, 1864-04-13


Antony, scp, efR.1. Howe. rep, ofwis.-
aroR 2, rep, Of No. johnson, OPP, Of Md. -.'
~ etat1kepr oi Mlch. Lane. rep, Of Ind.
SIih, XII asP. VI n. y. Lane. rep, OF Kansas.
Eor.It MeIt rep, q " Morgan, rep, of4N. Y.
CCennesa. rep, q cal. Mosri!A. rep, Of No.
| GGowsn. Gwn. rep, 81 Pa. Nesm'th. + dam. Oregon,
1a1i,, ~, rep, Oh Cenn. Pome1oy, rcp., Of Kansas
HHu'anle, rep. oi Hls. Aa1usay, rep, Of Minn.
Eoe. nuea, IeR., oi Me Sherman, Ecp., Of Ohio,
Foster rep. Of Conn. snmSer, Iep., sp Of S M,ss Il
.@fs IT, ,s i2"' Tsa fanSs nss e. e. H.
nRrlan. rep, of Iowa. Wade, rcp. oTphfo. So. va
Harris, rep, ofN.Y Y. Wilkinson. rrp.. ofsr,nn
n'"a1o' 'ep'' ol a1ca. wilson, rep, Of Mass:
eeee eop 81 Ind MSSie HHf Co., sSp Sf5 5s
MeDougnlj, cop, OF Cal. Saulsbury, cop, OF Dol,
Before the vote was taken, Chus. Sumner
addressed the Senate in favor Of tho amend
ment:
sPEEoH OF MIR, SUMNER or TIE PROHIBITION
CT SLAVERY BY AN AMENDMENT OF THE
CONSTITUTION.
lhe Senate then proceeded to the cousid-
Constitution, ~
Mr.: SUMNER lRep.), of Mass, aatd the tlrst
that would strike an angel from the skies. or
stranger from another planet, il either could
be perMitted TO visit this earth, with sur
prise, after viewing the extent and resources
Of our people, would be the fact that there
are four millions Of human beings held In the
most abject bondage, driven by the lash like
beasts, and deprived Of all rights, even that
Of knowledge and the sacred Fight Of family.
The strangers astonishmeDt would be doubly
tntion as the guardian Of this many headed
Wickcduess. Re would interpret the Consti-
tuition in Its trnc sense, and say that slavery
could not exist by its positive text. He (Mr.
Sutoncr) contended that the words tsllye''
andt'' Slavery did not. appear In the Constl-
tuition and If the pretcnhion OF property In
man turks anywhere In the Constitution 1t was
under fclgned name. He considered the pre-
snible the key 10 oren the whole Instrument to
t:eedo1n. He would call attention to- those
Grain breaking words, "fo person shall be
deprived Of LITE, liberty or property Without
due process of law scorning all false In
teIpretations- md CLOSES, Whicl may have
been fastened upon the Constitution AZ q
support OF slavery, he would declare there
was nothing in the text on which the hiiceus
.sg wrong conll be founded. In dealing with
this question In the past, it hns not been the
Constitutieu 60 mach .ss human nature which
has been at fault Let the people change
ana the Constitution would chapgo-a'so; for
tie Constitution was the shadow, while the |
people were the snbstance., Under the innu-
changed, md IN notl Ing SO much rs on |
slavery Old opinions and prejudices have |
dissolved, and tho traditional foothold |
which slavery once possessed has been grad
nally, until now it scarcely exists. Natnr-
ally this change must show Itself in The in. |
depreciation Of the Constitution, and II is
sfIcad} visible In the concession of powers |
which were formerly denied, and the time |
has come when the Constitution, SO long in
terprcted for slavery, may be interpreted for
1fons Of power--oyer Slavery as n mill
tary necessity, many join With Patrick Henry
who, In the Virginia Convention, declared
the power OF manumisslon Was given to
Congress In the constitution, and argued
against 1t on that ground. Slavery receiving
cd, WAS clea1l, under the control Of Congress,
under the act giving Congress power to
'proy1dc for the common defense and gen
eral welfare" To all who would deny the
power OF Congress over slavery he referred
to Tie words Of Patrick Henry, when be said
that on that subject the Constitution speaks
TO the point. He contendcd that under the
war power no one could deny Its complete
efficiency in enfranchislng tho soldier slave
and his family. In the words Of Shakespeare,
r. makes ha m se s szs ct t ts ss5a ba
age them: "For le to-day that sheds his
blood with me shall be my brother; be he
,, ns'er 80 yile, this Day shall gentle his con.
guaranteeing q republican form of govern
ment to each State made It our plain duty to
abolish slavery, considering the essential ele-
ments that constitute It,, as understood
BY our fathers. The clause that no
erty or property without due process OF law.
throws protection over every person without
regard 10 color, class or condition. lie held
that this WAS not only guarantee against,
but u prohibition OF slavery. On the very
law, and in its express provisions, he had
thown. from sources Of power, which, If exc
cutcd, rendered It impossible. Nothing but
and delay In eradicating slavery
was unconstitutional Slavery was not only
a nuisance, but public enemy and tnltor IN
the rcbellieua States, lending succor to them,
and holding out blue lights to encourage and
direct their operations, and it must be abol-,
iEhed. In reference to the question OF COM
pcnsation, founded on the shameful assump-
Was time when he was willing to pay money
for emancipation. But 1t Was as 4 ransom, |
md not o1npcnsatlon.-Moncy was no long
cr needed for that purpose. The time had
come for the old tocsln to sound-" Millions,
for defence; not one cent tor tzibutc."' MI
lions Of dollars aud strong arms to defend
our csuntry against slayemaste1s; not one
for tribute for Them. Every dollar for COM
peneaton paid should 60 TO the slave. He !
contended that the pretrnsions Of compensa-
disgGstipg to picture or detail was odious. I
Slavery must he oycrthrown: first, by the !
courts declaring aud applying the trnc prin- !
cip1es Of the Constitution; second, by Con- {
erees, in the exercise Of the powers Which !
belong to it;;.9nd, third, BIZ the people, by '
the Constitution TO that end As ,
he courts had failed to do their duty, Con- !
yress, by single brief statute, will sweep
slavery out of existence. II Congress may
1ot do this, let the Fugitive Slave law be re-
,ealed and all others conflicting with the
lights Of colored persons. But, beyond all,
he people must put the capEtone on the glo-
fous structure by an amendment to the Con-
titution. While he. waB dcsirous Of seeiue
he great rule OF freedom which We were
bout TO ordain embodied in q text which !
hould be like the precious casket to the
more precious treasure, he was consolcd by 6
he thought that the most homelytext con-
aiming such rule won1l. be more beautiful
ar than any passage Of poetry or eloqucnce ,
II words, and would be read with gratitude
!hen the rising dome Of this Capitol, with
he statue Of Liberty which surmounted it, {
md crumblcd into dust.