The Placer herald., 1865-03-04
Hon. George H. Pendleton on the Propo-
sltion to abolish Slavery by Constitu.
tiOnal Amendment,

o!IAoA " aUV1tou oAdVcIy ny COuStltu'
tional Amendment.
At the close of a very able and convincing
argument delivered in the United States
House of Representatives, Wednesday, Jan
lllh, 1865, upon the proposition to abolish
slavery in the United States, Hon. Geo. II
Pendleton, of Ohio, late Democratic candi
date for Vice President, used the following
patriotic language:
The Constitution demands the highest ad-
miration of my intellect. 1t has received
the profound homage of my heart. TIE
oath which have taken commands me TO
perform that duty which my intellect and
my heart impose upon me; and | intend,
through evil and through good report,
through wha,ever storm of popular disfayor,
to stand by it, as | understand it, even 10
the end. love my whole country, South
AS we'll as North, and it is because | love it
that no act Of mine shall re,ard the restora.
ton Of peace or the reconstruction of that
Union which made it all my country. am
Northern man; | have their pr-indices;
love its people, love my section; | love its
institutions; am jealous of its honor; and no
ac, Of mine shall stain the lustcr Of the fame
OF its good faith. | am citizen of Ohio
1t is the home Of my fathers, as i. is the
home of my children; and will stand by
this Constitution because wish TO preserve
forever the rights and digoties Of my State,
and maintain forever the liberties Of its cil
zens.
| am no, influenced, therefore, by any pc
culiar love for the people Of the South; by
any peculiar regard for their institutions.
stand unmoved by the considerations which
have been addressed to us. It is nothing TO
me that gentlemen from slavehoiling States
approve this amendment; it is nothing to me
that the tide OF popular sentiment runs IN
favor of it.; it is nothing to me that we of the
Northern States who believe as | do stand
alone if alone we must stand. intend to
do my duty AS understand it, and am pre
pared for the consequences be what they
NAV.
But, Mr.. Speaker, if were Influenced by
the motives which gentlemen on the other
side attribute to me, it would be easy for me
10 fall into the current of public opinion
which is carrying them so rapidly away. 1t
is because am not that occupy the posi-
ton do to day. The time is fast passing
away when under the influence of your poll
cy and your legislation The Southern States
or people will have the least interest in your
laws. Your egislaion has turned to ashes
the golden fruits of your military success
Your policy has verified the alleged causes
Of secession. Gentlemen must not he mlsed
10y the syren voices that come up to them
from captured cities in the south. They
WOO you but to ruin. lfyou misunderstood
them they will lead you as willing victims
upon quicksands and rocks.
If you drive the Southern people by your
military power to The last extremity, and su-
peradd. as a majority Of this House desire,
emancipation OF slaves, contscalion of prop
eriy, destruction of local governments; de
slruction of State constitutions, division Of
terrtory-if that be your policy, they will
libe,ate their slaves, they will arm their me-
groes, they will break down the only barrier
that separates them from the synpates of
all Europe, and aided by the moral force. if
not the material power OF Europe, they will
establish their independence, and the Union
President will sign the treaty Of dissolution.
And then, in exchange for free Mary yland
with her slaves enIranchsed and her white
citizens ensaved; in exchange for free Mis-
souri, with her slaves entranchised and her
white citizens decimated by the vengenance
of the guerrillas, we will have given up this
Union with all its benefits, and have subver
ted form Of government, the fairest and
freest, the most bonntitul in blessings in the
past, and the most hopeful of blessings in the
sated to man.