Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-12-25
A curious contrast.

The recent ratification of the Constitu-
tional amendment, and its adoption as a
part Of the law of the land, marks an
epoch in the political history of our coun-
try Haterminates finally and. forever the
slavery agitation which Lundy and CARR
son commenced, thirty years ago. II
shuts out from our future history the sub
iect which has been the point of division,
the theme of controversy, for the last gen
Grafton which has lain at the root of half
our legislation which has divided our par
ties which has arrayed the South in re
bellien against the nation. Slavery il
dead, and questions of slavery and anti
slavery are obsolete. It is nevertheless
pleasant and perhaps instructive for us,
standing where we do, with our feet upon
the portals of a happier time, to look back
upon some Of the phases Of the contest,
now so triumphantly terminated. The one
which suggests itself at present, marking
most forcibly, by the curious contrast with
the amendment which has just been
adopted the change which five years has
wrought, isthe struggle over last consti-
tutional amendment, previous to this one,
psoPosgd9y COfgrss& 9FE1D
In the desperate attempt to peaceably
preserve the Union by sacrificing Liberty,
which marked the closing hours of the
Thirty-sixth Congress, and of james
Buchanan's standardization, an amendment
to the Constitution, forbidding the passage
of any amendment to the Constitution
abolishiRg or. interfering with slavery in
the States passed both houses of Congress
the Senate adopting it by "a to u and
the House by 1913 to 60. 1t read as fol-
lows: .a,1 1H ta-res,a s7a Ids %
Article IN amendment shall be
made to the constitution which shall au-
thorize or give to Congress the power to
abolish or interfere, within any State, with
the domestic institutions thereof, including
sIat Of persons held to labor or service by
the laws of said State"
This amendment, proposing to surren-
der oar liberties to propitiate a rebellion
already rampant, was reported from the
great Pacifcation Committee of thirty
three from the House and thirteen from
the Senate, and so great was the national
cowdrdice and sevility that it received the
decisive majority above, referred to. We
think however, that twas never ratified
by a single State The Southern
States, already in armed and active
rebellion, @ considered themselves as
part Of. a foreign nation. Few of the
State Legislatures were in session at
the time of its proposal, and those that
were had little time to consider it. With
IN sixty days from its passage the cannon
Of Sumter sounded the knell of slavery.
Pie hOqT of compromise, concession, and
passed away, and the nation
woke to ahigher and holier life.
'oDess than five years after this amend
nant was proposed by a concurrent vote
# two-thirds of each HoUse7of Congress
ther,amendmenthas been legally pro-
'osed and ratified and is now declared to
e part Of the national constitution. Look
n that picture and then on this, Com
are the amendment of 1861 with the
mendment Of 1865. ~.
HARTIcLE, AIII.@SECTIoN 1. Neither /
tAverysnor involuntary 5servitude, except
5 a1punishment for crime whereof the
aftyy shall have. been duly convicted,
l~allexist within the United States or any
lace subject to their Jurisdiction.
"SEe. O. Congress shall have power to
nforce this article by appropriate legisla-
We shall not mar the p~erfectness of this
ontrast by any cheap words of comment.
,et each reader mark it, ponder it, and
iank GoDt ~