all
interest paid thereon.
ARrIcLE-All slaves who shall have enjoy
ed actual freedom, by the chances of the war,
at any time before the end of the Rebellion,
shall be forever free but all owners of sTch,
who shall not have been disloyal, shall be
compensated for them at the same rates as is
provided for States adopting aboliShment of
Slavery, but in such way that no slave shall
be twice accounted for.
ARTICLE.-Congress may appropriate money
aud otherwise provide for colonlzing free col
ored PERSONS with their own consent, at any
place or places without the United States.
| beg indulgence to discuss these pro-
posed articles at some length.
Without Slavery, the rebellion could
never have existed; without Slavery, it
could not continue. Among the friends
of the Union there is great diversity of
sentiment and of policy in regard to
Slavery and the African race among US.
Some would abolish it suddenly, and
without compensation some would abol-
ish it gradually, and with compensation ;
some would remove the freed people from
us, and some would retain them with us
and there are yet other minor diversities.
Because of these diversities, We waste
much strength in struggles among our
selves by mutual concession, We should
harmonlze and act together. This would
be compromise among the friends and
not with the enemies of the Union
These articles are intended 10 embody a
plan of such mutual concessions. If the
plan shall be adopted, it is assumed that
emancipation will follow, at least in sew
eral of the States. AS to tho first article,
the main points arc
/. The emancipation.
g. The length of time for consummat.
ing (thirty-scven years.; and,
3. The compensation.
The Emancipation will be unsatisfac-
tory to the advocates of perpetual Slavery,
but the length of time should greatly
mitigate their dissatisfaction. The time
spares both races from the evils of sud.
den arrangement in fact, from the ne
cessity of any arrangement, while most
of those whose habitual course of thought
will be disturbed by the measure will
have passed away before its consumma
ton. They will never see it. Another
class will hail the prospect Of emancipa
ton, but will deprecate the length Of
time. They will feel that 1t gives toe
little to the now living slaves. But il
really gives them much. 1t saves them
from the vagrant destitution which must
largely attend immediate emancipation in
localities whore their numbers are very
great, and it gives the inspiring assurance
that their posterity shall be fres forever
The plan leaves to each State choosing tc
act under it to abolish Slavery now or al
the end of the century, or at any inter
mediate time, or by degrees extending
over the whole or any part of the period
and it oblges no two States to proceed
alike 1t also provides for compensation
and generally the mode of making it
This, il would seom, must further miti
gate the dissatisfaction of those who favor
perpetual Slavery and especially of those