The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-09-23
HON. j. f. MCKINNEY An
SWERS A BROUGEE MAN.

addressed letter to Hon. y. +. Mckln-
ney,g through the Piqua Enquirer, asking
certain questions, and received the follow
ing able and satisfactory reply in the next
issue of that paper 9rasf
w McKINNEY's REPLY.
NJ. n. q BRANsoN, Esq.-SIR Il had
adopted for myself the rule, not to reply
to communications that might be address
ed to me through the newspapers, but
yours, in last weeks Piqua Enquirer, l
will make an exception, as you are evi-
IDENTIFY sincere in your desire for informa-
tion. Your inquiries seem to have grown
out of what you heard at the Democratic
meeting in Troy. a sca
! As matter of convenience / will ac-
company the reply with your Questions.
You ask 1st. "If the adoption by Con-
gress of the Crittehden resolutions would
have prevented the civil war, why did not
the Southern, the Border States and the
| Northern Democratic members unite and
pass them, they having the requisite ma
ljerities in both branches of the National
Legislature p 60 Us 50 g SS%- <5
Had you have given very little study
to the Constitution of the United States,
and have had a very little knowledge of
| the political composition Of both branches
of the National Legislature, you would
not have asked this question: s.s
Art 9th of the Constitution provides
aThe Congress, Whenever two-thirds of
both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall
propose amendments to this Constitu-
ton" which proposed amendments, when
ratified by three-fourths of the States,
either through their Legislatures or by
Conventions, 'sshall be valid to all intents
and purposes, as part OF this Constitu-
tion. "alj@aiss ssGesib b-lait4.aa 57ur q.,.
The Crittenden resolution proposed
amendments to the Constitution, and
therefore required .'two-thirds of both
Houses tospass thcm. asllul 55e sia.-
With a full Senate and every Senator
present and voting, it would have requir
ed forty-four votes forsthem to pass that
BODY Had the thirty Senators irom the
Slave States been present,and voted, they,
with the ten Democrats from the free
States, would have made but forty, which
would not have been enough by four
votes. - SHi Kl1a 31t "a iss4t4 sHf "A
- Your assumption, then, that the South
ern, the Border State and the Northern
Democratic members, united could have
passed the Crittenden Compromise, IS not
Ioaadet Il. fact. If four Republic mem-
begs OF the Senate had Joined them, it
might have passed that body. w hat an
| awful and sa reflection, for true patriot,
to think that the Uaaon--the isGovern-
me at that Washin ston,i Adams, Frank
! lin and the other revolutionary fathers
gave us might have obeen preserved and
ptrpetuate,Ito to posteritys could four Re
! pu ollcan Senators have been found willing
Is slefitice the supposed interests OF par
y to the good OK the country. But not
even could one he fouuu.sa. i4arr5.. -ss
|, liz the House the Republicans had a
majority, and elected their speaker, Mr
Pennington. You will see how shame
fully you have been deceived, by relying,
for such information, upon unscrupulous
partizan papers. The southern Border
I State and the Northern Democratic mem
bers' united, had not the requisite ma
! jorities iii either branch of the Nationa
Legislature, and had not even majorit,
in the lower House. isaat,f 9HF
/ Further. MIR. Corwin introduced
prope ,el ana ldment to the Constitution.
! That no Northern State or Congress
should ever Interfere with slavery il
Southern States where it exists a a,a
! iorfy of the Republican members of botl
Z the Senate aud House voted against thi
proposition-would. not say to the South
erh people that they not desire to destro.
slavery where it lawfully existed.
am glad to find that you, with thou
ands of others, are beginning to 4inquir'
into the history oi the Crittenden Conpre
mise, and tile causes that defeated it.
: I'd Question. WAS the statement 81
ex xplicltly made and repeated that not on
Southern member voted against said res
: o.ution. iateldel to create the impression
that they voted for them ?
1t was intended to convey the impres
sion clearly expressed, that no Souther
I, member OF the Senate voted against tn
: resolutions They had frequently mani
tested their. Willingness to adjust tn
, threateued diflicultie upon the basis {
the Crlttendcn Con,pronise, could the
be met with a spirit, OF conclilatlon on tn
part of the Republican party which ha
Eeoutrol OF the State Goveruinents of tn
IS free States, and of the executive branc
e of the General Government. Not NEE
ing with such spirit, some OF them o
Fsome occasions declined to,vote at all
II They had notified the Republican part
: and the country that they We're in earnes
and did not wish TO triAe about the MAJ
e ter; thatunlesss some adj djustment was mad
llthey would Withdraw from the, Union.
,lsi3d Question. afssDid gone of said rest
= lutions provide for,efhcicn national PR
. Etection to slave property throughout tn
n Gnion States?o 5GT T.s,.za.f,.- !.
4 Il lido notreomprohend your question. /
to ask whether the Crittendt
,f resolutions gave such protection to sla0
IT property as the shareholders were wlliln
h to accept, inithe eadj djustmehtaofth threa
'r ened difficalties: they have ianswerediit
d the affirmative. = glfesa94 4yna sig.lay
+, 5th question. ssWhy did the friends
3 Mr. VeIlaadigh gham,F in the county co
m vention at 'Da yton, on the Sd day of A
ly gust, 1861, refuse to indorse or appro
lg said resolution ?'aa 9s1sss 4 ~
iel II tb,t oonviction did as assumed in yo