The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-15
The Con.ti,usionnI Amendment

1t Will be rem sInbered Oy our IooU
that on last Thursday Judge GhoiSon
the following resolution
which since then has been referred 10
the committee On State and Federrl re-
lations:
Resolved, Whereas the Congress OF the
United States, did, by resolution, ap
proved the lst day Of February, IN the
year OF our Lord, 1863, propose to the
Legislatures Of the several States as an
amendment to the constitution oi the
United States, which, when rauhed oy
threefourths of said Legislatures shaii
be rated to all intents and purposes as
part of said constitution.
And whereas, the amendment so pro-
posed by Congress, consists OF two di5-
iipct and separate propositions, to-wit:
Article l3. Section |. Neither slavery
nor involuntary servitude, except as
punishment for crime whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, shall
exist within the United States, or any
place SUBJECT to their jurisdiction.
Sec. 2. Congress shall have power TO
enforce this article by appropriate leg
islation.
Approved, Feb lst, 1865:
| Now therefore. ba it resolved, by the
legislature of the State Of Mississippi,
that the first section OF the above reclteo
article l3, be, and the same is hereby as
sented to and ratified as an amendment
10 the constitution of the United States
) of America.
It IS believed that the action OF the
Legislature on this question will have an
important bearing on the question of ad-
mittipg or rejecting our Representatives
in Congress, and also in determining the
course of the other Southern States on
the amendment. We presume that at
this dav, whatever might have been the
case when the resolution proposing the
amendment passed the Federal Congress
there is no sane man who believes tha'
slavery will ever be permitted to exist II
any part Of the United States. No mat
ter how or by what means Slavery dleo
its death is nevertheless a fact that al
must recognize. Admit that we wer'
a forceI to acknowledge this, and agree t.
D its destruction-the case is not altered
: We can see no valid objections to tn
= adoption of the resolution offered b.
T, Judge Gholson, but on the other han'
= think there are many reasons that Nigh
be advanced in favor of its passage
There can be no question of principle
It it, for it but announces what our conVer
= tion has declared shall be the organi
st law for, Mississippi. It would be regarde
merely as pledge that the Legislator
HisnnSn6
sustain the amendment to our constlt1
s. ton and extend the same provision
~ the Constitution of the United States.
20 wouId be considered an evidence OF sll
90 ceritv on our part and would do muc
90 to strengthen the President and dlsarl
w the radicals. If we are satisfied tn
0O slavery is impracticable and imposslo
not only here but in all the States OF Il
t;o Union, what possible injury can rest
= from supporting the resolution Even
-. the section is indivisible Will
~ we do not believe, the vote OF t
State, ond it's position tho slave
- question would be understood, and
-, influence in favor of our restoratl
- would be the same. We have not all
he ded to the second section OF the amen
-, ment as it is not embraced III the T
- olution offered by Judge Gholson and
,or liable to the objection of being constru
of as granting to Congress power VIII
an would be dangerous to the security OF
- people of the Southern States.
= 1t is expected of the Legislature u
they will endorse the action OF
State Convention. 1t is due the people
ol the State, that their position on
y, ,e- slavery question is fully understood;
LIS We must support the reconstruct
policy of the President, or have milit
af- domination and the freedmen's bur'
ter continued indefinitely. 1t is mat
cen for the serious consideration OF the
cislature. We hope they will meet
da- question as patriots and statesmen
do that which Will promote the true
M terests Of their constituents.