Maryland free press., 1862-12-05

trade to any port or place north OF it, and none
north of it can trade to any port or place soa'h
of it, except on torms dictated by a govern
ment foreign to them. These outlets, east,
west and south, are indispensable to the wen
being of the people inhabiting, and to inhabit'
this vast interior region. Which OF the three
may Be the best, is no proper question. All
are better than either; and all. of right, belong
to the people, and to their successors forever
True to themselves, they will not ask where
line of q teparation shall be, but Will Vow'
rather, that there shall be, no such line. Nor
are the marginal regions less intersected in
these communications to, and through them to
the great outside world. They too, and each
of them, must have access to this Egypt of the
West, without passing toll at the crossing OF
any national boundary.
Our national strife springs not from our
permanent parts not foom the land we in
habit not from our national homestead
There is no possible severing of this but would
multiply, and not migrate, evils among U.s.
In all its adaptions and aptitudes, it demands
union and abhors separation. In fact, it would
ere ong, force reunion, however much of blood
and treasure the separation might have cost.
Cur strife pertains TO ourselves-to the pas
sing generations of men and it can, without
conSulsion, be hushed forever with the pas
sing of one generation.
In this view, recommend the adoption of
the following resolution and articles amenda-
tory to the Constitution of the United States !:
Resolved by the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives ol the United States of America
in Congress assembled, (two-thirds of both
houses concurring,) That the following arti-
cles be proposed to the Legislatures Tor con=
ventions) of the several States as amendments
to the Constitution of the United States, all
or any of which articles when ratified by three
fourths of the said Legislatures Tor conven-
tions) or to be valid as part or parts of the
said Constitution, viz:
ARTICLE.
"Every State, wherein slavery now exists,
which shall abolish the same therein at any
time or times before the first day of January,
in the year of our Lord one thousand and nine
hundred, shall receive compensation from the
United States as follows, to wit:
"The President of the United States shall
deliver to every such State, bonds of the Uni
ted States, bearing interest at the rate Of
per cent. per annum, to an amonnt equal to
the aggregate sum of--for each slave
shown to have been therein, by the eighth cen
sus of the United States, said bonds to be de-
livered to such State by instalments, or in one
parcel, at the completion of the abolishment,
accordingly as the same shall have been grad
ual, 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. Any State having received bonds
as aforesaid, and afterwards reintroducing OR
tolerating slavery therein. shall refund to the
United States the bonds so received, or the
value thereof, and all interest paid thereon.
aARTIcLE-
"All slaves who shall have enjoyed actual
freedom by the chances of war, at any time
before the end of the rebellion, shall be forev-
er free but all owners of such; who shall
not have been disloyal, shall be compensated
for them, at the same rite as is provided fol
States adopting abolishment of slavery, but in
such way that no slave shall bo twice accotih-
od=for.
"ARTIcLE-.
Congress may appropriate money, and
otherwise provide, for colonizing free colored
persons, with their own consent, at any place
or places without the United States"
beg indulgence to discuss these proposed
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 9
great diversity of sentiment and of policy il
regard to slavery and the African race amongst
uss Some would perpetuate slavery; some
would abolish it suddenly, and without com
pensation; some would abolish it gradually
and with compensation some would remov,
tile freed people fsom among us, and som,
would retain them with us; and there are ye
other minor diversities. Because of these di
versities, we waste much strength in struggle
among ourselves By mutual concession w
should harmonic and act together. Thii
would be compromise; but it would be Com
promise among the friendss and not with tn
enemies, of the Union. These articles are in
tended to embody plan of such mutual con
cessions. If the plan shall be adopted, it j