The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-02-24

w HULE NU. (Cy.
Constitution, but are more potent than tho
Constitution itself. Such an ignis (afuus +
am not disposed to follow. especially when
it leads to a hopeful future for human
slavery.
l cannot agree with my colleague, and
the distinguished gentleman from Massa.
cbusetts. Mr.. Boutwell, who unite in'
declaring that no amendment to the Con.
siitution can oe made which would be in
conflict with its objects as declared 10 the
preamble. What special immunity WAS
granted TO that first paragraph? Could
no, our forefa,bers have adopted differ.
ent preamble in the beginning? Could
they not have employed other words and
declared other objects as the basis of
their Constitution? II they could have
made a different preamble. declaring
other and different objscis,s so can we now
declare other objects, in our amend
men's. The preamble is itself amenda.
bic just as is every clause Of the Cons,itu-
lion. excepting only the ones already re.
ferred TO.
But this point is not necessary In the
case we are now considering. We need
no change Of the preamble to enable US
10 abolish slavery. 1t is only by the final
o. erthrow OF slavery that the objects of
The preamble can be fully realized. By
that means alone can we "estoblish Just.
ice, insure domestic tronquility. oud secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
posterity." ..r.. ...
The gentleman (Mr. Pend'eiont puts
another case which wish 10 notice. He
says that rine OF the thirteen original
colonies adopted the Constitution, and by
its very terms it was binding only on the
nine. So, il three. .fourlbs Of the States
should pass this amendment, il would not
bind the other fourth. ......
In commenting upon this clause, Judge
Tucker; Of Virginia, in his appendix 10
Blackstone, says that, il the four colonies
had not adopted the Constitution, they
would have been foreign people. Tho
writer's Of the Federalist hold different
doctrine, aud fall back upon the original
right Of The nation 20 preserve itself, and
say that the nine States would have had
the right to compel The other four TO come
in. But the question is unimpcr,sp, from
the fact that theydid come in and adop: the
Constitution. The contract once ratified
and obligations once taken, they became
an integral part Of an indivisible nation,
as indivisible as a State. s
TIE argument is irrelevant; for the
mode OF adopting the Constitution is one
thing; the mode pointed out in the Con.
sti,u'ion for adopting amendments 10 it's
quite another. The two have no peces.
sary relation TO each other. .....-
therefore agree with my colleague
from the Columbus district. (Mr. Cox
that except in the two cases Of Limitation.
two thirds 81 Congress anG three fourihs
Of The Siates can 90 anything 10 the way
Of amendment. being bounded only by
their sense of duty to God and the conn.
try. The field is then fully open before
US.
On the justice OF the amendment itself.
no arguments are necessary. The rea.
sons crowd in on every side. To emu.
merate them would be- work of super.
fluffy. To me i: is matter of great sur.
prise that gentlemen on the other side
should wish 10 delay The death of slavery.
l can only accoun, Tor it on The ground Of
long. continued familiarity and friendship.
l should be glad to hear them say OF
slavery, their beloved. as did the jealous
Moor,
"Ye, she must die, else shell tetray more men,"
Has she not betrayed and slain men
enough? Are they not strewn over a
thousand baltle.f fields? Is not this Mo.
loch already gorged with the bloody feast?
Its bes. friends know that its fnal hour ia
fast approaching. The avenging gods are
on its track. Their feet are not now, 40
Of old. shod with wool, Tor slow and state.
ly stepping. but winged like Mercury's,
to bear the swift message Of vengeance.
No human power can avert the final ca
ta.trophe.
! did not intend, Mr.. Speaker, ever
again TO address The House on The sub.
ject OF slavery. l bad topcd we might,
without a struggle, at once and forever
remove il from the :bea,er of American
politics. and turn our thoughts TO those
other and larger fields now opening be-
fore US. But when l saw the bold and
determined efforts put forth in this House
yesterday, for it's preservation. could
not resist the inclination 10 strike ono
blow, in The hope of Fastening its doom.
HTke Ravenua Democrat reports q
case OF a little girl Of .ha. place. who Eve
pears ago-she then being a year and q
half old-swa allowet a djaner min tvo