Year: 1864

| CHteo ototesS June Ii, 1904.


| The House having under consideration the
iJoint resolution TO amend the Constitution of
| the United States to abolish slavery


| Mr.. .>COFFROTH said -


Mr.. Speaker: When l entered this Hail at
the opening of this session, had determined
not to participate in any general debate. 1t
was my intention 10 be listener and not talk
er. This resolve would have been faithfully
| kept, had it not been for the extraordinary leg
isation that has been pressed upon the House
! legislation, in my opinion, which is not only
subversive of the interests Of the people, but
which erects an insurmountable barrier 10 the
restoration Of the Union. The resolution be-
fore us proposes to amend the Constitution, made
by the patriots of the Revolution, SO as to abol-
ish slavery throughout the United States. 1t
proposes to set free four million OF ignorant and
debased negroes 10 swarm the country with pes
tiental effect. 1t Is to carry out the design Of
| the bad and wicked men, whose fanatcal teach
| ing has produced the terrible bloodshed and des-
/ traction of life through which we are now pass
! ing.


Sir, we should pause before proceeding any
| farther in this unconstitutional and censurable
| legislation. The mere abolition of slavery is
not my cause of complaint. l care noS wheth-
er slavery is retained or abolished by the peo-
| pie of the States in which it existS-the only
rightful authority. The question TO me is, bas
Congress a right to take from the people OF the
South their property-or, in other words, hav-
ing no pecuniary interest therein, are we Justl-
fed in freeing the slave property of others Can
we abolish slavery in the loyal State of Ken
tucky against her will? If this resolution should
pass. and be ratified by three-tourths of the
States-States already free-and Kentucky re-
fuses to ratify it, upon what principle of right
or law would we be justified in taking the slave
property of the people Of Kentucky. Would
it be less than stealing!


This legislation has a tendency not only to
create discord among the people of the North,
but has power so immense the mind cannot
calculate its weight in giving strength and force
to the rebellion. Il iuils all the prophecies OF
the South concerning the North. They have
been bolster1ng up and maintaining their army
by asserting that the people OF the North IN
tended to confiseate their homes and roo them
of their slave properly. The one has already
been put in force by an unconstitutional enact
ment. and you now propose to DO the other by
the same process OF iIlegality. These acts con-
stitute the propelling power which has filed
southern armies The fanatical legislation of
this Congress has been of more value TO the
South, in giving them largelarmies, than all the
conscriptions they have passed or bounties they
have paid Men. who were attached 10 the
old Union, but placed under circumstances to
be Of little service to it, and who have been


waiting with heating hearts to lie again shelter


Il a. 4 II
into sympa thy with the rebellion, but int,
hearty CO. operation. They have no other re
sort. 20 remain idle nov, is to lose all they
have. In their opinion, to sustain the rebellion
retains 10 them their property.


IF slavery Il to be abolished, allow ii TO bt
done according 20 the principles of common jus
tice. Allow ,he people in each State the ina


IienabIe right through their legally constituted
authorities to con, ~ol their own domestic insttu
tions in their own way. This was the doctrin
held bv statesmen VIII, ,se passions and prejudice
did not blind them to correct idea OF right.
President Harrison saw the dlsunion purpos
es of the Abolitionists and slavery agitators q
an early day, and expressed the following op:n-
ion:-


II am, and have been, for many years 81
much opposed to slavery, that l WI never live
In slave State But | believe the Constitu
ton has given no power to the General Gov
ernment to interfere in this matter, and that Il
have slaves or no sla IS, depends upon the I7eo
pie in egch Stale alone. But besides the cor
stitutional objection, am persuaded that the
obvious tendency Of such interference on the
part of the States which have no slaves with
the property of their fellow citizens of the 9TH
ers, is to produce state OF discord and jealousy,
that will in the end, prove fatal to the Union.
believe that in no other State are such wild
and dangerous sentiments entertained on this
subject as in Chic


Sir, do not deny the right of Congress to
amend the Constitution of the United States
for the benefit of the people, but do deny the
right of Congress to amend the Constitution to
the destruction of the right of the people to
hold property. 1t was never intended by the
trainers Of the Constitution, nor by any of the
great men who ruled this country, that the dom
inant party, blinded by prejudice, should alter


or amend the Constitution, to the injury of the


weaker section. IF the North has the power
to take from the South their property, it follows
that If the South ever gets the power. she would


have the sane right 70 take our property, and
the result would be that instead of the Consti.


tuition protecting the people it would be turned
into power TO oppress them.


The Democratic party has been exerting its


power to restrain legislation 70 IFS proper chan
mel, and for this it is daily stated upon this floor
and elsewhere that the Democrats are in SYM
pathy with the rebellion. What a libel upon
that great party! Its great principles, its pure
devotion to the country, and its never dying
feal:y to the doctrine of mans capacity for self
government, can receive these shocks OF vtu-