, 1863-02-26


rebellion through its slaves, the nation had
in sentiment adyanced little toward the heart
Of tie tremendous conflict into which it had
been forced = From, the dry, however, that 1t
knew that i. would rot be held back bJ its
Chief, il has gone upward and onward, hourly
slarery'6 rebellion, hourly taking more ad-
ranccd position OF antagonism: to, slavery,
and hourly growing more rigid in the pur.
pose that slavery shall die .FApp1ausa1 And
where do We stand now: Let rs touch d few
points in tho history Of the last three
years., and read the answer While, rs
philosophical disqnisition, such re-
assembly at thlAhdyanced stage of the era, It
Will. If mistake not, be found not only IN.
structivc in its exhibition Of the progress Of
public thought, but highly practical, and EN-.
fnently cheering to the friends of freedom,
because demonstrating that the nntionaI mimi
ta1ding and REFRESHING Influence, and Is pre-
pared for forward move along the whole
line against slavery and for universal free
dom. 80: !.
Fist recall the celebrated Crittenden com.
premise resolutions, which ut one time COM
manded apparently 50 large measure Of
they were brought forward by their. distin..
euished author, In the spirit of patriotism,
and under the conviction that they would, il
conculTcd in, probably avert the calamity OF
civil war, no man, SUPPOSE, will question.
Eut tha1 no greatef mlstakc nas peen made
6y any lo3al statesman, tnan taat when
hen1asA5 t,! a ;aaat;n, eun uGlIu aia n tne
namlng o. llaa psan " Iasea.aon, masham
to their country than to slavery will deny.
What were its terms? It proposed amend
msnts to the Constitution as follows:
In al the Territory Of the United States then held
Or thereafter acau,Isd, altnatea soMa q me iat.
ca racc,' ahon,d he rcconized a. aV;stin1
Wheiher VI ;bere In fact or not, and should not Il,
interfe1ed with bJ Congress- bat be protected as
nance Of tesIitofial government which WAS no
more TOT lces than constitutional dedication Of
~ e9en telsatosH ,S 70 ,slasesy ,oaevsr.
s,svery IL nacea nnder ts cresTr e ap2lsn
sitnate within the limits Of statea permitting thc
holding Of ssavcs.::',' -
slasety withtn the District Of Columbia g long a.
4ha,t ~ - u at M - y, nor
t-.t ~ tG,,+ ~ ~ ,ts,,soti1 ~ " ~ tao uss
enneenffnr nsgnere' 'N' ~ <''e ~
=. Congress should not at any time, whether
slavery we're abolished in that dlatrict or not,
prohibit 1ts officers OF tho Federal aoverqent or
Melapals @ o' congress Maose aaiies . required them
~ hoir;1 .E ah.4 w aaeTt t. enIi1 IT. s'ses,
Inties mipht rcan1ra thc1, tn r.ooin +harc and
sfterwarde takina them thence. '''~1s' t'A4''
i. Congress should hare no power to prohibit or
hiEder the transportation Of elavea from one State
pesmH1ea " @ ~ .aw 70 oe neld. -, ~. .....,...,.
ehnriI acct IN n.nrcdin1 srt,c.aa n ao"3d
nry acnsrenf h msdn Il fhc ,stitn+ian ~
thor,ziuc or giving to Congress INV newer to
abo,tth Or interfere with slavery In any OF the
States by whose laws it should Be allowed or per
Sneh, in brief, were the leading features of
Mr.. Crittcnden's celebrated propositions Of
compromise, Had 1t been submitted to the
people, as ne proposed 1t should be, it is not
Improbable that In the then Distracted state
Of The pub lie mind It would have been rati-
fed, II the; seeding Of States had voted for
If, and had become q part Of the supreme Law
OF the land. Had that terrible calamitT be-
fn1len this nation, binding it as It would. for
nll inter time, voluntary slave to, and prop
agator and defender OF, .the institution of
slavery, eternity would hardly have been Too
long ior repentance, for such IN unfortunate
sin against humanity, christianity and liber-
t., But were the country rcoilircl to act
,,or. mon this nlan. who i,era i1nnhts That
Henry Wi1son. of Mass. smoke trn1y wi,en
within n fortnirht Of this f,nnr. 1,c said IN fhi
Senate Of lie United states flint m nyers
whelmlng md uncounted maIority of the
people to-day would reject it with uuuttcra.
E1c Ecorn ~'''@s'"'
Eexf reca11 4bo nrono=,t;on ,y,,o,, T.,
Mnrch 1871 wos ,aseaS - H.. "In. .1.s. ~
hotS Houecs Of Con@ress ~ a,nana tIa So VI
etltntion, so hat It Should decIare that dns o 4o
on,tudmint JaH hr znGTs ~ ~ Gnat;t,,,io,' .Gs ~
which ,riN authorize or oirr 10 c5uorts H. ,so,s.
I" o1osf.h or interfere fcithin any Ssats seit1 The
dtnc.f;e ;n.tl{.t;our NrrroT ;ncju;;uo s5o; f ~
1s1xcns 1e,d fn Io1,s ~, .e,,;g. T., ~ Ia;sx .mas
Stofr,; Thfs wns ornthar XXX ; - IT,. t,
nation to sInrrrv. Int 10 co1 o.;org ~ utu ia9
in The kro1Ie,ne that .1ts 1nss 1Es;H 49, ~
completed. Mt sinrIe stafe' TeaIsisinpe i1 = pe
hn m The conr:rv at onr mob ont gser haar W.
with hone md ioy. thai @ tae morencnt @ t - a f.
rea;I, ,1orrose,t5 ~ e. ie iua III W N u u
"a 10 ancn,i the g1cat ehorier o 81 :, ~ ;;5fa,
49, - n,.3, ius leal Shalts! 81 or hpcfties
stantly and forever, throughout the United
s'9feS Thai OF fl;emaa AmeIiea! - e..aor, ,s ~,
lion of the slavery nrof1em A., this contfnnnt
[GrSat applause It Is better than procla-
groes a. nnra ee @ OF s ns
events; for It leaves no M oaestiops s to be- asked
r; Or answered after the sword is sheathed, no
eas n1; ~ - lug eap1eUn ~ coutt ~ pe ~aitea
!oI MteI tuc recoFu Of inc war ts closed.
in conformity with the terms Of de Constf-
sonahb,ea vi" and ovIfaR ae,ngls bound al
sfrict construction Tiroin;o resn1nt,ni3a ~
rs. ktutDckY refn1nffnns nf s{4 and surh
IKE breast-wnrks n s1orerv ma VII iu hs s4 4ha
rEorIE's irreyersible e;1ict nf si,Yervs NV ers
.tinction. fGreat nnnlanse IN anv ionSt
tEat sucl, an amendment can now r. adnnts
Cd? Let ever snch 1onb+ hn VANISHED Tthc
auspicious day has come far this or1nd morc-
ment Of fhe ;ifsrnth1a11cG ~ natioI s The neo-
lie arc readv Tor It The heart ~ tba n,ff;o,
demands It. thrce-}ourths Of the States VIII
ratify it, lie world viii hold jnbilee oyer It.
md ihe rcgenerated Republ,c' fonnsel at
1osf ~ +l,n5 ,aoi. ~ n,EasaaS ca.Ia ae" ~