Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-09-09

question, anu lor lhe purpose OI asCef
tanning If there Was any member % Con
gress vino desired tointeiIere with slavery
! IN the slave States, | offered the follow
ing resolution:
ReSotCed, That neither Congress, nor
the people, nor governments vi the non
sldve-hOluIng States have the rIguL 20 les
lsiate upon Or interfere with slavery in
any of The slayeholdIng States oi the Uu-
ion.'
Here was the broad declaration, that
nelthar Congress, nor the Northern peo
pie, nor the Governments OI the nom
slavehOldIng States, had the right or pur-
pose 10 interfere with slavery; and the
resolution was passed 10y aunanImUus vote
IN the House. There Was the solemn dec
iaration, on the part OF every Represen-
tatlve, that II WAS not the desire or pur-
pose OF the North to interfere with slav-
cry where 1t existed.
| But 1t vas sud that the resolution didn't [
amount to any thing, because 1t might be
repealed or modified by subsequent
House of Representatives. How did we
meet that objection? A proposition was
introduced by Mr.. Corwin, one of the
most distinguished Representatives on
the floor, to engrait into the Constitution
OF the United States an amendment that
would specifically declare that no North
ern State, or Congress, should ever inter
fere with slavery IN the Southern States.
This was proposed for the purpose of plac-
ing 1t beyond the reach of Congress, or
the people of the North, to molest the
slave-owners in the possession OF their
slaves. And that proposition passed both
Houses OF Congress by a two-thirds vote,
and would now have been engrafted in
the Constitution of the United States but
Tor the TACT that the secession of the
Southern States prevented the accom-
pllshment Of the object.
But 1t Was said, again, you people are
propagating so fast, and multiplying so
rapidly from immigration, that YOU will
soon have more than three-fourths of the
votes OF all the States, and then YOU will
interfere with our rights and privileges.
In reply to this, Mr.. Corwin demonsIra-
ted that 1t could not happen much short
OF thousand years, and that was about
as long as we should attempt to legislate
for the future. Laughter and applause. !
But we wanted TO remove all ground OF
excuse, and therefore proposed TO make
this clause In the Constitution. forbid !
ding Congress from interfering with sla-
very lrreparable for all time to come. BY |
this proposition we thought we would GER
talniy remove all ground for fault find |
ing. When we did this, we thought that
we had done all that it was possible for
us to do.
but sun they were not satisfied, and |
what else did we do; They said that they |
did not enjoy equal rights with us in the |
territories. 1t so happened that the laws
ol population were settling the territorial
questions IN way they did not like
1hey nad tried various methods for in
IrOduGihg slavery into them, but had fail
eu- Even Kansas had come back, and
asked ADMISSION as free State. When
Ihls territorial question was raised again,
Ine republicans came forward and unan-
Iilousiy proposed TO organize all the ter
fltorles OF the United States without say
lhS one word about slavery in them, on
me ooctrlne OF Douglas himself 1t was d
'eInarKaole TACT in our political history,
mat Deore the war commenced, laws
we're framed by Douglas, Green, of Mis-
,ourl, secessionist, and Mr.. Grow, of
a Republican, which set
lieu The question of slavery in all the Ter I
ltofles, and these laws were passed by al ;
most the unanimous vote of Congress, so
nat this question about slavery in the
territories was settled by law, and beyond
ianger of repeal.
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.
What next was there? Well, they said
hat you Abolitionists up here-and
hey never drew very fine sight in de-
ermining who were Abolitionists-would
interfere with the Fugitive Slave Law
IN reply to this, it was demonstrated that
he loss of the South by the running away ,
,t negro slaves didn't amount to one for ,
ieth of one per cent. per year. And it ,
vas further shown that in no case had
he re-capture of fugitive slave been ,
resisted; that when a runa-
way slave was found he was always recov- .
red by his master. And as to il remain .
ng a law, there it stood on the statute :
looks, where it had remained year after
ear, without any proposition being in ,
to repeal it, notwithstanding 8
ONE of its provisions were obnoxious to ;
he sentiments of every manly heart 9
Sut we didn't wish to keep up this slavery !
trife, and therefore, nobody proposed to !
Modify the law. There was no cause for !
ear in this respect.
PERSONAL LIBERTY BILL.
But they said, some of the Legislatures a
{ the Northern States had passed personal a
berty bills. When he came 10 INQUIRE into O
his matter, we found that the purpose of Il
hese laws was to secure to the free men I
f color among us, fair hearing or trial. b
fter being kidnapped to be sent into s
he Southern States. But, as if to Weld n
D their every wish, whether reasonable "
nPr anf ]
void trouble, a resolution was introduced ?
ito Congress of this nature: d
WHEREAS, The Constitution of the "
'nited States is the supreme law of the s.
md, and its right and faithful obser- o
lg citizens therefore, L
''ResOLred, That we deprecate the spirit
disobedience TO that Constitution
herever manifested, and that we earn
silly recommend the repeal of all statutes e
lcluding Personal Liberty Bills, so cali
1, enacted by State Legislatures, con- 9,
lctlng with and in violation of that sa- =
'ed instrument, and the laws of Con- !: =
ress made in pursuance thereof" :,
That Resolution was introduced in the a
brit of Cancellation, and it was voted for q
7 every member of the House of Repre- q
WIFI IL, l.,
tate after State revised those laws which a,
believe, were wise in themselves, and - -
ould wrong no one but they were re- n
ealed in order to get rid of all pretext y
r complaint, =
WHAT MORE COULD THEY ASK ? es
And now what else was there to quar- oi
j about? These people of the Southern ii
,ates had this peculiar property, and in
aturally enough wished to be protected n,
its possession. We granted them eve hi
immunity and security they asked, oi
Id now you will inquire: Why did they h,
bel against our common Government,
I'd take up arms against it :? They en- hi
yed all the blessings and honors it con- as
rred, and they were innumerable. They I'll
I'd the Presidency of the Government Iii
r more than fifty out of seventy years, W
I'd thew held fhree-fo1rfhs of all tho of | m