The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-22
PEACE CONVENTION OF 81.
Who Called 1t and How It Was
Called.

A Move to Secure Peace by Compromise.
circumstances Under which it Met
Its Leading Spirits Adopt
ed-Complete Failure of the Movement
To the Editor Of the Press:
have been many times inquired of in
relation to the so-called peace Conven-
tom which assembled in Washington in
1861 and have thought brief histori-
cal sketch of this noted meeting might
interest, at least a portion of your
readers.
At the time of the calling of this con-
vention seven states had undertaken to
''resolve'' themselves out of the Union
by their several seceeding conventions.
War and rebellion on the part of the
slaveholding states were everywhere in
the air. James Buchanan was in the
Presidential chair, surrounded by trait
ors, and as the chief magistrate of this
great country cowardly crouching before
treason. Members of Congress from the
seeding States were resigning their seats
and leaving Washington to join the
Southern confederacy and the remaining
members of Congress were anxiously en-
gagged in the work of trying to. patch up
peace and save the Union.
On the 10Th of January 1851 the gen
eral assembly of Virginia passed resolu-
lions inviting the other states to unite
with that state in sending commissioners
to meet on the 4th day of February 1861,
at Williams Hall in Washington to ''agree
upon some suitable adjustment of the
unhappy controversies now existing
throughout the country, and appointed
ex-President John Tyler, VIM. G. Rives,
John W. Brochenborough, George w.
Summers and James A. Selden, com
missioners to represent Virginia. The
six New England States, New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Mary
land, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ken
lucky, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Iowa and Kansas, twenty states in all re-
sponded to the invitation. These sew
eral states were not uniform in the num-
Der of commissioners sent to the conven-
ton, each state sent any number it
saw fit The whole number of commits
sioners in the convention was one hum
dred and thirty-three. This convention
was composed of some of the most dis
tinguished statesmen in the Union.
From Connecticut was Rodger S. Bald
win, Chauncy F. Cleveland, from New
Jersey, R. F. Stockton and f. L. Freling-
huysen; from Penn, VIM. M. Meredith,
and David Wilmot: from MARYLAND.
Revedy johnson and Benjamin c. How
ard; from N. Carolina, Thomas Ruffin
and j. M. Morehead; from Kentucky,
VIM. O.. Butter and Jas. B. Clay; from
Ohio, Salmon P. Chase and Thomas
Ewing; from Indiana, Caleb B. Smith
and G. S. Orth; from Iowa, James Har-
Ian; from Tennessee, F. K. Zollecoffer
and Geo. W. Jones; from Illinois, John
NJ. Palmer; from Massachusetts, Geo. S.
Boutwell,; from New York, James S.
Wadsworth and David D, Field and from
Missouri, Waldo P. johnson. The dele
cation then in Congress consisting of
Fessenden and Morrill, in the Senate and
Somes, Perry, French, Morse, Coburn
and Foster, of the House were chosen by
the legislature of Maine to represent that
state.
John Tyler of Va. was chosen Presi-
dent and Crafts j. Wright of Ohio, Sec
rotary of the convention. A set Of rules
for the government of the same were
adopted and among them was the pro-
vision that stall votes shall be taken by
states, and each state to give one VOTE
On the second day of the session Mr..
Guthrie of Kentucky offered a resolution
that a committee of one from each state
be appointed to whom should be referred
sail propositions for the adjustment of
existing difficulties between states
to report whatever they may deem prop
er to restore. harmony and preserve the
Union"
On the 18th of February 1861 Mr..
Guthrie from said committee made a re-
port, submitting certain amendments to
the constitution briefly as follows:
Art LIN all territory north OF $50 3V
while territory, slavery should be prohibited:
lin all territory south Of that line it shall not be
disturbed by Congressional action.
Art. 2.-NO new territory should be acquired
by the United States except by treaty, to be
ratified by four-fifths Of the Senate.
Art. 3.-The constitution shall not be con-
sgrued to give Congress power to abolish or
control slavery within any state or territory or
in the District of Columbia Without the consent
of Maryland or prevent persons residing out
side of Washington from holding slaves in the
District of Columbia nor prohibit the transport
tation of slaves from one state or territory to
another and holding their slaves therein by sea
Art All personal liberty laws of the free
states relating to the return of fugative slaves
shall be repealed.
Art 5.--The foreign slave trade shall be for
ever abolished.
Art 6.-The first, second, third and fourth
articles of the constitution shall not be amended
or abolished without consent OF all the states.
Art. THE United States shall pay the full
value of all fugitive slaves rescued by force
from their owners.
This report was agreed to by a major
ity of the committee.
Mr.. Baldwin of Connecticut made
minority report recommending con-
vention of all the states to revise the con-
stitution. Mr.. Tuck of New Hampshire
made a similar minority report. Mr..
Field of New York and Crowninshield of
Massachusetts stated they did not concur
in the majority report and Mr.. Seldom of
Va. made report recommending an
amendment of the constitution, declar-
ing the secession of any state constitu-
tional leaving all unsettled matters be-
tween such seceeded state and the
United States matters of subsequent ne
gotiation.
Mr.. Franklin of Pennsylvania offered
an amendment to the first article of the
majority report substantially recognizing