Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-12-24

toward moldlng society for durabllty IN
the Union" than any conceivable action of
any one State.
The President adverts In his message to
the recent quadrennial election as evidence,
of the will of the people in favor of the
constitutional amendment for the prohibi-
ton Of slavery throughout the United
States. He is clearly right in this, so far
as regards the sentiments Of at least three
fourths of the voters of the loyal States.
It IS in vain that politicians plant them
selves upon the track of progress and at
tempt to impede the car Of freedoml 1t is
in vain that the learned, eloqnent, but er-
ratio Repr esentatives from the city Of New
York invokes i'Lolerstion" in behalf of an
Institution that he says "wss tolerated BY
the Savior and His apostles" The enlight-
ened sepse of the age in which we live i'm
peratiyely demands the complete extinc-
ton of slavery; the voices Of two hund-
red thousand of our sons who have fallen
sacrifice upon the altar Of freedom, cry to
US from their graves, "Extinguisf Slsvery|
The widows and orphans Of the slaughter
ed soldiers implore to US ''abolish slavery"
Two hundred thousand stslwsrt men with
bsyonets in their hands, once slaves, but
now soldiers admoDish US TO wipe out the
foul stain of slavery; but: above all, right
anc justice and the perpetuity Of our free
institutions of government call upon us to
remove this curse from the land
And why should gentlemen on the 9TH
er side of the House hesitate in this matter ?
Have they not always, as partisan politi-
ticians, expressed desire to abolish
slavery 90 soon as they could do it in q
constitutional manner2 And now what
saro lfoy-svl-oa = 40 hSz their votes
Simply to aid the msjority by giving a
two-thirds vote, so that the proposition to
amend the Constitution may be submitted
to the people Of the States through their
Representatives in the legislative bodice
If they refuse to do this what is the just
inference? That they are SO welded to
the institution of slavery that they will
not trust the people with the privilege of
saving whether or not it shall continue its
existence in the land. If they refuse 70 do
this, what is the inevitable conse-
quence? The Thirty-ninth Congress will
adopt the measures within one week Of its
organization, and then the issue will be
with the country, in all time to come,
which body most truly represented the
interests and wishes Of the great American
people.
In connection with this subject of amend
| ing the Constitution go as to prohibit
slavery in the land, I commend to the con-
sideration OF gentlemen on both sides of
the House the following historical fact /:
Colonel George Mason, of Virginia, one Of
the distinguished statesmen who assisted
in framing the Constitution, nevertheless
refused to give it the sanction Of MS name,
ana protested against lis adoption for this
among other reasons by him publicly as
signed;
1.-THE general Legislature (Congress) is
restrained from prohibiting the further i'm
portation of slaves for twenty odd years
though such importstions render the United
States 1veaBeT, more vulnerGblc and less
capable Of defense"
Is it not passing strange that one Of the
fathers ID the days Of Virginis's manhood
should object TO our national charter be-
esuse it contained negative upon pro
hibilion of tho slave trade, and, at this
day, after three fourths Of century's ey-
! beTience Of the wisdom Of that objection
/ there should be found in this Hall men
nurtured in the lap of freedom and blessed
I
ing to free institutions who by their voices
and their votes express determination tc
scourge their pos!erity as we 10 our day
- snnnrga4 v1ith- tho curse OF human
slavery?
Mr.. Chairman, did not intend to mskl
sn Rnti-slnznzsz- z-sI5eech On this floor. ]
agree with the gentleman from NeT TorE
in his declaration publicly made at the
last session, that "SLAvERY Is DEAD
But I do desire to " set a seal upon the
door of its tomb. Such a seal, in my
! Judgment, will require the proposed
amendment Of the Constitution.
1 do not advert, Mr., Chairman, to tht
long string Of hallucinations introduced by
the gentleman from New York into hi
speech to show pretended parsllelisn
between the patriotic efforts Of Burke anC
J Fox and Chatham and Camden" and 9th
eTs Of the British Parliament, in the early
days of the American Revolution, and tht
reasonable rawlings of disappointed poll
ticians in another and different arena.
turn all such contestants over to another
and different tribunal, where more SUM
mary Justice is to be administered. will
stop long enough, however, to say to tht
gentleman from New York that since hi
made his proud boast on Wednesday last
| thst his southern brethren could nevel
be subiugated," very much evidence hal
accumulated on that point. send to tn
Clerk the remarks of morning paper oI
the present aspect of military affairs, anC
beg leave to say that I hear. lily agree witt
the patriotic editor in his Inscriptions 0
praise to the heads of the War and Nav
Departments, and to the officers snd sol
dlers of our armies
The CleIk read, as follows:
'THE SITUATIoN.-Thecaus looks grad
uslly upward. From every quarter Of tn
} theater of war come glorious tidings. Ev
erywhere where the flag of the natioI
hests over the embattled hosts Of the Un
ion, it is borne in triumph. We give thi
morning the proudest bulletin of the wal
1t makes noble record for he pregidinl
genius whose mastery intellect control
l the movements of the Union armies from
his unobtrusive headquarters at City Point
for the executive talent of the great Wa
Minister and his subordinates, whose IN
wearying activity and promptitude furnisl
/ in abundance the requisite material for s.
many distant armies, for the military tai
/ ent and aptitude for command of the lead
ers who are 80 nobly guiding cur troops t
/, victory, and for the daring endurance an
l patriotic enthusiasm of the rank and filC
whose achievements will stand compariso
: with the best soldiers of any age or climt
5 Nor should the valuable cooperation of tn
Navy be forgotten-the energy and ski
which have placed the United States in th
5 foremost rank of the naval Powers of th
) world, the ability and heroic zeal of tn
: officers, and the indomitsble pluck of on
gallant tars. The news which we publis
7 this morning, conhrmstory Of the glad t
7 dings which have sent thrill of exultsn
triumph throughout the land, is the sur
: precursor Of the approaching doom of IL
rebellion.
SHERMAN has made his devaststin
: :sws.h Of sixty miles in breadth throug