New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-12
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
,MEyprNG TIKI CIVIL APPROPRIATION ACT.

MI. WILSON Gowa) reported from the
Committee on the Judiciary bin TO amend the Ci'l
Appropriation Act by adding prcyisc that N any
action Nv or against any executors administrations o
guardians ~ winch judgment nay have been rem
dered fT against them neAer party shai De allowed
testify against tho other on any anstet1n nnless
called 10 testify by tie opposite party OF ~ the Court
The bill was passed
RFLIEY FoR cBAHBERsBuRo.
Mr. CorFKOIH offered resolution. which passed
requiring the Committee Of Wsys aud Neaas ~ inquire
into the e1pet epcJ OF reporting o Tor The Ieief Of
the people OF ChaLlbcrshurg Pennsylvania
POsT-oPFlCg APPLoIlJA1lONs.
MI STEvISs from the COMMITTEE Of ways and
Means. reported bin making appropriations ior he
vice of the Poet Olca Department for the Jor end
ing with june, 1856 which was made lie special oide
ior Wednesda! next.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
The House resumed TIE considerations lbe proposed
anti.ShyeTJ nIaeadm9nt ~ the loLslltg1 ION.
Mr.. CHILI0S 4. WHITE (0hiO) beloved Ia the
qualified sovereignty Of the States. and argued that
there 10 power IN tie Constitution 70 chect TIC
status Of Slavery AZ s regulation and management
were within the province Of The states where
the institution existed No legislative aolon can ex
coed delegated powers ahd interfere VITA reserved
rights
M SYrrHrRs (Dol) vas satisfied tho pendinP
measure vas both constitutional and beneficial and
the mode cf amendment So dstincty desgnntcd A. To
preclude all cavl IL showed that nowhere did s.ar,
cry exist n mder form than In Delaware. ana san
the people Of that state would hail vth Joy le passage
Of this great measure Of Justice and humanity
Mr. TOWNSEND IN. y proposed TO vote against
the amendment. re conienipd that Ito de
ducon from the argument ~ the Last few days was thai
those who did 70, for the nincndment 20 the Con
stitution ere enemies Of tue Union end supporters OF
slavery. On Tie part OF his constituents ana himself DC
denied any such conclusion -,
The Clerk read the Crt;enden resolutions at bis re-
MIR TOWNSEND said on the basis OF those resolutions
his constituents at the beginning o. The war. and
there they were to-day In the tumu.t ~ cy discort
the laws OF society lose their force and are seldom sup
cd bT AZ lumnulty ~,
the pride Of victory tie memory OF past Injuries u e
fear q future dangers. ali contribute 10 inhame the
nd and render IL incapable o. forming much less Of
changing the organic form Of Constitution which al
MANKIND unite Ia proolaming TIE greatest monument
Of human wisdom. He would therefore record his
vote against the amendment
Mr. HOLMAN (nd.) said the anne ndmcnt could not be
adopted without being followed By more radical meas
ures If IN the judgment Of our nthers slavery was
inconsistent with republican form of government,
they would have abolished II. Tho Democratic party
was opposed the amendment because they want the
Constitution preserved rs Ills He denied that because
Of Slavery country had become hisAirP aud a
rcrroalh. On the contrary II adgrown II population
and cath aud commanded the rospect Of the world.
Nowhere had It's desines been nndmy controlled by
southern men. Tie Constitution had been the source
the nations prosperity and was tho only ARK OF our
saioty.
Nj CRAvRxs Qnd.) believed Slavery would finally
die II gentlemen but addressed themselves ~ putting
dow n the Rebellion He believed the war would have
been over before II they had said nothing about
Slavery. He Thought this was not proper time 20
grounds Of policy, e1pedieDcy ard justice.
Mr. BRo0MALL pa conieDded that this question had
ELECTION They had given their verdict ard Il muG DO
carried ont either b7 this or by the next congress
The object Of the Constitution a. declared in It's pre-
ambe WIS 20 preserve the liberties OF the people
Mr.. PEsDInTUs (OhiO) maintained that the right OF
amendment was limited 20 two ways: ls by the letter
Of the COnsiituiion itself and I'd. by the spirit intent
and scope Of the instrument and the ideas upon Wch
IL WITS founded. IL not abstract question but q
question oil compact. A change could not DC nude
sabyerting the Constitution and encouraging mon
archy, because republcaRism was AT the base OF our
system and "a overthrow IL is 10 amend, but u sub
vert the Constitution II threefourths OF the States
pass such amendment and they ind that Rhode
Island alone should DO the dissenting state she would
have the right. and 1t woald DO her duty.
10 resist by force and her canse would be sacred IN the
eyes Of Just men, and sanctihed by God. Such an
amendment would not be binding In the moral law. and
would therefore be illegal and void and IT cond be en-
forced only by those who Rad the power OF tLe sword
II was not la the power Of three onFhs oil the States 10
determine the character Cf the institutions OF the other
fourth. We cannot contrnvepe the letter and siit OF
the Constitution; We cannN subyert rsplbiicanem
aud destroy liberty and decide the status OF the citizens
Of the States II this be POSED by force II VIII be-
right TO res.t by force and 10 all tho powers
which may make resistance effective. lie would stand
by the Constitution through good and evil report lie
vOald stand ~ IL as he Understood IL TO tho cDd. Ho
loved his whole country North aud South and II was
because he loT cd 1t that he would do act TO retard
the restoration u peace and the reconsideration OF The
Union. .... ....-..
Mr.. JRSOKEs Or. IL said he Understood the
geneman to say that In future the eauso og Rebellion
would be traced To otbes than those now In He
would lsk the gentleman TO 50! at whose door the san
lay and by whom committed.
MI PEEDLEToE replied that he was not surprised
that the gentle soniewhat touched by what he
had sold IL might be thct the gentleman had mist
the exact force Of his ienguage: but there possibly
might nave been H. lie negbborh0od If tie gentleman,
aud In bis state. and 10 ali the free States, those
who would infract the Constitution. lie (hr Pondle
tom had ssd let tho gentlemen be more careful how
they pushed their doine lest II would be found that
the compact OF the confederation had hrs been broken
,sew ere than In the South In conclusion ne declared