The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-04-02

F. Wilson, Member Of Congress from thu
District, on the resolution introduced BY
him, having In view an amendment or thu
Constitution 20 - to prohibits Slavery In
the United States. It was delivered in
the House on Saturday, the 10Th inst
We hope everybody will read 1t:
Mr.. Chairman. ON the first day Of
the present session of Congress gave
notice Of my intention to Introduce q
joint resolution submitting TO the Legis.
to amend the Constitution Of the United
States, On subsequent day, in pursuance
OF the notice thus given, introduced and
mi referred to the Committee on the Ju.
dietary the following joint resolution: ~
Be Il resolved by tie Senate a,sd House Q,
Represemtafives Of the United states 81
America IN Congress assembled, two
thirds of both Houses concurring), That
the following articles be proposed to the
Legislatures Of the several States as an
amendment to the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States, which when ratified by three
fourths of said Legislatures, shall be valid,
to all intents and purposes, as q part o:
said Constitution, namely: sa,n
ARTICLE Kilt.
SIC. l. Slavery, being incompatible with
q free Government, is forever prohibited
In the United States; and involuntary
servitude shall be permitted only as a pun
ishinent for crime. e.' ce,g
SEC. 2. Congress shall have power to en-
force the foregoing section OF this article by
appropriate legislation.
am well aware, sir, that proposition
in the Congress of the United States to SO
amend The Constitution Of tbs Republic as
TO weaken or destroy slavery is y noyel
thing. With bills, resolutions, and prOpO-
sitions to amend the Constitution to more
firmly establish, extend, and perpe:uate
slavery the country has been perfectly ia
miliar. It was long the custom in this
body, whenever slavery became excited
and angry. to try to appease its wrath by
Offering it some new hold on the life Of the
nation, some greater advantage over free
government and human liberty. When
slavery cried ''Give, give" by force of
habit and loss of conscience we always re-
spoaded by offering more than ii demand
cd Of us. We were the slaves Of the slave
power.
When slavery became political power.
and held in its hands the rewards which
ambition covets, the nation became its
most cringing, fawning, stupidity debased
slave; and q most cruel task master it
proved. It's political career was AN inces-
SAINT, unrelenting, aggressive warfare upon
the principles Of the Government, the OBJ
jects TOR which the Constitution was or
dained, the rights Of the people, the devel-
Opment of national resources, the advance
Ment Of education, the establishment OF
public morals, ana the purity of religion.
It touched everything, defiled everything.
And we submitted quietly, tamely, cow
ardly, while the work of destruction and
death wa. carried on by this Unsuitable
enemy Of all that is lovely, desira-
BILE, just, and sacred. No political power,
whether found in republics or desp0tisms,
ever welded 50 baneful AN influence on
the affairs of nations or men AS the one to
which We 30 passively submitted, and un-
der whose shadow we 90 fearfully dwarfed.
Its progress was constant, crushing dead
march over everything which stood in the
way of its own ACCOMPLISHMENTS; and eve
rything desirable to = free people stood in
its way. The nation grew stupid under the
manipulatiens of slavery, and seemed to
know but little, and to care less, Of the
danger which threatened the free institu-
tions Of the country with destruction.
The public opinion now existing in this
country in opposition to this power is the
result Of slavery Overlapping itself, rather
than Of the determination Of freemen to
form it. But, however formed, thank God
It is formed, and is our priceless possess
sion Of real, active, national life, new.
or to he surrendered. We must hold all
we have gained, and add to the strength Of
public opinion BY daring to do our duty as
directs the destinies Of nations. We may
now talk Of freedom, act for it, legislate for
It, and above all other acts we may place
one which shall stamp universal freedom
on our national Constitution, never to be
erased. never to die while the Republic
lives. To accomplish this great end in
troduced the joint resolution to which
desired by the truly loyal people OF the
country almost without an exception.
In preparing the resolution was careful
to present but one issue, the incompatible
ity Of slavery with free government. This
issue is no reflection on the wise and good
men who laid the firm foundations and
fashioned the sublime architecture OF our
remotest idea that they were tolerxtinx q
tenant IN the grand structure which would,
when warmed into life and developed into
political power, endeavor TO tear down the
affairs Of liberty, and erect in their stead a
throne OF xbs0lutism and death. The off
oppressed and universally understood
views OF the fathers fully attest that thew
regarded this tenant a thing to be tolera.
It'd only because It promised speedy disso-
lution. They found IL in the house they
were erecting for the protection Of them.
selves and their children, and looked upon
Il with horror and LEFT Il % die, never sus-
pecting the dreadful power Il embodied
CVHIOuuueu ny inc grand teachings OF Y
successful war, based upon principles ut
terly destructive Of slavery ii enforced.
they looked forward to the death of the lat.
Ter BY the mere development and power OF
the former. They believed in the incom-
patibility Of slavery with . free govern
ment; but they regarded the latter as be.
ing the strongest, not yet having had ex.
pefience with slavery ~ y political Tower.
These reasons will account In great mar, for
the absence from the Constitution Of = sec !.
tiotl prohibiting slavery. 1t is impossible
to believe that the master wo-kmen who
gave to u this best OF human governmenfs
In the least degree suspected t6atth were
transmitting with It the seeds Of Clfssoln.
ton. They believed their work secure
from molestation by this tolerated thing
which al good men loathed, and expected
to see pass speedily away. In this they
were mistaken, as We have discovered 70
our deepest sorrow and infinite cost. But
their wisdom provided the means for over
ruling the disastrous consequences Of their
mistake. The Constitution which thew
formed, and which the people ordained and
established, contains ample provisions for
accomplishing the destruction Of that DOW
er which SO long disturbed the tranquility
~ ho No ~