New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-17
The Constitutional Amendment In the
HOusr.

AT the Union League Club, on Thursday ever
ing the Committee appointed the last meeting url
the adoption in the House of the Constitutional Amen
ment made IN elaborate report OF the proceedings o
the passage OF that great measure the OF whc
believe is chiefly due to the efforts Of Judge Ashlel
and the cooperation of the Hon NJ Odell Of Brooklyn
whose long connection with the Democratic party Ell
abled him to exert effective infrence with many
his old associates. After preliminary sketch Of III
history of the amendment in the last Congress. when
failed in the House by ten votes the appearance of tn
chamber the eventfu 3lst Of January was thus de
scribed:
Among those prominent on the floor were Judges o
the Supreme Court, and the newly-apponted Chic
Justce-thc head of what Washington declared va
the keystone Of our political fabric whose presence o
that august bench marks the restoration OF iis aDcen
principles. Near them eminent Senators attracted
from their own chamber although the great question
retaliation there being discussed 10y the surprising
Interest OF the issue to be decided ny INC House
ex.IDembers OF the Presidents Cabinet. heads o
bureaus, officers OF the army and civilians prorii
neDt III Church and State. The gentlcmens galleries
were crowded with citizens and soldiers. fresh iron
their triumph under Grant, Sherman and Thomas; and
the ladies' galleries, with the wives and daughters
Senators and Members of Congress. and hundreds
Of the representatives Of the benignty AID beauty
and the charity ard culture Of our land. assembled
10 hear the Judgment Of extinction pronounced
upon a system that disregards all tia; h Scored
i
the cour.ly representation of Foreign Powers looked
down upon Republican scene alike novel ana sng
gestiye. In which they could read ctary tic idol
thu. ell European scher1ings for The dsinc grafton Ot
America arc doomed 10 disappointment, that every Ell
fort 10 lend TO the Rebels by their recognition
begerents by partial neutrality aud praticnl ron
cads had but nvieoraed the caus. tcy were intended
10 ruia and that with the passage oi the Amendment
their last hope Of establishing American soil al EN-
pre with Slavery Tor its cornerstone would b. e1'ih
gnished forever"
~ "a. NJ
naturally occurred to the spectators as they realized
that. that olden battle-ground of the House OF Rep
resentstiyes they presently to witness the final
and decisive conflict between Freedom and Slavery the
Missouri Compromise in 1890 the debate Oh Slavery
in the District in s the Atherton and other gag rules
in 1885 the various outrages OH the right of petition
and debate freedom Of speech and of the Press and
the long and eventiu Congressional struggle Illuminated
by the heroism OF ohm Quincy Adams and Joshua X Gid
dngs and others whose royiled while they lived
are growing brighter and brighter On Of history
Brief nllusions made 10 the annexation Of Texas
the war with Mexico. the Fugitive Slave act the crimes
against Kansas and other outrGges committed before
the assault sumter and TIE In the streets OF
Baltimore and the stern resolve exhibited IN the House
that Slavery must Gle contros,ed With tho early
attemp, OF the Government on the battle field and N
Congress TO crush tho Rebellion and preserve Slavery
and its volunteered 10 European powers that
when the Rebellion was suppressed Slavery would re-
main unchanged The events Of the last four years, er
bibitng the slave power the relentless and brutal foe
of the unity the nationality. the peace Of the country
and even Of civilization and humanity and especially
the desoatlon 1t had wrought in Northern homes.
aud i,s murder OF Union prisoners by slow starvation
bad united those who until recently had widely differed
on the question and II was remarked that the speca
tors generally seemed hardly able 10 realize the fact that
they there assist in giving the coup d, to
the great power that had long ruled the nation with
rod Of iron proelauing Its bnaiiy resolves its Or
tend Manifesto and lie extra judicial Dred Scott de-
cision. sketch Of the proceedings was given. and
especially OF the taking OF the fna vote previous to
" hch rumor Of the arrival OF Rebel peace commits
soners had raised the anxiety Of the n-sebase 10 the
highest pitchon the announcement by the Speaker Of
the passage OF the Amendment by two-thirds vote
yeas ll9 nays -.
"A moment Of Silence succeeded and then from floor
and galleries burat IA simultaneous shout 81 Joy ana
triumph spontaneous irreprcssibe and uLcontrolh
ble swelling aud prolonged In one vast volume OF ~
ycrberatinE thunder. The men and women IN The gel
lsfies had risen by common inpu,se anu tne VIE
ng Of hats vnving of handkerchiefs. the congrntnn
tons exchanged on the floor WITH grasped HANDS warm
embraces aud deep emotion pT, -,ncd III al ~ a. icc'
a scene Of moral grandeur which attest the com
pleteness Of the final triumph of Freedom in the house
where she bad been no often shhlnefuy beifhl ca o
Gisgrnceiully varqushec.
1.-THE suggestion that upon that scene looked down
approvingly from Heaven the Signsrs OF tne pesh1a
tion 81 Independence whose opening truth aiiei -
years was nbout be embodied IN the organic law oil
The mighty Republic which they had based upon that
deep foundation and that with them were The trainers
OF the Constitution whose anti Slavery views ver OF
LIST 10 DO made part Of their great WORK, hrougnt az
il were face TO face the past and the present and re
called the Oft repeated wish Of the Fnher Of his Coun
try that Slavery might be abolished by Jaw ana hs
prophetic remark that If such course could be adopeu
IL IA ght prevent much mischief
1.-THE XXXVIllth Congress. IN the midst OF the
second war for national Independence. hndnol forgotten
The solemn Injunction OF the Continental Congress at
the close OF the volution Let II ever De rcmen'
bered that tie rights for which vc have eontended were
the rights Of human nature "
The report was 'sgned by Charles H. Marshall III
lot C. Cowdin. George W. Lane. George W. Blunt and
John JAW The club adjourned TO meet on Thursday
Feb - when ii understood that the same Commit
will report another matter referred TO them the "a.
tabllshment OF Bureau for Freedmen.