The Placer herald., 1862-05-17

3. That the act of the 18th of September, 1850,
commonly called the fugitive slave law. ought
TO be so amended as to make the fee OF the Com.
missioner, mentioned in the eighth section of the
act. equal in amount in the cases decided by him,
whether his decision be in favor of or against the
claimant. And to avoid msconstruction. the
last clause of the fifth section of said act which
authorizes the person holding q warrant for the
arrest or detention of fugitive slave, to summon
to his aid the posse cOmitdtus, and which declares
it to be the duty Of all good citizens to assist him
in its execution; ought to be amended as to eX-
pressly limit the authority and duty to cases in
which there shall be resistance or danger of re-
sistance or rescue.
4. That the laws for the suppression of the At
rcan slave trade, and especially those prohibiting
the Importation of slaves in the United States.
ought to be made effectua, and ought to be thor
oughly executed; and all further nactments nece-
sary to these ends ought to be promptly made.
Their History.
Upon the introduction of these resolutions, Mr..
Crittenden, the venerable Senator from Kentucky,
who had assisted in passing the Compromise
Measures of 1850 made patriotic and prophetic
speech. in which, turning to the Republican side
of the House. he slid-
The great difficulty here. sir-l know it; l re-
cognize it as the difficult question, particularly
with the gentlemen from the North-is he admis-
sion of this line of division for the territory, and
the prohibition of it on the other. The recognl-
tion Of slavery on the Southern side of that line
is the great difficulty, the great question with
them Now, beseech them to think. and you,
Mr.. President, and all, to think whether, for such
a comparative trfe that. the Union of this
country is to be sacrificed. Have we realized to
ourselves the mOmentOus consequences OF such an
event? When has the world seen such an event?
This is Il mighty empire. Its existence spreads
its influence throughout the civilized world. Its
overthrow will be the greatest shock that civilza-
tion and free government have received; more
extensive in its consequences: more fatal to man
kind and to the great principles upon which the
liberty of mankind depends. than the French re-
voluton with its oceans of blood, and with all its
war and violence! And all for what?
Is it upon the general principal of humanity,
then, that you Undressing Republican Senators]
wish to put an end to slavery, or is it to be urged
by you as a mere topic and point of party con
troversy to sustain your party power? Surely
give you credit for looking at it upon broader
and more generous principles.
Mr.. Crittenden gave the Republicans credit for
too much generosity and principle Their worth
less platform. they sai they preferred to fifty
Unions'! Mr.. John p. Hale after, sneering at
question from Mr.. Salisbury of Delaware, as to
whether he (Hale) would urge Northern people
to adopt these resolutions, replied:
Well. now, sir, the honorable Senator from
Delaware asks me a question which will answer,
thoug oh do not feel bound to do So With my
present conviction | will not agree to those
propositions in all their extent. There are some
things there that l would agree to; but to the
extent that these resolutions go. would not re-
commend my people to accede to them. If they
ask my advice. they can have it.
This debate WAS on motion to print the resolu-
tions.
The resolutions came up at various times and
,vor ab ,toI until thn o1 OI Nj Mlrph--tWO UlVS
preceding the inauguration of Mr.. Lincoln when
thew were defeated. EVERY REPUBLICAN in the
Senate voting against them. These are hstori-
cal facts
This Crittcnden Compromise was petitiOned
for by more citizens than any other proposition
ever before Congress. Mr.. Pugh, OF Ohio, in the
course OF his remarks advocating it said:
The Crittenden proposition has been endorsed
by the almost unanimous vote of the Legislature
Of Kentucky. 1t has been endorsed by the Leg
isature of the noble old Commonwealth OF Vir-
ginia 1t has been pettiOned for by larger num-
ber of electors of the United States than
any other proposition that was ever before Con-
sress l believe in my heart, to-day. that it
would carry an overwhelming majority OF the
peOpe of nv State; ay, sir. and of nearly every
State in the Union. Before the Senators from
the State of Mississippi left this Chamber, heard
one of them who now assumes, at least, TO be
President of the Southern Confederacy, propose
proposition could receive the vote it ought to re-
ceive from the other side Of the Chamber There
FORE all of your proposition, OF all your amend
ments. knowidg as do, and knowing the histori-
an will write it down, at any time before the lst
of January a t,U0-thirds vote for the Crittenden
resolutions in this Chamber would have saved
every State in the Union, but South Carolina.
Georg would be here by her representatives, and
Louisiana also-those two great States, which. at
lenst would have broken the whole column oil
secession Globe, p. 1890.
And on the same day March 2d,) Mr.. Douglas
not on the most friendly terms with Davis an'
Toombs, bore testimony to the same effect, rs fol
lows:
The Senator (Mr. Pugh) has said that if the
Crttenden proposition could have been passed
early in the session. it would have saved all the
States, except South Carolina. | firmly believe
it would-While the Crittenden proposition was
not in accordance with my cherished views, l
avowed my readiness and eagerness to accept it,
in order to save the Union, if we could unite up
on it. | can confirm the Senator's declaration
that Senator Davis himself, when on the Commit
tee of thirteen, was ready at all times to com,
promise on the Crittenden propagation. 'cW
90 further und say that Mr.. I'OOn,bs Uas also.
Congressional Globe, p. 1891.
Here we have the evidence of Senators Pugh
and Douglas, that the the Crittenden compromise
would have been acceptable to the South; would
have insured peace; preserved the Union; pre-
vented war; prevented taxation, and preserved
the harmony of the country; but the Republicans
had po,cer 10 defeat 1t, and did defeat it, 1t is
stated that if the Southern Senators had staid
and voted for, the Critenden compromise it would
have been adopted Is this so? Without Repub-
lican votes it could not pass, and Republicans
had expressed their determination to vote against
it. 49,
Let us see how the case stood. There were thr-
ty-three States represented by sxty-six Sena-
tors on the floor during the second session OF the
thirty y-sixth Congress
The Federal Constitution, article V. section A.
says it requires tWo-hirds OF both Houses 10
nronose amendments to that instrument.
Now, passing by the utter impossblity OF get
ting the Crittenden compromise resolutions
through the bitter Republican House OF Repre-
q. fnr votes to mass