The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-02-04
Important Legislation.

On Wednesday January 3lst, the House OF
Representatives of the U. S: passed the following
Joint resolution by vote of Ii yeas to Sc nays
Be 1t resolved IN tile Senate and House Of Repre-
sentdtipes of the United States Of 4YnericG in Con-
gress assembled, ltwo-thirds of both Houses con-
curing, That the following Article be propos-
ed to the Legislature of the several States as an
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, which, when ratified by three-fOurths OF
said Legislatures shall be valid, to all intents and
purposes, as a part Of the said Constitution
namely:
Article 49, Section 1. Neither slavery nor in
voluntary servitndc, except as a punishment for
crimes whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted shall exist within the United States,
or any place subject 10 their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to en-
force this Article by appropriate legislation.
The Senate passed this resolution at the last
session with the necessary two-third yote.-
After receiving the signature of the President,
the resolution will be submitted to the Legisla-
lures of the several States and can only become
part of the Constitution after it has been rati-
fed by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the
whole number of States in the Union. The
whole number being SO, it will require 81 to rat
ify the resolution. There is little doubt of its
receiving the approval of the required number.
Thus has Congress forever as we hope, dis
posed of the subject of slavery, the fruitful
source of all our woes" From the day when the
Declaration of Independence was first discussed,
down to the present, slavery has been the great
disturbing element in our politics, the unfailing
pack-horse of corrupt measures, and the cause of
all our unfortunate compromises. The very his
tory of our government opens with slavery COM
promise, and every succeeding page tells the sto-
ry of its encroachments. Had the Philadelphia
Congress of l776 insisted on preserving the Dec
laraton of independence as it was drawn up by
Jefferson, and faithfully carried out its spirit, it
is a question whether we to-day would be fight
ing to preserve the nation against its enemies
IN each succeeding era of our history, it demand
ed new concessions and new compromises
Ano when the moral sense of the nation could
no longer grant these, it deliberately took up
arms to wipe out the Genius of our government
and establish new system with its own vicious
spiritas the corner stone thereof.
Every day serves to force the conviction deep
er that slavery is the animating spirit of the re-
bellion. Slavery and secession go hand in hand
on one side, Union and emancipation, hand in
hand on the other. The question is before the
people. The sword has been appealed to for a
decision of the contest, and by the sword alone
can the question be decided. a
The action of Congress is step in the right
direction. 1t is one of the necessary results OF
the rebellion. In the extremity to which the en-
emies of the government have been driven, they
begin to pretend that the permanent establish
ment of slavery was not the cause of the war;
'To secure their independence" as they say, they
are willing to give up slavery. Let them go
ahead. They are but aiding the government in
the accomplishment of its work. When both
sections agree that slavery shall perish, then
may we hope for that unity of sentiment, that
harmony of interest, that will make the Union
stronger, and the nation more powerful than it
has ever been in the palmiest days of the past