, 1863-04-22
TIE TRUTH OF HISTORY.
Litter Of Mr. David Dudley Field to
Professor Horse.


Professor Horse.
SAMUEL B. z. MonsE, Ese.--sly dear sir:-
4 friend has put into my hand . copy Of tho |
T1ru newspaper, combining what purport |
to be "extTacts'' NEARLY t"o columns long
from u letter written by you in reply "ton Il
note from personal friend and political up-
poneut," und among others tile following pas
!Mr. Fields letter addressed to me was prob
ably indted under the influence OF i1npEcssion5
msde By the same Infamous senota anu Mni1s ~
toun1d NE personally law nothing In Its general
Tenor OF sufficient importance to require any AL
h"I nis % Views aud mine on the subect Of the poll
cy Of the Administration are autipodal anti. in>
rew Of s @ some Iadc
to which action can be traced the present awful
condition Of tue country since it was In their pow
the 81 - uas-cannot bit LOOK upon his and their po
litic.l eonrec ~ laying upon them Weight Of re-
sponsibily which woula 49, ha'e apon my COL
THIS language from you deserves an answer,
which should hardly stop to give to an au-
onymous def:mer. shal therefore take the
trouble TO bet you right, expressing, by the
way, somc surprise TINT you Should be so fir
from Brightly advised - in respect to tie &C.
tion Of tue Peace Conference Perhaps, how
over, this is not SO much to be wondered at
after all. considering the strenuous aud per-
tistcnt efforts ofa powerful class TO 1nisrepre-
se1t thu disposition and designs of the North
ern people, and remembering, moreover. tha.
the majority'of the Conference, against the
earnest renonstrances Of many Of its mem
bers, including myself, excluded spectators
and reporters from its sittings, and that its
brief and imperfect journal was not published
until after its acts had ceased to excite any
public interest.
Let NE now give you the information which
you appear to want.
First-The Conference laid upon the table the
following proposition submitted By me:
"Thc Union OF the States under the Constitu.
tion ie indissolube, and no State can eeccde from
the Gnion Or nul}lfy IN act Of Congress. absoye
lis citizens from their paramount obligation Of
Obedience to the Constitution and laws OF tho Uni
ted atatee.''
then proposed the following which was re.
jected:
sit is declared to be The true intent aud mcan-
Ing ef the present Constitution That the Union Of
the States under It is iudiEaolublc'
Sccond-Mr. Baldwin, Of Connecticut, one
| Of those whom, suppose, you call my trad
| ical associates" proposed the following:
| "WuxEEAs, unhappy differences exist which
hare a1ienated from each ohcr portions Of the pto.
ps Of the United States, to such an extent as &C.
pair the regular aud efficient action Of the Govern
ment within the sphere Of its constitutional pow
err and duties.
|
kentncky has made application to Congress to call
Constitution Of the United States;
OF tho people Of other Statcs that amendments to
| the Constitution'a!c or may become necessary to
kecnreto the Rsorls Of the United States q every
ard liberties, 70 tar as tho eatnc may depend for
their security and on ths powers sranted
pursuance Of the national purposes for which it
was ordained and established.
"This conference docs, therefore. recommend to
the several States to mite with Kentucky in her
application to Congress 10 call convention for
proposing emandments to the Constitution Of the
United States, 10 be submitted to tue Legislatures
OF the several Statcs or to conventions therein for
ratification, the or the other mode OF ratin-
cation may be proposed BY Congress- in accord.
With The provision In the fifth article Of the
For this, with NIL my "radica1 associates y
Ihtrugglsd to the utmost Of my power, but in
vain. Every slave State represented in the
Conference Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
North Caroliua, Missouri, Kentucky and
Tenncssce--votcd against it, and it was reject
ed by y yoic Of thirteen States to eight.
TAird-Mr. Tuck, Of New Hampshire,
another of those radical associates" uftcr..
wards moved al address to the people of the
United States, concluding with the following
resolutions:
: "Ee+t|rtd, That this Conference recognises tho
Of thc United stte4 giyes no power to Congress,
Of any branch u the Federal Government, to inter.
fere in apy. manner with slavery in any OF the
Statcs: and we arc assured by abundant testimony
that neither Of the great pofitical organizations
existing in thc country tcmplttcs violation ol
the spirit Of the Constitution in this regard or the
procurement Of any amendment thereof By which
Congress, Or any department Of the General Gov
er1ncnt shall eTer hare Jurisdiction over slavery
Es.o;rtd, That the Constitution WAS ordained
and established, set forth In the preamble, bj
the people olthc United States, IN order 70 form
al N-
mestic tranquility, provide for tho common dc
fcaer, promote the general welfare and prosperity
and when as Ro Ss e eas eg s9 aS es e T. M
cured TO them By the Constitution Or their rights
under are disresaEed, their tranquiiity disturb
pctiled by ,hc people q any othcr State. fz ~;
/ adequate 1cdrces can and ought to be provided TO-
, "NetoGrsd, That the Constitution OF tho Unltci
thereof, the supreme law of the land, to whlcl
, therefore respectfully recommended to the LeSls
nay "a S mas Of as
etizeEa, .nd carefully revise their etstutes In yieV
+ Of such complaints, aud to repeal whatever pro
( Tisions may be found to be in contraycution Q
:. @Ptselred That this Conference recommend tt
the legislatures Of the several States Of the lnio
state of Hentneky md q illinois, IN Supplying
!. Congress to call Convention for tho propos!ns
l. amendments to the Constitution Of TUG Unite
We all laboTed for this, md succeed In Pre-
J. curing the vote of another State for it, bl'
Z every slave State, as before, voted against uE
: aud it was rejected by vote Of eleven State
n to nine.
ne Fourth-Fiually, after days OF cagnes
debate, the Conference adopted the tolloEin
l. MS a proposed amendment to the Constitution
c 1t was passed, 1t Is true, without any aid tro1
~ me, and through the misconduct Of some (
- - my colleagues from this State; but it VT
N passed nevertheless, and here 1t Is:
cr "ART1cLE Is.
"sEc71os1. /. In al the preecnt territory of tt
- United States north OF the parallel OF thtrty.el
~ degrees and thirty minutes Of north latitude L
veunt as5,tae o in
south Of that line, the ststus Of persons held to II
voluntary eer7icc or labor as it now exists. ehn
be sh5sf ~ fo. h es:, s1y aw 9s 20 psdisa ds
prevent the taking Of such pereons from any Of i,
States Of this Union to said territory nor impa
e es h. tie
IS cral courts, according to the sourac Of tho comme
n law. When any territory, north or south Of sa
afi serbe sn sal cont coata!n popa.ion sqsa to
IN quired tor member Of Congress, It shall, II i
N, form Of Government be Republican, be admit
nal statea, with or wltiout involuntary rcryitud
49,, az the Constitution OF such State may provide.
'of SEC ?. 10 territoEy shall bo acquired byt
ard commercial stations, dcpots sld transit route
an- without the occurrence Of n majority OF al. t
. Senators from States Which prohibit that relate
IA tha territory be acquired By treaty unless
- Totcs Of majority OF the Senators from each cir
OF Sta:es herein before mentioned be cast Us q p
- Of the tHothir6s majority necessary to tho rat
or, cation OF Euch treaty.
SEC. 8. NeitheTth the Constitution, nor any amel
rnept thereof, shall he construed to giro Congrt
md powerto regulate, abolfeh, OF control, within
State, tho relation established, or recognized
l. the IsFa thereof. touching persons held 70 labor
=. involuntary ecTice therein, nor to interfere n
Or abolish involuntary service In tho District
; Columbia without tho consent Of Maryland, 3
H. owners vho do not coneent juet compensate
t, poE the power to interfere with or prohibit Rep
ani- 1ertatlves and others from bringing With them
t. the District OF Colunbia, retaining aud taxi
mi away persons 20 held to labor or service: nor
power to interfere with or abolieh ipvoluut,
- service In places under the exclusive 1uriedct
the Of the Cnited States within those States and
T. ntortes where the eane is established OF rec
Eized. nor the power to prohibit the removal
- ti1y service In any State OF Territory Of the Uni
en-" S:ates, to any other State OF Territory there
MS where 1t Ia established or recognized BY law
IT, u.age, and the right during transportation By
to OF rycr OF touching At porte shores and 1anatu
tod aud Of I4nding il case Ut distreas shall exist
not the right Of transit IL or through anT State
~. | Territory, or OF falc traffic against tho Is
Ills thereof. Nor ehal Congress have power to auth
or- ize any higher rate OF taxation persons held
ate labor q service than land.
,1u- "Tht bringing into the District Of Columbia
the personE hold to labor or service, for sale a.
chaEdisc. IS prohibited.
IEFr Thctbjrd naraorsnh of thc scenn5 8