Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-06-28
A Chapter of History.

In his admirable tribute to the memory OF
the late Roscoe CoEkling, Col. Ingersoll re.
calls a chapter OF history which, tor Obvious
reasons, has not been generally talked about.
We refer to the action Of the Congress of
1S6).6l in passing a bill for an amendment 10
the Constitution providing that slavery
should never be interferrcd with In any State
where 1t then existed. That Is to say, It wss
proposed that the people should forever sur
render the right or power TO touch slavery
south of Mason anu Dlckson's line. This
most astounding concession to the element
which was then just in the act OF a~ssaiiing
the life of the Government recciv We d the votes
of two-t thirds Of the Republican members OF
both houses. The purpose OF the bill, OF
course, was to prevent war and satisfy the
South that the Republican party did not ln-
tend to destroy her cherished institution OF
traffic Ia hnman beings; but what a monstrous
price IL was to offer for peacei Considered
In the light of what has since taken place, 1t
looks almost Ike voluntary betrayal OF liberty
Mt the very moment OF its triumph; aud yet,
IL was Endorsed by that great and good man
Abraham Lincoln, in his first inaugural al.
dress. Mr.. Conkling opposed 1t, however, as
did others who believed that war was inevlt-
able, and that the time had gone by for com.
promises.
Fortunately, the proposed surrender was
not consummated. The bill passed the house
on February %, by a vote OF 1873 to G5; the
senate adopted 1t during the night preceding
the 4th Of March, by a vote OF "a 10 II; and
President Buchanan approved 1t only an hour
before the Inauguration Of his successor. But
there the undertaking stopped, by reason OF
the beginning of the war. Not a single state
ever took action in the case; but instead,
troops we're hurried into the field, and the
clash Of arms silenced the voices OF the poll.
ticlans who were willing, as Col lngersoll
saws, that slavery should become immortal.
1t was right there that the Southern leaders
made the gravcst mistake. II they had ac-
cepted this process of settlement, they would
have secured an advantage OF conclusive
value. The existence of slavery la ell the
Southern States would have been confirmed
past every possible chance OF future disturb
ance; for there can not be any doubt that a
majority Of the Republicans would have read
ily acquiesced at that time In such a solution
Of the difficulty. so anxious were they to avoid
bloodshed. But the poison OF secession had
taken hold upon the conspirators TO an extent
made them 50 many madmen, scornf full alike
OF the suggestions OF reason and the obliga-
lions Of patriotism. They might have perpet-
uated slavery In the south without firing q
gun, IL they had been wise enough to improve
the opportunity that was presented to them,
BY their own folly, they lost where they had
a plsiD chance to win. They precIpitsted In
war, I'm other words, when the north stood
ready to grant them ample protection fol-
slavery wherever 1t then existed; and the re.
sponeibllity for the loss and misery that en-
sued accordingly rests wholly upon them
ST Louis Globe Democrat