Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-02-06
THE GREAT CONSTITUTIONAL AHENB.
EENT.
Graphic Description of the Passage of
the Constitutional AbOI.
fshing Slavery through the National
House of Representatives.

the constitutional AmendmentAbOI
ishing Slavery through the National
House OF Representatives.
agate the able Washington CORES
pondent Of the Cincinnati Gazette, furnish
es to that Journal vivid description of the
scene in the House of Representatives du-
ring the vote en- the constitutional Amend
ment abolishing slavery, from which we
extract, as follows:
1t was fitting that there should gather
for the great occasion an audience worthy
of this contamination. Whatever Cf
wealth or wit or beauty the nation had sent
to its Capital, was there crowding the gal.
leries.
Members of the Cabinet, Senators, emil
nent citizens, and brave soldiers, flushed
with the victories of Tennessee, and here
to join their comrades on the coast, found
places on the floor. The venerable JUS
tices of the Supreme Court lent the sane
tion of their presence. Through every
form and shape of their representation the
People had gathered to this chamber to see
the only blot on the escutcheon of the Re-
public wiped out.
At last the time for the vote had come,
and the previous question was demanded.
Amid hush that was painful, the pencils
of the clerks noted down the answers to
the calls. The motion was carried of
course butt lacked tlOo of tl0o-thirds
vote! A shivering sort of buzz ran through
the disappointed galleries but on the floor
the Unionists, though anxious, did not
look discouraged, while on the Democratic
side cocld be seen mingled expression of
consternstion and defiance. The leaders
kept in the back ground; they felt the pow
er of the moment too clearly to think of
risking themselves against it; but smaller
-.,An Tnada haste to try defes ting the inc
VltAble. One proposed adJournlng; an
other laying the motion on the table, a
third had point of order, and as last expe-
dent, flung out as ruined gamester throws
down his last trump csrd, the threat of
fllibustering.
At last the critical point was reached.
There was little ripple of debate; a fool
ish effort 70 divide the solid Administra-
tion ranks by other propositions; when
finally the Speaker announced, "The ques-
tion is, Shall the Bill pass 2" and almost
instantly the Clerk was calling, dAllen,
Alley, Allison, Ames, Ancons." The gal
leries leaned over with strained attention !;
Administration members clustered about
the several lists were being noted, and
wistfully followed the roll. As the Clerk
called baldwin" the response came back,
quick and sharp, "AYKp The House
broke at once into applause, and the DEM
ocrats shouted for order. In q moment
Gsnson was called, and his unexpected
'tAye" again evoked applause not from the
galleries, which not understanding indi-
vidual positions, we're waiting for results,
but from members.
Half dozen Democrats sprung excited
ly to their feet, gesticulsting, clamoring for
order and shouting to the Speaker, who
meantime was humping with his gavel,
and insisting upon quiet in the galleries.
ats members themselves" shouted one in
his wrath. HIt's on the floor, and not in
the galleries" exclaimed another while
sll over the Democratic side, enraged mem
bars began gesticulsting and denouncing
the traitors to the party who had evoB ed
the applause that marked the certainty of
the triumph.
Tho strained interest on the floor was
gone; the buzz of whispering sWelled into
utter jollity and disorder. Through it all
the Clerks shrill tones cut their way down
the roll, and the galleries still leaned over
and watched. Two or three more bursts
of applause from the floor told how the en-
emy's line was breaking, and the populari-
ty that ever follows the mass, once more
showed itself in hearty clapping of hands
ha Sv,aoHnr oy,s,E1r-
name as a member of the House," and gaye''
anewered the Clerks call of Schuyler Col
fax"
There was moments hssty figuring
members we're already shaking hands and
almost embracing each other as they caught
enough TO see the result, when the tally
sheet was handed from the Clerks desk to
the Speaker.
son the passage of the joint resolution,
the vote is-Yess 1l9, nays 56. The Con-
stitutional two-thirds majority having been
obtained, the joint resolution is YaSsed!'
What followed-how all rules were for
gotten; how nor Speaker, nor opposition,
nor even the whole House, could restrain
the galleries; how gentlemen cheersd and
the ladies waved their handkerchiefs as if
L4AA1NACo nho NDAh6 WO4O HulNcIluZ anu
pulsating with fire; how the food of great
rejoicing swept over and wSshed out all
possible legislative proceedings-sll this
has already been told hundred times, and
the youngest boy that saw it, will in his
gray hairs recount the storyin another and
better time, to the children of another
generation, as the most memorable event
of the Nations history.
"Nether slavery nor involuntary servi-
tude, except as q punishment for crime,
whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted, shall exist within the United
States, or any place subject to their juris-
dielion."
The Vision of the great Expounder of the
Constitution is realized His eyes were
not worthy to see it, but at last the flag
does bear, wherever it floats, over the ar.
mics that surround the rebellion as with q
wall of fire. over the nsvies that guard the
coast, in every land and cline, LIBERTY
AND UNION, ONE AND INSEPARA-
BILE, NOW AND FOREVER"
George D. Prentice, in the Louisville
T,,,,.,,J Of tho IL az ,,It;,,,o 4, an arficIa ~,