The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-04-04

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oauits cost. Bat their wisdom provided
he means for overriding the disastrous
Of their mistake. The 0onsf
which they termed. I'D which |
he people or9eiaed and sptabliehed. Con
aims ample provl1fsns IL hplishing
he destruction a thst power which 70 |
ong disturbed ~ tranquility Of thu NJ
ion, and finally envstopsd rs 10 tksI
Whirling, lesp6nR, eAcircli6g red fame Of
var. The nth article Of the Constitution
e the LATED 6tAtss seads - a5ollows s~v~
Congress, whenever two-thirds Of
beth Houses shall deem it necessary,
shall propose amendments 70 THE Censti.
tuition or, on application Of the Legisla-
lures Of two-t thirds Of the several States,
shall call . convention for proposing
which, in either case, shall
be valid to oil intents or purposes, as part
Of this Constitution, when rasi6ed BY the
Legislatures Of three. fourths Of the sew
eral States, or by conventions Of three
fourths thereof, as the one or the other
mode of ratification may be proposed BY
Congress Provided, that no amendment
which may be made prior to the year 1908
shall in any manner Affect the FIRST and
fourth clarres IN the ninth section of the
FIRST article, and that no State, without
its consent, shall be deprived Of its equal
suffrage in the Senate
This highly practical section of the
Constitution, free from all conditions and
limitations since the year 1908. with re-
gard to the subjects concerning which
amendments may be adopted, with the
single exception of the suffrage Of the
States in the Senate, was provided as 3
means for adapting the fundamental law
of the Republic to the changes incident
to the development of the nation. 1t is
the safety-valve Of the Constitution, 30
constructed and guarded as to prevent
hssty and inconsiderate action, and
utterly destructive of every pretense for
forcible revelations. Il is impossible to
Justify a resort to force rs remedy for
wrongs imaginary or real, while this re-
cognitiop of the great doctrine that
aGovernments derive their just powers
from the consent Of the governed".re-
mains a part Of our organic law; and it
would be equally difficult to justify the
existence of anything in theGosernment
destructive Of the inaiienable rights of
''life, liberty, and the pvrtuit of bsppi-
ness" without, 1t least, an earnest and
determined effort to remove it. When
the people established the Constitution,
/ embracing the section which / have quo
ted, they agreed upon the means whereby
the consent of the governed should be de-
termined. and by the same act placed
upop themselves and upon US the respon-
sibility attached to those things which
interfere with the inslienable rights of
man, or which tend to the destruction Of
free government Amendments proposed
by Congress, or BY a convention called
for that purpose, and adopted or rejected
by the Legislatures Of the several States,
are the mediums through which the con-
sent of the governed is TO be determined
concerning all things not now provided
for in the Constitution. 1t was fair
agree ment, placing upon each and every
citizen, and UPON the several States, all
of the risks and responsibilities incident
thereto. for 1--WE, the people of the United
States" made it. It Was expected that
the nation would develop into grander
proportions, its interests become more
varied, its wants and necessities increase.
and that it might be beset BY dangers tot
occurring TO the minds which nodded the
form of the organic law 1t was agreed
and expressly provided that the Constitu-
ton should grow to meet all of these new
demands. keeping within the bounds Of
its ordination to form moro perfec,
Union, establish Justice. insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general welfare,
and secure the blessings Of liberty to our
selves aud our posterity.'
| This section of the Constitution is my
.uthority for introducing the joint reso,
luton which l have read and it also i'm
poses upon this House the responsibility
of meeting tie question fairly and with 8
view to the promotion of the best interest.
of the nation, by releasing it from The
thraldoms of hostile power which hs,
entwined itself around the heart and lifs
of the Republic. The proposition intro
duces nc intricate question of constitution
al law for discussion It simply submit.
question of fact for our determination
upon which the past and present throw
such food Of light that not even will
fulnesss can lead us sstrsy. Is shaver,
incompatible with a free Government
This is the true question involved; ane
no artful summonings of cunningly de
vised side Issues. or of the ghosts Of deac
exp ediencies, cansrelease any. member o
this body from passing upon this singl,
issue. 1t is all there is in the case. Tbs
contest is squarely between slavery ane
free government, and in this light it is /,
be conducted to the end 81
Slavery is defined TO be g the state o
entire subsection of one person to the viii
Of another" This is despotism, pure ane
simple. It is true that this definition
7. concerns more the relations existing be
tween master and slave than it does thos.
between the system of slavery and The gov
eminent. But we need not hope to fint
+ I system purely despotic acting in bar
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